
£mi 



Glass. 

Book vW\n ? ^. 



I 



PAST AND PRESENT 



OF THE 



City of Decatur and Macon County 



ILLINOIS 



ILLUSTRATED 



A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never 
achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by 
remote grenerations. " — IMagaulay. 



CHICAGO 
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING CO. 
1903 






Historical and Biocrapiiical 



• )1 



preface:. 




HE publishers take great pleasure in presenting this volume to the public. For 
the general history of the county we are indebted to Hon. J. G. Keller and for 
the history of the public schools of Decatur to Prof. E. A. Gastman, both being 
well qualified for the work. The greatest of English historians, Macaulay, and 
one of the most brilliant writers of the age, has said : " The history of a country is best 
told in a record of the lives of its people." In conformity with this idea, the biographical 
department of this work has been prepared, our corps of writers going to the people, the 
men and women who have, by their enterprise and industry, brought the county to a rank 
second to none among those comprising this great and noble State, and from their lips have 
the story of their life struggles. No more interesting or instructive matter could be pre- 
sented to an intelligent public. In this volume will be found a record of many whose lives 
are worthy the imitation of coming generations. It tells how some, commencing life in 
poverty, by industry and economy have accumulated wealth. It tells how others, with lim- 
ited advantages for securing an education, have become learned men and women, with an 
influence extending throughout the length and breadth of the land. It tells of men who 
have risen from the lower walks of life to eminence as statesmen, and whose names have 
become famous. It tells of those in every walk in life who have striven to succeed, 
and records how that success has usually crov/ned their efforts. It tells also of many, very 
many, who, not seeking the applause of the world, have pursued the " even tenor of their 
way," content to have it said of them, as Christ said of the woman performing a deed of 
mercy — " They have done what they could." It tells how many, in the pride and strength 
of young manhood, left the plow and the anvil, the lawyer's office and the counting-room, 
left every trade and profession, and at their country's call went forth valiantly " to do or 
die," and how through their efforts the Union was restored and peace once more reigned 
in the land. In the life of every man and of every woman is a lesson that should not be 
lost upon those who follow after. 

Coming generations will appreciate this volume and preserve it as a sacred treasure, 
from the fact that it contains so much that would never find its way into public records, 
and which would otherwise be inaccessible. Great care has been taken in the compilation 
of the work, and every opportunity possible given to those represented to insure correct- 
ness in what has been written; and the publishers flatter themselves that they give to their 
readers a work with few errors of consequence. In addition to biographical sketches, por- 
traits of a number of representative citizens are given. 

The faces of some, and biographical sketches of many, will be missed in this volume. 
For this the publishers are not to blame. Not having a proper conception of the work, some 
refused to give the information necessary to compile a sketch, while others were indifferent. 
Occasionally some member of the family would oppose the enterprise, and on account of 
such opposition the support of the interested one would be withheld. In a few instances 
men never could be found, though repeated calls were made at their residence or place of 
business. 

December, 1903. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



HISTORICAL 



Geographical 

Early Settlement 14 

The White Settler 15 

County Government 90 

County Officers 27 

Agriculture 28 

Railroads 29 

niack Hawk War 31 

Mexican War 31 

Civil War 33 

Villages fiS 

Schools 73 

School Lands 75 

Parochial Schools 70 



Tlie James ■\Iillikiii L'niversity 77 

The Church 78 

City of Decatur 82 

The Free Public Library 82 

The Woman's Club 83 

Powers' Grand Opera House 84 

The Anna R. Millikin Home 84 

St. Mary's Hospital 84 

The Wabash Hospital 85 

Goodman's Band 85 

The Decatur Club 85 

The Country Club of Decatur 85 

Parks 86 

Police Department 87 



1-ire Dei)artment 87 

Water Works 87 

Greenwood Cemetery S7 

Things for which Decatur is noted.. 88 

Societies 88 

Hanks 90 

Decatur Traction li Electric Com- 
pany ui 

Manufactories and Corporations.... 91 

Bench and Bar 109 

Our Honored Dead 118 

Christmas Reminiscences 121 

Public Schools of Decatur 123 



BIOORAPHICA.L 



Abbott, Xinim (310 

Adams, Charles 802 

Adams, O. C 833 

Albert, G. F 818 

-Mexander, James H 769 

Allen, D. S 822 

Allman, Edward 586 

Allsup, Miner R 310 

Archer, H. 1 876 

Armstrong, J. H 548 

Armstrong, William 453 

Armstrong, W. C 868 

Arnold, Hiram 076 

Baker, H. S 815 

Baker, N. M 770 

Baker. R. N 429 

Baldwin, James S 236 

Banton, H. J 806 

Barbey, L. D 379 

Barnes, Dr. Ira N 273 

Barnes, Dr. W. A 225 

Barron, John 613 

Earth, .lacob W 442 

Bassey, Edward C 383 

Batcbelder, David B 831 

Hatcheldcr, John C 063 

liatchelder, J. J 471 

Batcbelder, Moses E 439 

Bauer, C. R 284 

Baum, William 601 

lieall, Hillory 826 

Bean, C. H '. 534 

Berkler, Henry .i06 

Betzer, George W 834 

Betzer, Peter 433 



Betzer, Reuben 190 

Bixby, J. G 552 

Black, John H 753 

Blank, William 487 

Boggs, Dr. William R 192 

Bommersbach, Nicholas 546 

Bottrell, J. D 549 

Boyce, J. C 395 

Boyd, James P 561 

Boyer, Melvin F 575 

Bramble, W. H 618 

Brett, David E 441 

Brewer, A. D 710 

Brooksbier, William F 655 

Brown, Charles H 670 

Brown, Henry H 668 

Brown, James E 624 

Drown, Dr. Josiah 673 

Brown, J. W 427 

Brown, Travis 830 

Buflmejer, J. S 684 

Bundy, W. M 347 

Burgess, Sullivan 869 

Busber, W. F 303 

Butzien, Frederick 377 

Carmean, W. H 736 

Carr, Dr. E. D 386 

Carter, J. W 185 

Chamberlain, W. D 257 

Chenoweth, Dr. W. J 735 

Childs, J. S 390 

Clark, J. B 746 

Clark, William 268 

Clipston, Joseph K 850 

Combs, Jabez J 435 



A Connaghan, Charles 777 

Connard, Charles E 228 

Connard, Martin E 229 

L^onover, George 582 

Cooper. W. T 456 

Cowen, Charles C. H 423 

Crabb, Frank A , . 875 

Crane, J. W 203 

Crary, John M 209 

Crawford, W. M 342 

Crocker, John 184 

Crocker, John H 189 

Crow, E. W , 833 

Crow, O. T 374 

Culver, J". H 339 

Cussins, Dr. J. S. C 263 

Daggett. Albion 555 

1 )ammeier. Christian 791 

Danzeisen, George J 345 

Davidson, A. H 556 

Davis, Byrd L 862 

Davis. Jerome B 607 

Davis, Thomas 281 

Davis. Rev. W. H 359 

Dectz, Charles H 837 

* Dclabunty, Walter 498 

Denipsey. Michael 690 

Dempsey, P. J 644 

Denise. D, E 276 

Dennis, Andrew 525 

Dewein, Victor 499 

Dickey, H. E 222 

Dickson, Adam 599 

Dinneen, Daniel 565 

Doiike, Thomas B 545 



TAU1.I-: OF ajxri-:\TS. 



Downey. Charles U 353 

A Downing. T. E 64" 

Downing, \V. T --846 

Drake, J. I ^47 

Urury, Dr. (1. \V 180 

Dukcr, G. !•" ^^^ 

Dunston, A. .1 880 

Ebcrly, U. 1 »50y 

lihrharl, Joseph 15 819 ^ 

Elwood, Casper C ^*1 

Ewing, Charles A »"9 

Ewing, F. N' '** 

Ewing, Mrs. Sarah Ann 784 

Eyman, J. A 380 

Eaith, Charles II ■'''3 

Eaith, George -l^O 

I'aries, Robert 183 

**■ I-itzKcrald. J. K 540 

Kletcher. J. W 881 

Inulkc, Edward 309 

Foulke, W. ! 608 

Frank, John ^3* 

Freeman, James 828 

Freeman, Mrs. Margaret A 416 

c;age, Wilson S *97 

Garver, William S «2 

Gastman, E. A 687 

Gepford, S. R "** ^ 

Gerber, Samuel ^*'^ 

Gilman, G. Fred 736 

Given, J. F 80" 

Glore, Capt. J. II 682 

Gogerty, John 567 

Goodc, F. R 673 

Gorin, Jerome R 173 

Gorin. O. B 207 

Graves, J. W 3« 

Gray. Dr. James L 803 

Green, Joshna 713 

Greene, O. /. 311 

Griffith, James G 591 

Grimm, Samuel 656 

Gushard, William 827 

Gtithriilgc, C. K 816 

lladwin, James 847 

Hagan, Henry 859 

Haines, Frank W 287 

Hamman, John \V 592 

Hamnian, rhilip P 741 

Hammer, W. 1 871 

Hamsher, William 396 

Hankins. Charles S 849 

Hardy. J. K 643 

llarpstrite, Augustus 675 

Harpstrite, Edward 650 

Hartley, C. J 694 

Hays, Charles 402 

Heckler, Anthony 850 

Henard, J. R 579 

Hendricks, Jacob C 792 

Henshie, David 841 . 

Highly, H. L 820 

Hight, John R 532 



Hiphl. Robert W 30C 

Hilbrant. S. 169 

H ildcbrandt, Theodore 503 

Hill, Douglas D 867 

Hill, H. W 255 

llilvety, \V. F 836 

Hobbs, Rev. James 505 

Hodge, H. D. M 635 

Holiday, Harry L 434 

llollingcr, James .805 

Holman, Carey L 648 

Hooper, W. J 811 

Hosteller, George F 244 

Housley, Mrs. N'. J 789 

Hoy, Simon I* 703 

Hunter, W. R 209 

Ihirst, C. M 821 

Imboden, C. M 620 

Imboden, J. G 739 

Jaeobsen, Henning 812 

Jimison. G. A 041 )f 

Johns, Dr. H. C 700 

Johnson, Milton 219 

Johnston, \\'illiam 842 

Jones, Charles 840 

Jones, Thomas 13 707 ^ 

Jones, William 649 

Jones, Yong P 825 

Jostes, Henry 667 

Joynt, J. J 566 

Kaylor, G. W 854 

Keck, John A 331 

Keister, John F 631 

Keller, John G 623 

Kemmerly, J. F 857 

Kepler, Mrs. Fannie 745 

Kile, Isaac W 662 

Kincaid, Robert F 283 

KnoufT, \. S 447 

Koehler, Louis 790 

Kohr, Jacob W 691 

Kraschel, Frederick 661 

Kreher, Adam 724 

Krcidler, Henry 860 

Krcticr, David 512 

Krone, N. L 459 

Kuhns, Henry B 494 

i.anham, Benjamin F 400 

l.aux, Charles 765 

Leavitt, T. .\ 724 

Lcfbngwell, L. B. C 614 

l.cForgee, C. C 838 

Lehman. Frank P 712 

Lchn, F. \V 394 

Lehn, George W 367 

Lehn, John P 526 

Lewis, Charles 409 

Lewis, Dwight F 415 

Lonergan. Dr. M. V 403 

Love, Joseph 354 

Lowe, G. F 335 

Lowry, Francis M 324 

I^vry, John M 401 

Ludwig, Charles 845 



Lunn, Henry 858 

Lyon, George S 241 

Lytic, R, P 327 

-McCune, George 564 

McDonald, E. S 337 

.\lcEvoy, John 593 

Mclean, Dr. C. A.. 360 

McLean, Dr. \V. T.' 515 

Magee, William J 767 

.Major, Jacob 454 

.Malone, Jones 708 

.Matthew, Dr. John B 479 

.Matthew, John L 528 

.Maxon, Maywood 782 

.May, Dr. S. R 483 

.Melton, Dr. W. A 210 

.\lelvin, L. A J02 

.Mendith, F. M 380 

.Merris, E. M 3U5 

.Mettlen, Alexander T 405 

.Meyers, Mrs. Lovina 170 

.Miller, John R 718 

.Minikin, James 637 

Mills, A. H 221 

-Mills, Joseph 397 

-Mills, L. A 273 

Mittan, Dr. F. J 761 

-MofTett, W. T 729 

-Montgomery, -\. R 371 

-Montgomery', James H 533 

-Moore, Josiah A '. 7iis 

-Mowry, H. C 107 

-Mueller, Hieronymus 700 

-Murphey, Martin P 717 

-Myers, Dr. -\. D 270 

Nelson, William E 195 

Ncsbitt, -V. S 839 

Newell, William B 843 

Nicholls, R. A 810 

Nichols, J. E 70U 

Nottclniann, J. H 392 

Oren, John 11 OSl 

Usborne, J. E 577 

Outtcn, G. C t .V 573 

Owen, H. M 527 

Packard, Silas 167 

Parker, Benjamin 368 

Parker, James H 261 

Parker, J. P 421 

Parker, Dr. O. F 401 

Patterson, David 329 

I'edicord, J. J 864 

Pcrsinger, J. -M 410 

Pfister, Charles C 734 

Pharo, Isaac F 771 

Phelan, Mr. and Mrs. Michael. .. .778 

I'ickle. -Newtoif F 089 

Pitner, Thomas W 576 

Pollock. Dr. M. D 097 

Pope, Walter 440 

Porter. Dr. D. W 389 

Powers, Orlando 165 

Powers, Samuel 201 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Powers, Thomas 601 

Pratt, Frank M 213 

Price, Jacob R 558 

Pritchett, Waller 801 

Provost, L. R say 

Querry, Isaiah 3'^3 

Query, Titus 305 

Race, James \V 641 

Randolph, C. C 872 

Randolph, Guy A 235 

Record, J. H 580 

Ritchie, Mrs. C. M 46S 

Ritchie, Samuel 467 

Roberts, Edwin J 698 

Roberts, T. T 760 

Rbby, K. H 788 

Rogers, L. E 755 

Uothfuss, Andrew 315 

Ruehl, Charles F 267 

Ruthrauff. Harry , 852 

Sampson, James N 318 

Schenck, Will 781 

Soberer, Nicholas 232 

Schroeder, Fred E 231 

Schroeder, Rudolph H 884 

Schroeder, W. R 740 

Scott, Owen 785 

Scruggs, W. R 642 

Shanklin, J. G 786 

Shellabarger, D. S S63 

Shettel, H. A 181 

Shoemaker, Andrew 629 

Short, George B 297 

Sibley, Dr. B. F 298 

Simpson, Butler 540 

y Singleton, Huston 795 

Smith, Mrs. Mary E 550 

Smith, S. K 472 

Smith, Will L 333 

Smith, W. S 882 



Spangler, Joseph 711 

Spence, Daniel C 504 

Spencer, Read 574 

Spitler, George 1! 412 

Spittler, Fred 843 

Spooner, P. D 511 

Springer, T. T 493 

St. Patrick's Church 092 

.Stare, George 321 

Stare, \Villiam 11 515 

Starr, \V. H 860 

Stein, Eckhardt C 876 

Sterrett, B. 1 585 

Stewart, Francis 615 

yt, Stober, John G 215 

Stoner, Dr. A. J 873 

Stoncr, T. C 759 

Stookcy, Daniel 731 

Stoutenborough, G. S 539 

Stoutenborough, J. B 765 

Stoutenborough, J. H 380 

Stoutenborough, J. L 804 

Stoutenborough, J. P. 674 

Stuart, J. T 34S 

Stuart, Oliver I, 248 

Swain, Dr. S. II 481 

Taggart, Robert 334 

Tait, F. B 721 

Thatcher, Charles P 594 

Thomas, Dr. E. H 343 

Thompson, A. J 616 

Thompson, Capt. George W 588 

Tomlinson, Tliomas W 832 

Torrence, Frank D 748 

Towne, F. P 242 

Trimmer, .'\braham 292 

Trimmer, .\ndrew J 291 

Trimmer, Daniel W 289 

Trimmer, John F 294 

Trimmer, Joseph F 393 

Troutman, Jacob 793 

Tucker, Cyrus J 562 



Tucker, Joseph T 834 

Tuppcr, Col. .\nsel 475 

Tupper, Col. N. W 445 

Tyler, Barton S 316 

Ulery, E. S 341 

Underwood, James G 368 

Van Deventcr. C. J 824 

Van Gundy, J. D 883 

Wade, Edward SIO 

Walker, J. W 608 

Wallace, William A 840 

Walter, Robert 385 

Walters, Clement C 399 

X Warburton, Joseph 531 

Ward, J. T 844 

Washburn, S. G 809 

Weaver, Samuel 630 

Webb, S. T 879 

Welge, Henry 553 

Wells. F. P 813 

Whitmcr, F. It 333 

Wilkinson, Mrs. Lamira 796 

' Willard, J. G 796 

Williams, A. J 653 

y Williams, J. C 851 

Williams, J. W 374 

Williams, Robert T 603 

Williams, W. H 461 

Williamson, Solomon 486 

Willoughby, W. H 483 

Wilson, James A 766 

Wilson, R. D 175 

Wise, H. H 633 

Woodcock, Harold R 262 

Woodcock, R. H 861 

Woods, Robert 509 

♦^Vohe, J. E 625 



Past and Present of Macon County 



By John G. Keller. 



In the geographical center of the state, 
midway between Chicago and St. Loins, 
the leading cities in the Northern Missis- 
sippi Valley, lies Macon county. It is one 
of the banner counties in the famous corn 
belt of Illinois; bounded on the north by 
DeWitt, on the east by Piatt and Moultrie, 
on the south by Moultrie, Shelby and 
Christian, on the west by Christian and 
Sangamon counties. 

Its extreme length is twenty-seven miles 
and its width is twenty-five miles, contain- 
ing an area of five hundred and seventy- 
seven sections or three hundred sixty-nine 
thousand two hundred eighty acres which 
is divided into seventeen townships as fol- 
lows : Austin 36 sections, Friends Creek 
48, Hickory Point. 36, Xiantic 29, Blue 
Mound 32, Mt. Zion 39, Pleasant View 30, 
Oakley 27^, Milam 24, Maroa, 42, Whit- 
more 36, mini 36, Harristown 36, South 
Wheatland 30, South :\Iacon 36, Decatur 
29, Long Creek 38^. 

But a few years ago, much of the prairie 
land was used for grazing purposes only; 
at present no wild lands are to be found. 
Its physical geography differs but little 
from that of its immediate neighbors. The 
surface, generally, is undulating containing 
more prairie than timbered lands. 

Originally much of the prairie was very 
low and level, making it unfit for cultiva- 
tion. This land, which lies in the south, 
east and north parts of the county, was 
known as swamp land, and sold by the 
United States Government at twenty-five 
cents per acre. These, localities now pro- 



duce more corn than any other in the coun- 
ty, and command a very high price. 
" No locality has better drainage. "The 
Ridge," as it is familiarly called, extends 
from Maroa west to the low lands of Aus- 
tin township and culminates in a round- 
top in section seven, known as the David 
Davis farm; this point has an altitude of 
over seven hundred feet above that of the 
Sano-amon river where it leaves the county. 
A ridge extending almost due south from 
this point forms a mound of about the same 
altitude as that of the Davis ridge, two 
miles northeast of Warrensburg on the 
Powers' farm; extending south to the ex- 
tremes of the county another mound of sim- 
ilar altitude is left as its parting farewell. 
This ridge extending the entire length of 
the county north and south forms the water 
shed of the county, the Sangamon river be- 
ing the only stream large enough to break 
through. The ridge affords an enchanting 
view of the surrounding country ; for this 
reason and from the fact that this land 
could be cultivated without artificial drain- 
age, the early settlers, who ventured away 
from the timber's edge located along this 
elevation. 

The Sangamon river with Friends creek 
and Stephens creek as tributaries from the 
north, Findley creek and Sand creek from 
the south, enters the county on the east 
within seven miles of its northern boundary, 
trends toward the southwest passing be- 
tween Whitmore 'and Oakley townships, 
through Decatur, Harristown and Blue 
Mound townships, leaves the county within 



10 



PAST Ai\D PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



eleven miles of its southern Ixmndary; its 
exit being the southern boundary of Niantic 
township ; the drainage of the entire county 
is eventually effected by the Sangamon 
river. Comparatively few springs remain 
since the advent of underground tile drain- 
age, which has almost entirely eliminated 
the surface water, the source of the spring 
and the shallow well. Some of the old land 
marks as the Imboden Springs in the south 
])art of Decatur, those in Fairview Park, 
the Boiling Springs near Bearsdale, the Sul- 
phur Springs near Mt. Zion, and the Dan- 
town Springs remain. The Sangamon 
river, including its tributaries, is bordered 
by rugged timber lands, among whose blufis 
are found the only remaining springs of 
the early settler. The supply of water on 
the farms comes from deep wells, averaging 
at least a hundred feet in depth. 

The village dwellers generally depend 
upon private wells, with the e.xception of 
Maroa, Macon and Blue Mound, which 
have water works, the supply coming from 
deep wells. Decatur's water supply is taken 
from the Sangamon river. 

Some peculiar conditions have been dis- 
covered in sinking wells. In the Westfield 
schoolyard, located about three and a half 
miles southeast of Niantic, at a depth of 
twelve feet, a stratum of well preserved 
drift wood was encountered. In the Major 
schoolyard, two miles south of Warrens- 
burg, a similar stratum was encountered at 
about the same dejjth. 

The soil is of diluvial origin, the whole 
county at some remote period ha\ing been 
covered with a rich alluvial dej^osit. The 
prairie soils are extremely productive, very 
deep and free from rocks. They produce 
abundantly, year after year, without arti- 
ficial fertilizing, luxuriant crops of corn, 
hay and oats. The soil in the timbered por- 
tion is lighter in color and not so deep, but 
it is better adapted to the production of 



tame grasses and wheat ; here, too, is the 
native heath of the far-famed blue grass. 

In the bluffs along the streams, and espe- 
cially the Sangamon near Decatur, are 
scores of seemingly inexhaustible banks 
of sand and gravel. Not only the entire 
supply for building in the county, including 
street paving, street car tracks, and about 
seventy-five miles of graveled roads has 
been taken from these, but hundreds of car 
loads have been shipped to outside points. 
It is said that section eleven in Austin town- 
ship contains enough gravel, at a depth of 
six or seven feet, to gravel all the roads in 
the township. 

A superior quality of brick and tile clay 
is found here, which has resulted in large 
investments in equipments for the manu- 
facture of the same. Coal, at a depth rang-^ 
ing from three to seven hundred feet under- 
lies the county ; four mines are in operation, 
three of which are in Decatur and one in 
Niantic ; while a shaft is being sunk in Blue 
Mound. 

Discussing the coal deposit leads us back 
to a history of Macon county beyond even 
the time of the pioneer, the Indian or the 
Mound Builder. This history is held sacred 
l)y those who can, in reality, claim ])riority 
by right of possession ; these are the rocks. 
No traces of the early geological revolu- 
tions that are so remarkable in the moun- 
tainous localities have here l)cen noticed. 
^^'hile the Rockies and .\lleghanies and the 
heights of land were standing as the nuclei 
of the North .\merican continent, this coun- 
ty with the rest of central Illinois was, 
probably, the bed of a seething, rushing tor- 
rent. 

The work of the drift or glacial period is 
more in evidence ; that being the time when 
the entire North American continent north 
of thirty-nine degrees seems to have been 
overburdened with accumulations of snow 
and ice, which in its movement southward 
carried with it soil and surface material de- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



11 



positing it as the temperature of the cUmate 
melted the ice. In this way we account for 
the large boulders as well as the clay, sand 
and pebbles in this region. 

The following is a list of plants growing 
spontaneously in this county. Plants are 
an index to the producing quality of a lo- 
cality. Prairie, timber, low lands and high 
each has its peculiarity of productions. We 
give the family and one example of each : 



Family. 

Crowfoot 

Custard-apple 

Moonseed 

Barberry 

Water-lily 

Poppy 

Fumitory 

Mustard 

Violet 

Pink 

Purslane 

jMallow 

Linden 

Flax 

Geranium 

Rue 

Cashew 

Vine 

Buckthorn 

Stafif-tree 

Soap-berry 

Pulse 

Rose 

Saxifrage 

Evening primrose 

Parsley 

Genseng 

Dogwood 

Honeysuckle 

Madder 

Composite 

Lobelia 

Campanula 

Primrose 



Example. 

larkspur. 

paw paw 

moonseed. 

May-apple. 

pond-lily. 

bloodroot. 

Dutchman's breeches. 

black mustard. 

blue violet. 

catch fly. 

common purslane. 

rose-mallow. 

bass-wood. 

common flax. 

touch-me-not. 

prickly ash. 

poison ivy. 

grape. 

buckthorn. 

burning-bush. 

buckey. 

clover. 

black-berry. 

goose-berry. 

enchanters nightshade 

carrot. 

spikenard. 

silky cornel. 

black-haw. 

butter-bush. 

sunflower. 

Indian tobacco. 

Venus looking glass. 

cowslip. 



Begonia 

Ebony 

Plantain 

Figwort 

Vervian 

Mint 

Polemonium 

Convolvulus 

Night shade 

Dogbane 

Milkweed 

Olive 

Birthwort 

Goose foot 

Buckwheat 

Laurel 

Nettle 

-Spurge 

Plane tree 

Walnut 

Oak 

Willow 

Pine 

Arum 

Cat-tail 

Water-plantain 

Orchis 

Amaryllis 

Iris 

Yam 

Smilax 

Lily 

Spiderwort 

Sedge 

Grass 

Fern 



trumpet creeper. 

persimmon. 

common plantain. 

mullein. 

nettle-leaved vervian. 

catnip. 

wild sweet-\\'illiam. 

morning-glory. 

common night shade. 

Indian hemp. 

common milkweed. 

white ash. 

wild ginger. 

lambs quarter. 

water smartweed. 

sassafras. 

the elm. 

three-seeded mercury. 

sycamore. 

black walnut. 

white oak. 

weeping willow. 

cedar. 

Jack-in-the-pulpit. 

cat-tail. 

arrow-head. 

showy-orchis. 

star-grass. 

blue flag. 

wild yam-root. 

greenbrier. 

tiger lily. 

spiderwort. 

bulrush. 

timothy. 

fern. 



It is to be regretted that not more of our 
people incline toward a knowledge of ani- 
mal life. Many look upon the study of in- 
sects and animal life in general as mere 
pastime; the sooner, however, that we ac- 
quaint ourselves with nature the better will 
we be prepared to utilize her donations and 
receive the benefits derived from meeting 
difficulties with nature's means. 



12 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Some years ago the potato bug became 
such a pest that, it was ahiiost impossible 
to grow a crop of potatoes. But just at this 
juncture a small insect made its appearance 
and attacked the ranks of the potato bug 
with such energy that the bug is now al- 
most extinct in this locality. 

The lady-bug and squash-bug destroy in 
numerable eggs and young beetles, it might 
be possible to aid these insects in the de- 
struction of their more predatory neighbors 
ii we thoroughly understood their habits. 
1 he State Agricultural Department has dis- 
covered a method of causing a fungus 
growth to attack the chinch bug, which in 
a very short time destroys it. The quail, 
the swallow, and many other kinds of birds 
are instrumental in the destruction of mill- 
ions of destructive insects. 

The snake, the most despicable of all liv- 
ing things, is constantly waging war upon 
the mice, ,<;rnh-\vorms and many kinds of in- 
sects that persist in injuring the growing 
crops. The rattle-snake is really the only 
poison snake in the county ; the viper cop- 
per-head and adder, sometimes so consid- 
ered, are not capable of inserting poison 
into a wound. 

When the Indian claimed this country as 
his undisputed hunting ground, the buf- 
falo, the black bear, the Virginia deer, the 
badger, the Canada lynx and the wild boar 
were found in abundance, but at present 
are not in evidence. The following are 
some of the leading animals found : the 
wolf, fox, weasel, mink, otter, skunk, rac- 
coon, bat, mole, squirrel, chipmunk, gopher, 
woodchuck, rat, mouse, rabbit, opossum. 

There are so many kinds of birds that it 
will require too much space for their enu- 
meration. Some of these pass through to 
the north or south in their migrations, 
stopping but a few days for food, others 
rear their yoimg, later departing for the 
south to spend the winter. While some are 
with us all the year. The following are the 



names of some of our most common birds : 
the robin, thrush, mocking-bird, cat bird, tit- 
mouse, nut-hatch, house-wren, lark, scarlet 
tanager, swallow, martin, wax-wing, shrike, 
wild canary, gold finch, snow bird, bunting, 
indigo bird, bobolink, cow-bird, black bird, 
meadow lark, oriole, crow, blue-jay, king 
bird, pewee, fly-catcher, whippoorwill, night 
hawk, swift, humming bird, king fisher, tur- 
key buzzard, pigeon, dove, grouse, wood- 
pecker, owl, hawk, prairie hen, quail, plover, 
woodcock, snipe, sandpiper, heron, bittern, 
crane, brant, goose, duck and grebe. 

A few only of the lower class of animals 
have been identified. There are three tur- 
tles : the snapping turtle, the soft-shelled 
turtle and the mud-turtle. We have no 
lizards ; the salamander is, however, usually 
called a lizard. The glass or joint snake is 
a nearer approach to the lizard. The snakes 
are : the black, blue racer, fox, milk, garter, 
rattle and moccasin. The Batrachia are: the 
salamander, frog, toad, and mud-puppy. In 
fish the following are noted: catfish, buffalo, 
sun-fish, bass, pike, gar-pike, perch and 
carp. Many other species exist, but little 
in the way of investigation of fishes has 
been done. 

.\mong the destructive insects is the Col- 
orado potato bug, propagated in the wild 
potato region of the Rocky mountains, 
which made its appearance about 1854. The 
wild potato bug comes occasionally, doing 
but little harm. The cabbage butter fly is 
a great pest to cabbage growers. The cut 
worm is the larva of a little gray moth ; an- 
other is the larva of a beetle called the June 
bug or May beetle. The army worm is the 
larva of a small gray moth, which appeared 
about 1844. The chinch bug, which came 
about 1845, is the most destructive of any 
that has yet made its appearance. It not 
only destroys the wheat fields but also the 
adjoining oat, timothy and corn fields. 

^ifacon county is part of the territory ex- 
plored and taken possession of by Mar- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



13 



quette, Joliet and LaSalle about 1678. Pre- 
vious to that it was included in a grant by 
King James I, known as the Virginia Com- 
pany, which evolved the settlement of the 
Virginia colony, of which Macon county 
was, for tlie time, a part. The treaty of 
1763 at the close of the French and Indian 
war decided that it really was English ter- 
ritory and part of the Virginia colony. 

By the ordinance of 1787 it became de- 
tached from Virginia, and formed part of 
the Northwest Territory. In 1800 it became 
part of Indiana territory; in 1809 it became 
part of Illinois territory and in 1818 it be- 
came part of the state of Illinois. 

Previous to the meeting of the state legis- 
lature, in 1829, Benjamin R. Austin, Andrew 
W. Smith and John Ward were appointed 
a committee to go to Vandalia, the state 
capital, and secure the passage of a bill 
providing for the formation of a new county 
from the north part of Shelby county. The 
bill passed and the result was a new county, 
which took the name of the Honorable Na- 
thaniel Macon. 

Originally Macon county included all of 
DeWitt county, except its north tier of 
townships ; all of Piatt county, except Blue 
Ridge township, and all of that part of 
Moultrie county lying north of the exten- 
sion of the southern line of Macon county. 

On the first day of March, 1839, DeWitt 
county was formed; next day a bill passed 
adding Niantic township to Macon on the 
west. At this time what is now known as 
Maroa, Austin and Friends Creek townships 
was offered to De\\^itt county, but she re- 
fused the land, on the score that the terri- 
torjr was worthless except for grazing, and 
but a small portion of that was accessible at 
a late season after the drying up of the 
spring and summer rains. 

After the detachment of DeWitt county, 
Niantic township was added on the west 
in order to place Decatur as near the center 
of the territory as possible. This was done 



to defeat Murphreysboro, platted in Friends 
Creek township on section seven, township 
seventeen, range four east, and championed 
as the county seat by James A. Piatt, from 
the territory now Piatt county, who served 
as commissioner from 1834 to 1839. Mur- 
phreysboro was platted on land now known 
as the Volgamot farm a few miles south 
of Newburg. 

After the defeat of Murphreysboro, the 
people of the locality represented by Mr. 
Piatt went before the legislature with a 
petition praying for its detachment from 
Macon county, which was granted in Janu- 
ary, 1841 ; the county assumed the name of 
its champion. 

In February, 1843, ^loultrie county was 
formed, leaving Macon as it now appears. 

According to the provisions of the bill 
providing for the .organization of Macon 
county, a committee, consisting of John 
Fleming, Jesse Rhodes and Eaton Whitton 
was appointed April 10, 1829, to locate De- 
catur as the county seat. This committee 
reported January 19, 1829, the location of 
said county seat on the southeast quarter 
of the northeast quarter of section fifteen, 
township sixteen, range two east. 

The town of Decatur was laid of¥ in lots, 
after the form of Shelbyville as ordered by 
the court, by Benjamin R. Austin, county 
surveyor of Macon county. The old town 
of Decatur consisted of twenty acres, bound- 
ed by Prairie street on the north. Water 
street on the east, Wood street on the south 
and Church street on the west. It \v%s di- 
vided by a main street extending east and 
west, known as East and West Main, and 
a main street extending north and south, 
known as North and South Main. The land 
upon which the commissioners located the 
seat of justice was, by the act creating the 
county, donated to the county. 

The same act ordered, "That a sale of 
lots take place in the town of Decatur, in 
this county, on the loth day of July, 1829, 



14 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



on the following terms : A credit of twelve 
months will be given, and note with ap- 
proved security will be required, and that 
the clerk of this court will be required to 
advertise the sale in the paper printed in 
Vandalia, until the day of the sale." 

.\t this sale the first lot sold was. lot No. 
2, in block No. 3, where the new Decatur 
Hotel now stands, being a corner lot, was 
bought by John Manley for $53.50. The 
second lot sold was lot No. 6 in block No. i, 
where Cjuinn & Seeforth are, the price was 
$12. 

The first house in tow-n was built by Reu- 
ben Miller on lot No. 3, block No. 3, the next 
lot north of the Arcade building. This was 
sold to James Ronshaw and was the first 
store room in Decatur. The second house 
was built by Philip D. Williams on lot No. 
4, block No. I, the present site of the old 
Griswold hardware store. 

The purchasers of these lots were given 
a bond for a deed, since the land had, at 
this time, not been entered from the gov- 
ernment. Later, Parmenius Smallwood, 
Eaton Whitton and Charles Prentice en- 
tered it and made a deed to the county com- 
missioners on the 8th day of October, 1831. 

The following orders will be interesting 
relics of taxation: "Ordered, that for the 
purpose of raising a revenue to defray ex- 
penses of the county for the year 1829, that 
a tax of one-half per cent be levied upon the 
following personal property, to-wit : On 
slaves and indentured or registered negro or 
mul^o servants ; on pleasure carriages ; on 
distilleries ; on stock in trade ; on all horses, 
mules, and meat cattle over three years old ; 
and on watches, with their appendages; 
and on all other personal property except 
the lawful fire-arms of each individual." 
This tax when collected amounted to 
$109.32^. 

At the same term of court, the tavern 
rates were fixed as follows: "Ordered that 
the tavern rates of this countv shall hero- 



after be as follows, to-wit: For breakfast 
and horse fed, 37^ cents; keeping man and 
horse each, night, the man to have supper 
and lodging, 62J cents; dinner and horse 
fed 3"i cents ; brandy, rum, gin, wine or 
cordial, 25 cents per half pint ; whisky or 
cider brandy, 12^ cents per half pint." 

Under the act passed February 17, 1851, 
authorizing counties to adopt the system of 
township organization, upon the petition 
and vote of the citizens of the county, the 
court appointed in December, 1859, David 
Garver, James Dingman and William Can- 
trell as commissioners to divide the county 
into townships. 

The county was divided, as the report 
made to the court January 14, i860, shows, 
into the following fourteen townships: 
Friends Creek, ;\Iaroa, Montgomery, now 
.A^ustin, Bull Point, since then changed to 
Hickory and later to Hickory Point, De- 
catur, Long Creek, Whitmore, Oakley, Har- 
ris, since changed to Harristown. Wilson, 
changed to Mt. Zion, South \\'heatland. 
South Macon, Madison, changed to Blue 
Mound, Niantic ; Illini, Milam and Pleas- 
ant Mew were formed later from parts of 
other townships. 

Early Settlement. 

When in 1492 Columbus discovered this 
continent, the country was populated with 
roaming tribes of Indians, who lived off 
the game of their immediate localities ; they 
were not cultivators of the soil in the strict 
sense of agriculturists, yet, the women did 
raise some corn, potatoes and tobacco, 
which were all new products to the white 
people. All of these are now considered 
staples in this country, and there is not a 
civilized country in the world that does 
not consume large quantities of them. 

The Algonquins were the earliest inhabi- 
tants of Macon county, of which we have 
any knowledge ; next in succession, the Illi- 
nois Confederac}', descendants of the for- 
mer; they were known as the Illini, from 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



15 



which our state takes it name. The term 
signifies "Superior Men," which seems to 
have been verified by their rugged phys- 
ique. 

About the close of the seventeenth cen- 
tury, the Illinois, composed of the Tama- 
roas, Michagamies, Kaskaskjes, Cahokies 
and Peorias, were driven out by the Potto- 
watamies, who in turn, were succeeded by 
the Kickapoos. These Indians were fierce 
warriors, but they were more civilized than 
any of the preceding tribes, and they were 
the immediate predecessors of the white set- 
tlers. 

The White Settler. 

"The youthful eye of the pioneer saw 
bluer skies and greener trees than the aged 
eye now sees ; the luxuriant grasses waved 
to gentler breezes ; cooler, clearer water 
from rippling brook or refreshing spring 
laved his heated brow, or quenched his ar- 
dent thirst ; his quickened ear caught sweet- 
er strains in the nesting-songs of the feath- 
ered tribe, and when twilight closed tlie 
busy day he was lulled into pleasant dreams 
b}' hap])y toil. Such is some of the glamour 
which youth sheds over the good old times.'' 

But when we look into the early history 
of the county we see that those by-gone 
limes were not all poetry. The pioneer was 
compelled to face the stern and practical 
side, rather than the poetic side of life : 
hardships and trials fell to the lot of each 
home. 

"But interwoven with this life of simple 
pleasures, primitive J03'S, of alternate smiler 
and tears, of undiminished labor, there are 
many life lessons which we, of later days 
should enshrine in our hearts. Lured on 
by whispered talcs of abundant resources 
and future greatness of the new states, the 
first settlers of this countr}^ left their forest 
homes in the east and drifted with the tide 
of immigration into the great Prairie Sea." 

Reared under the whispering forest 
boughs of their native state?, they were, as 



by instinct, guided to the timbered land 
for their new homes. It was thought for a 
long time, after the first settlers came, that 
the prairie soil was unfit for successful cul- 
ti\ation. We find United States surveyors 
making such notes as these: "Level or un- 
dulating prairie ; may be useful at some time 
in the future for grazing purposes." 

In 1833 Peter Cartwright, then a member 
of the House of Representatives of the state 
of Illinois, was appointed chairman of a 
committee, whose duty it was to investigate 
and bring about some plan or method by 
which the prairie lands of the state might 
be used for agricultural purposes. 

\\'hen we consider the sacrifice of home 
comforts that obtained in the eastern 
states, we need not wonder at the persistent 
energy and the. indomitable will of the 
pioneer, because none but those imbued 
with unlimited energy dared to make the 
sacrifice of the parental home for the cabin 
in the wilderness. 

When the prospective settler reached the 
desired spot, a tent was pitched, and the 
necessary logs were cut for the construction 
of a cabin. Everybody within reasonable 
distance was present at the raising of this 
cabin; this occasion marked an epoch in the 
staid mein of pioneer times. In fact this 
was the only event that afforded an oppor- 
tunity for the assembling of the neighbors, 
whereby they might become more closely 
bound together for the general good and 
protection of the settlements. 

The size of these cabins was from four- 
teen to twenty feet. They were usually 
built in the following manner : First large 
logs were laid in position as sills ; on these 
were placed strong sleepers, and on the 
sleepers were laid the rough-hewed punch- 
eons which were to serve as floors. The 
logs were then built up until the proper 
height for the eaves was reached; then on 
the ends of the building were placed poles, 
longer than the end logs, which projected 



16 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



sonic eighteen inches over the sides, and 
were called the butting-pole sleepers; on 
the projecting ends of these were placed the 
butting-poles, which served to give the lines 
to the first row of clapboards. These were, 
as a matter of course, split, and as the 
gables of the cabin were built up, were so 
laid as to lap a third of their length. They 
were often kepf in place by the weight of 
a heavy pole which was laid across the roof 
parallel to the ridge pole. The house was 
then chinked and daubed with coarse mor- 
tar. In the first cabins of the county huge 
fire-places, occupying nearly the entire 
room, were built. 

"At these fire-places our mothers cooked, 
and our fathers say that the bread from the 
Dutch-oven, the corn bread from the Pone- 
board, the venison from above the coals, 
and the potatoes from out the ashes, were 
sweeter by far and formed more delicious 
food than any of the dishes of modern de- 
vice." 

But one door and one window served the 
inmates of these primitive homes ; the win- 
dow pane was, usually, a sheet of greased 
paper. The furniture was home-made; a 
single puncheon board, with four legs on the 
under side, served as a table; blocks of 
wood on three legs were the chairs. The 
bedstead consisted of two poles joined at 
right angles, and projecting into the side and 
end of the room, boards placed upon this 
frame completed the bed. 

In these times of simple wants, true, 
genuine hospitality was developed to a re- 
markable degree. This was due largely to 
the fact that, the requirements of want and 
deprivation are each calculated to make one 
feel kind to all. While the wants of pio- 
neer life are simple, yet their gratification 
is, nevertheless exacting. The pioneer of 
this country was governed by the same law 
and cherished the same generosity that 
prompts the human heart under similar con- 
ditions, everywhere. 



In passing from the pioneer times to the 
present regime, many of the customs, then 
prevalent were lost ; much of the hospital- 
ity, them so generously bestowed, is lost 
sight of. Less of the neighborly feeling now 
exists. 

There was such simplicity of demeanor 
and moral integrity in the character of the 
pioneer, that but few disputes arose which 
could not be settled by his good-natured 
judgment. Xo distance, be it ever so far, 
would shut out help in time of^ sickness, 
neither rain nor cold dampened their neigh- 
borly ardor. Each man's implements were 
every man's implements. The refusal, either 
to lend or to borrow, was considered a 
breach of neighborly etiquette. 

Oxen served, as the reindeer of Russia, 
for beasts of burden, doing all the field and 
road .work, besides supplying the settler 
with meat, to supplement the wild game. 
Tlie plows used bj- the eastern farmer, and 
brought here by the early settler were not 
adapted to breaking the prairie soil. Even 
after it was satisfactoril}' demonstrated that 
the prairie soil was as well adapted to the 
production of corn as the timber soil the 
matter of an efficient plow retarded the 
rapid development of the prairie land for 
quite a number of years. 

The settlers secured their lumber from the 
saw mills along the Wabash river. On the 
banks of this river and in Sangamon county 
were the nearest stores and grist mills for 
a number of years. What grain was not fed 
was hauled to Chicago and Bcardstown and 
exchanged for goods. The people, coming 
to make a new settlement, brought supplies 
of groceries and breadstufTs to last until a 
crop was grown. 

Johnny-cake and pone, made of corn meal, 
which was the staple article of food, were 
relished for breakfast and dinner, while 
mush-and-milk or hasty pudding was the 
supper dish. .MI kinds of wild fruits grew 
in sfreat abundance. \\'ild honev was verv 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



r 



plentiful and maple sugar was extensively 
made by the settler. Wild turkey, rabbit, 
squirrel and deer supplied them very gen- 
erously with meat. 

The days of ready made clothing and 
medium priced cloth had not yet been ush- 
ered in ; thus necessitating the home manu- 
facture of " Lindsey-woolsey " and " Jeans " 
in order to suppl}^ wearing apparel for the 
family. Bed clothing was also a production 
of home manufacture. Gradually, the set- 
tlers pushed out from the timber, opening 
ditches and draining the land which was 
originally so swampy that it was absolutely 
dangerous to attempt to ride over it on 
horse-back. Thousands of acres of this 
swamp land have recently been dredge 
ditched and tiled, which has so enhanced 
their value that nothing less than $ioo per 
acre will be considered as a fair selling 
price. 

The law compelling the people to fence 
stock out instead of in, proved detrimental 
to many would-be settlers, since the cost 
of fencing frequently exceeded the cost of 
the land. Another detriment was the hold- 
ings of non-residents, who retarded the gen- 
eral development by refusing to improve 
the lands. One large body, in the hands of 
a person so disposed could, in a wet district, 
keep hundreds of acres from becoming val- 
uable in an agricultural sense, by simply re- 
fusing to permit ditches to be run on his 
holdings. 

The government price of land, in the 
earlier days was fixed at $1.25 per acre. As 
soon as the monej-ed men of the east began 
to suspect that these lands had any real 
value, the country was frequented by specu- 
lators who bought the land for speculative 
purposes only, never intending to become 
settlers. It was not uncommon for men 
who had exhausted their means in reaching 
the country, and who had worked hard, and 
undergone untold privations in preparing a 
comfortable home and other essential im- 



provements, and had, possibly, a few acres 
under cultivation, when they had eventually, 
secured, by rigid economy, or perhaps, by 
borrowing enough to buy from the govern- 
ment, their small farm, found that some 
speculator had preceded them and entered 
the land. It seems that in many instances 
of this kind the hard earned improvements 
were, in some mysterious way capable of 
transferring themselves to another farm near 
by. 

The first land ever entered in Alacon 
county was the west half of the northeast 
quarter of section thirty-one in township 
sixteen north, range two east of the 3rd P. 
]\I. This was eiitered by Lewis B. Ward, 
November 9th, 1827, owned by him until 
the fall of 1876, at which time it was sold 
to Bartley G. Henry. During the year 1827 
about eight hundred acres of land was en- 
tered in the county. The first house built 
in the limits of the county was at a trading 
post, about eight miles northeast of Decatur, 
on land owned by W. C. Johns ; it was a 
log house, built by the Lortons in 1816. 

The second house was built by William 
Downing, in 1820, near the present site of 
the Capt. D. L. Allen's residence on the hill, 
just south of the county bridge. This was 
really the first permanent residence, since 
the house at the trading post remained, only 
while the Indian traffic lasted. In the fall of 
1824, Mr. Downing sold his improvements 
to John Ward. 

The third house was built by Buel 
Stephens, in 1822, near Stephens' creek, 
about three miles northeast of Decatur. 
This locality was soon known as the 
Stephens' creek settlement, and that south 
of the Sangamon as the Ward settlement, 
these being the only settlements in the coun- 
ty until 1828, after which they began to lo- 
cate both up and down the river. 

The first mill was built on Stephens' 
creek, by William King in 1826; it was 



18 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



sold to James Rcnshaw and known as the 
Renshaw mill. 

As long as our cattle were driven to the 
eastern markets and our hogs to Chicago 
and St. Louis, there was but little encour- 
agement to engage very extensively in farm- 
ing and general stock-raising. 

The real progress of Macon county dates 
from the completion in 1854, of the Illinois 
Central and Wabash railroads. This marks 
the beginning of immigration ; of manufac- 
turing; and of the city of Decatur. 

There are but four men now living who 
came to the county previous to 1842, they 
are: Silas Packard, M. L. Krone, Henry 
B. Cassell and William Evans. These men 
well remember when business was practical- 
ly all done b}' barter, there being no money ; 
the man who came in possession of the large 
aggregate of $20 was almost a local money 
king. No local markets existed for anything 
but corn, which was sold in the shock to 
cattle feeders or. fed by the grower; cattle 
were marketed by some leading man in the 
neighborhood who drove them to market 
and brought back the money for his neigh- 
bors. No matches were in use at this time, 
the above named gentlemen well remember 
when borrowing fire from your neighbors 
was the common mode of procedure. 

In order to give you a faint idea of the 
rapid strides made by the county we append 
the following data: In 1830 the population 
was 1,112; in 1850 it was 3,998; in 1870 it 
was 26,481. In 1876 there was yet over 
111,000 acres of unimproved land in the 
county ; to-day every acre of prairie land is 
under cultivation and, is excelled in pro- 
duction by no other location in the United 
States. 

Every one abhorred debts and as a result 
as few as possible were made. When it 
became necessary to make a debt a man's 
word was as good as his note, and it is true 
that men would sacrifice every animal on 
the farm in order to meet these promises. 



Mercliants, on account of the scarcity of 
money were compelled to do a large credit 
business; they bought on long time and 
sold on a margin that justified them in do- 
ing a credit business. 

These early settlers had, not only the 
financial and social problems to solve, but 
the miasmic and climatic conditions as well. 
In the spring and fall of each year the great 
majority of them shook with chills or burned 
witli fever, alternating at regular intervals, 
during at least six months in the year. Very 
often there were not a sufficient number free 
from the ague to care for those who were 
aftlicted with it. The country, at that time 
was subject to more radical climatic 
changes, as evidenced by the deep snow of 
1830 and '31. Early in the season, the snow 
began to fall and continued at intervals 
through the entire winter. Occasional sleet 
alternating in layers with the snow formed 
a bed of snow and ice from three to four 
feet deep. The weather continuing ex- 
tremely cold the snow remained until 
spring. It was drifted and packed so that 
heavily loaded wagons were driven over 
the top of stake and rider fences. Wild 
game was so tame from want of food that 
all kinds was very easily caught. The deer, 
wild turkey, prairie chicken and squirrel 
were very scarce for some years after the 
snow. This was the deepest snow within 
the last hundred and fifty years, .\ccording 
to Indian traditions from fifty to seventy- 
five years before the white man came, a 
snow swept away the vast herds of deer, elk 
and buffalo, which then roamed the prairie 
of Illinois. This tradition seems to be veri- 
fied by the large quantities of bones found 
on our prairies by the early explorers. 

Abraham Lincoln lived, at this time about 
a mile east of the Bend school house, or 
about three miles south and one and a half 
mile west of Harristown. The farm on 
which he lived is now owned by Hostetler 
and Peerani. Late in the winter Mr. Lin- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ly 



coin and John Hanks, his cousin, went 
across the river to a horse mill owned by 
Robert Smith, five miles southwest of De- 
catur. When they arrived Mr. Smith was 
gathering corn in this manner: After open- 
ing a road to the field, the oxen, attached 
to a sled were driven along the side of the 
field and the corn that was exposed above 
the snow was gathered in baskets and car- 
ried to the sled. When Air. Lincoln was 
asked whether he labored under the same 
disadvantage on his side of the river, he 
replied : " Yes, we have to do worse than 
that, for we have used up all of our corn, 
and now have to go to our neighbors for 
assistance." 

When spring came and melted this glacier 
of snow and ice, the country was almost in- 
undated, and for weeks the streams were 
swollen and the prairies a vast sea of water, 
retarding travel as much or more than the 
snow had done. 

The Sudden Freeze, which was accom- 
panied by great loss of life to both man and 
beast, occurred in January, 1836. Just be- 
fore the storm a fall of snow had been con- 
verted into slush bv terminating- in rain. 
The storm came from the northwest, its 
general aspect approaching that of the pres- 
ent blizzard. The air seemed filled with par- 
ticles of frozen mist and the moment it 
struck the unsheltered person he was in- 
stantly chilled through and through ; the 
particles of ice froze to the eye-lashes so 
that in a remarkably short time he was 
blinded and unable to keep his bearing. In 
a very short time the slush was frozen so 
as to bear up a horse. Cattle that were 
not under shelter, were frozen fast in the 
slush and had to be cut out. Ducks and 
geese were caught in the same manner. 

The life of a pioneer was interspersed 
with but few diversions from the constant 
struggle for subsistence, so that whenever 
anything out of the ordinary routine took 
place every one, within reasonable distance. 



attended. The annual court, the arrival of 
the mails, and the approach of the stage- 
coach, each in succession, marked an epoch. 
Court answered the purpose of the circus 
where old friends could meet, at least once 
a year, to be entertained and for renewal 
of acquaintanceship. 

After court had adjourned for the day, 
the judge, lawyers and citizens betook them- 
selves to the bar rooms of the taverns, 
where the evenings were spent in general 
conversation and story telling. That some 
good resulted from these gatherings can not 
be doubted when we consider the social 
status given by such men as Lincoln, Logan, 
Douglas, Emerson, Davis and others who 
have since become leaders in our national 
afifairs. 

It was then, customary for lawyers to 
follow the judge on his circuit, travel being 
on horse-back, with saddle-bags thrown 
across the saddle, containing all the neces- 
sary adjuncts of a journey. This migratory 
life of the lawyer is said to have been the 
means by which Lincoln collected his al- 
most unlimited fund of stories, which in 
after life made him famous. 

The arrival of the mails was always 
eagerly anticipated, but immediately follow- 
ing a state or national election or some 
other important event new zest was added 
to the expectancy. The mails consisted 
principally of letters, which were more ex- 
pensive, however, than the present day 2- 
cent ones, the postage being twenty-five 
cents ; sometimes the letters would lie in 
the postoilice quite a while awaiting the 
funds to meet the government requirements. 
The postal laws permitted the postage to be 
paid at either end ; as a rule the writer con- 
sidered that his contribution was sufficient 
to balance the quarter at the other end, 
thus giving the pleasure of the postage to 
the recipient. A letter was often weeks 
and even months in transit. The mails 
were carried on horse-back, subject to many 



20 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



delays, making them very irregular and un- 
certain. They came once a week, from one 
direction, and from Shelbyville only. That 
place was our point of distribution. Later 
the mails were carried by stage, an improve- 
ment both in regularity and in frequency. 
In 1851, we were receiving mail as follows: 
From Springfield on Monday, Wednesday 
and Friday ; from Covington, Indiana, on 
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday ; from 
Bloomington on L'riday ; from Charleston 
on Thursday ; from Paris on Thursday ; 
from Edwardsville on Wednesday. 

The arrival of the stage with its passen- 
gers and mail was a greater attraction than 
the arrival of the mail carrier. Tlie tavern 
was the stage depot, and considerable local 
interest attached to it. The stage driver was 
considerably looked up to and accorded priv- 
ileges not allowed others. He had a pecu- 
liar swagger and handling of lines and whip 
that was the envy of the small boy. When 
you met him on the road you turned out 
and he drove on oblivious of your presence. 
The arrival of the stage created more cur- 
iosity than the President's chartered train 
of to-day. 

The stage was so constructed that it kept 
up a continual rocking motion, which is 
likened unto the movement of the camel or 
the motion of a ship in a storm. A boot, 
almost as large as the stage itself, extended 
back from the stage body for the storage of 
baggage. 

The advent of railroads has relegated the 
stage to the mountains or to sparsely settled 
districts and given us instead means of 
transportation that will convey us from 
ocean to ocean, in less time than the journey 
from Ohio to Illinois formerly consumed. 

County Government. 

In the early history of the county its 
affairs were administered by the county 
commissioner's court, composed of three 
men ; usually selected with regard for their 



inherent (jualifications for the place. This 
court assumed jurisdiction upon all manner 
of subjects, except the judicial. This court 
was established under an act passed March 
22, 1819. The following is a complete list 
of tlie Commissioners: 

1829-30 — Benjamin Wilson, Klisha Free- 
man, James Miller; 1830-31 — Elisha Free- 
man, James .Miller, I. C. Pugh ; 1831-32 — 
James Aliller, I. C. Pugh, David Davis; 
1832-33 — James Miller, 1. C. Pugh, David 
Davis ; 1833-34 — Elisha Freeman, Hugh 
Bolls, Philip D. Williams; 1834-35 — James 
A. Piatt, William Muirhead, Benjamin Wil- 
son ; 1835-36 — James A. Piatt, William 
iluirhead, Benjamin Wilson; 1836-37 — 
James A. Piatt, William Muirhead, Benja- 
min W'ilson; 1837-38 — James A. Piatt, Wil- 
liam Muirhead, Josiah Clifton ; 1838-39 — 
William Muirhead, James A. Piatt, Abram 
Chapin. 

Under an act passed by the legislature 
March 1st, the term of the County Com- 
missioner was fixed at three years, one to be 
elected each year. 

The terms of the three following mem- 
bers were fixed by the county clerk. 

1839-40 — Elisha Freeman, 3 yrs., Benja- 
min Wilson, 2 yrs., Hiram Chapin, 1 yr. ; 
1840-41 — Elisha Freeman, Benjamin Wil- 
son, John Rucker; 1841-42 — Elisha Free- 
man, John Rucker, Abraham H. Keller; 
1842-43 — John Rucker, Abraham FI. Keller, 
Leonard Ashton ; 1843-44 — John Rucker, 
Leonard Ashton, .\ndrew W. Smith ; 1844- 
45 — John Rucker, Andrew W. Smith, James 
D. Tait; 1845-46— .Andrew W. Smith, 
James D. Tait, Elisha Freeman; 1846-47 — 
Elisha Freeman, Samuel Rea, James D. 
Campbell ; 1847-48 — Elisha Freeman, Sam- 
uel Rea, James D. Campbell; 1848-49— 
Elisha Freeman, Samuel Rea, James D. 
Campbell. 

By the approval of an act of tlie legis- 
lature, February 12, 1849. the county court 
was established in lieu of the commission- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



21 



er's court. The provisions of this act re- 
quired the election of a county judge and 
two associate justices of the peace, who were 
to sit with the county judge as niembers 
of the court, in the transaction of all county 
business. 

^\'iIliam Prather, county judge; Jacob 
Hostetler, associate justice and John 
Rucker, associate justice, served in their 
respective capacities as follows : The for- 
mer until 1857, the latter two until 1858. 
John Ricketts succeeded William Prather 
as county judge and served to i860, Jacob 
Spangler and M. G. Cameron served as as- 
sociate justices from 1858 to i860. 

The county being divided into townships 
in i860 in obedience to an act of the legis- 
lature passed February 17, 1851 ; it imme- 
diately went into " Township Organiza- 
tion," which required a representative from 
each township, vi^ho was known as super- 
visor. The following is the first Board of 
Supervisors of Macon county : 

Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden ; Austin, 
James Parker; Maroa, William Crawford; 
Friends Creek, D. K. Wilson ; Decatur, 
H. B. Durfee; Niantic, J. H. Hughes; S. 
W'heatland, I. S. Boardman ; Blue Mound, 
J. C. Armstrong ; Oakley, J. W. Forest ; 
Long Creek, John Rucker; W'hitmore, Jas. 
Lichtenberger; Harristown, Abraham Ey- 
man ; Decatur, John AV. Koehler, Asst. ; 
]Mt. Zion, W. C. Meyer; S. Macon, W. D. 
Hamilton. The above Board was elected 
in i860. 

1861. 

Decatur, H. B. Durfee ; Friends Creek, 
D. K. W^ilson; Maroa, W. F. Crawford; 
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden ; Niantic, J. 
H. Hughes ; Oakley, G. W. Forest ; Long 
Creek, J. C. Rucker; Decatur, John W. 
Koehler, Asst.; Blue Mound, W. T. Mof- 
fett; Mt. Zion, W. C. Meyers; S. Wheat- 
land, L S. Boardman ; Harristown, J. H. 
Pickerell; S. Macon, L. M. Clement; Whit- 
more, Henry Rhodes ; Austin, J. S. Parker. 



1862. 
Harristown, J. B. Hanks, Whitmore, Jas. 
Lichtenberger ; Long Creek, J. C. Rucker ; 
Niantic, J. A. Pritchett; S. Wheatland, L 
S. Boardman ; S. Macon, A. H. Martin ; 
Decatur, John W. Koehler; Hickory Point, 
J. Y. Braden; Maroa; W. F. Crawford; Mt. 
Zion, B. W. Davidson ; Friends Creek, 
Comely Lukins ; Blue Mound, F. A. Brown ; 
Decatur, H. B. Durfee; Austin, A. Emery; 
Oakley, Laban Chambers. 

1863. 
Harristown, ^L G. Cameron; Whitmore, 
John Gill; Long Creek, John S. Kiser; 
Niantic, J. W. Corbett ; S. Wheatland, L S. 
Boardman ; S. Macon, W. W. Bean ; De- 
catur, B. F. Dillehunt ; Hickory Point, J. 
Y. Braden ; Maroa, W. F. Crawford ; Mt. 
Zion, B. W. Davidson ; Friends Creek, An- 
drew Dickey; Blue Mound, F. A. Brown; 
Decatur, H. B. Durfee ; Austin, J. S. Par- 
ker ; Oakley, J. H. McCoy. 

1864. 
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden ; Whitmore, 
Charles Wooster ; Niantic, J. W. Corbett; 
Decatur, J. E. Roberts ; S. Macon, Frank 
Babcock; Maroa, W. F. Crawford; Mt. 
Zion, John Scott; Blue Mound, W. T. Mof- 
fett; mini, J. H. Pickerell; Austin, J. S. 
Parker ; S. Wheatland, L S. Boardman ; 
Decatur, David Morgan ; Oakley, J. H. Mc- 
Coy ; Friends Creek, Comely Lukins ; Long 
Creek, John W. Tyler; Harristown, M. G. 
Cameron. 

1865. 
Hickor}^ Point, J. Y. Braden; Whitmore, 
Joshua Green; Niantic, J. W. Corbett; De- 
catur. O. W. Jones ; Maroa, Anderson 
Franklin; S. Macon, Frank Babcock; Mt. 
Zion, John Scott; Blue Mound, W. T. Mof- 
fett : mini, John S. Childs ; Austin, J. S. 
Parker ; S. Wheatland, L S. Boardman ; De- 
catur, David Morgan ; Oakley, O. J. Doyle ; 



22 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



I'Viends Creek, D. K. Wilson ; Long Creek, 
John W. Tyler; liarristown, "SI. G. Cam- 
eron. 

1866. 
Hickory Point, W. F. Montgomery; 
Wliitmore, Joshua Green ; Niantic, J. W. 
Corbctt; Decatur, H. B. Durfee ; Maroa, 
John Crocker; S. Macon. N. Faling; Mt. 
Zion, John .\. lU-nry; lUue .Mound, W. T. 
Moffett; mini, John S. Childs; Austin, C. 

F. Emery; S. Wheatland, John Montgom- 
ery ; Decatur, W. A. Barnes ; Oakley, O. 
J. Doyle; Friends Creek, William Daves; 
Long Creek, John W. Tyler; Harristown, 
M. G. Cameron. 

1867. 

Decatur, H. B. Durfee ; ^Vhitmorc, Jas. 
Lichtenberger ; S. Macon, R. Gray; Nian- 
tic, A. W. Pritchett; S. Macon, N. Faling; 
Mt. Zion, J. A. Henry; Illini John S. 
Childs; Harristown, ^l. G. Cameron; De- 
catur, W. A. Barnes ; Friends Creek, Wil- 
liam Daves ; Austin, C. F. Emery ; Blue 
Mound, W. T. Moffett; S. Wheatland, L 
S. Boardnian : I-ong Creek, J. S. Kiser; 
Oakley, E. Rhodes; Hickory Point, W. F. 
Montgomery. 

1868. 

Decatur, PL B. Durfee; Wliitmore, J. 

G. Plarnsbarger; S. Macon, Joel T. Wal- 
ker; Niantic, Sheldon Parks; S. ^lacon, 
John Lyon ; Mt. Zion, J. A. Henry ; Illini, 
J. C. Tucker; Harristown, M. G. Cameron : 
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer ; Friends Creek, 
S. Payne ; Austin, T. B. Campbell ; Blue 
Mound, W. T. Moffett; S. Wheatland, L 
S. Boardman ; Long Creek, Joseph Spang- 
ler; Oakley, E. Rhodes; Hickory Point, H. 
S. Mannoii. 

1869. 
Decatur, James IMillikin ; Wliitmore, J. 
G. Harnsbarger; S. Macon, Joel T. \\'a.\- 
ker; Niantic, Shaw Pease; IMaroa, John T. 
Lyon; Mt. Zion, R. M. Foster; Illini, J. 
J. Batcliclder ; Plarristown, M. G. Cameron; 



Decatur, ^1. Forstmeyer; I'riends Creek, 
S. Payne and I'". Swantes ; Austin, Robert T. 
Morris; Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett; S. 
Wheatland. 1. S. Boardnian; Long Creek, 
Samuel (iillis])ic; ( )akley, Read Spencer; 
Hickory Point. A. .McBride; Pleasant \^iew, 
D. Powles. 

1870. 
Decatur. l\ul)en Betzcr; Whitmore, Jas. 
Lichtenberger; Niantic, Thomas Acom; 
Maroa, John T. Lyon ; Mt. Zion, R. M. 
Foster; Illini. J. J. Batchelder ; Harristown, 
M. G. Cameron ; Pleasant View, D. Powles ; 
S. Macon, J. T. Walker; Decatur, M. Forst- 
meyer; Friends Creek, F. Swantes, J. H. 
Barr ; Austin, Peter Bennett ; Blue Mound, 
R. H. Hill ; Long Creek, J. B. Meyer ; Oak- 
ley, Read Spencer; Hickory Point, A. Mc- 
Bride: Milam, J. B. Gleason ; S. ^^'heat- 
land, I. S. Boardnian. 

1871. 
Milam, G. A. Bartlett; Mt. Zion, William 
Davis ; Decatur, M. Forstmeyer ; Whitmore, 
Joshua (jreen ; Maroa, Samuel Lowe; 
Long Creek, J. B. Meyers; Pleasant View, 
D. Powles; Illini, J. C. Tucker; S. Macon, 
J. T. Walker ; Harristown, M. G. Cameron ; 
Austin, C. F. Emery; Decatur, Joseph Mil- 
ler; Blue Mound, R. H. Hill; Friends 
Creek, John Marsh ; Hickory Point, A. Mc- 
Bride : Oakley, E. Rhodes ; S. Wheatland, 
Hiram \\'ard ; Niantic, S. Parks. 

1872. 
liarristown, M. G. Cameron; Whitmore, 
Joshua Green ; Decatur, H. Hummcll ; 
Hickory Point, A. McBride; Mt. Zion, G. 
A. Smith ; Long Creek, A. T. Davis ; Aus- 
tin, D. Patterson ; S. Wheatland, Hiram 
Ward: Pleasant View, John Hatfield; S. 
I\Iacon, N. Faling; Friends Creek, John 
Gordy; Decatur, Jacob Spangler; Maroa, 
Jason Rogers ; Oakley, Read Spencer ; Ni- 
antic, S. Parks; Illini, J. C. Tucker; Mi- 
lam. G. A. Bartlett; Blue Mound, D. F. 
I!arl)er. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



23 



1873- 

Harristown, M. G. Cameron; Blue 
Mound, Frank Coleman ; Alt. Zion, William 
Davis; S. Macon, N. Faling; Hickory 
Point, H. Lehman; Maroa, John Orr; 
Friends Creek, R. H. Park; W'hitmore, J. 
C. Ruddock ; Decatur, Jacob Spangler ; 
Oakley, Dr. S. Cooper ; Long Creek, A. T. 
Davis; Niantic, James Dingman ; Decatur, 
David S. Hughes; Illini, L. R. Morse; Aus- 
tin, D. Patterson; Milam, J. W. Rogers; 

S. Wheatland, ; Pleasant View, 

E. House. 

1874. 

Harristown, I\L G. Cameron ; Blue 
Mound, Frank Coleman ; Niantic, James 
Dingman ; S. Macon, W. S. Gage ; Decatur, 
Jacob Spangler ; Pleasant View, E. House ; 
Hickory Point, A. AIcBride ; Friends 
Creek, J. C. Ruddock; S. Wheatland, Hiram 
Ward; Whitmore, R. H. Park; Oakley, Dr. 
S. Cooper ; Mt. Zion, W'illiam Davis ; Oak- 
ley, William Grason ; Decatur, David S. 
Hughes ; Decatur, H. Hummell ; Austin, 
Robert Morris; Maroa, John Orr; Milam, 
J. W. Rogers ; Long Creek, Samuel Gil- 
lispie. 

1875- 

Blue Mound, Frank Coleman ; Whitmore, 
J. C. Ruddock; Decatur, H. B. Durfee ; 
Oakley, William Grason ; Long Creek, 
Samuel Gillispie; Mt. Zion, J. A. Henry; 
Austin, Robert Alorris ; Illini, L. R. Morse ; 
Friends Creek, J. W. Brown ; Niantic, 
James Dingman ; Harristown, M. G. Cam- 
eron ; Decatur. M. Forstmeyer; Decatur, 
Jacob Spangler ; S. Macon, W. S. Gage ; 
Pleasant View, E. House ; Milam, W. E. 
Kyker; Hickory Point, A. McBride ; Maroa, 
John Orr; S. Wheatland, Hiram Ward. 

1876. 

Decatur, Samuel Powers ; Decatur, M. 

Forstmeyer; Pleasant View, E. House; 

Oakley, William Grason; Hickory Point, 

H. Lehman ; Illini, L. R. Morse ; Harris- 



town, M. G. Cameron ; Mt. Zion, W. H. 
Wallace; Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett; Aus- 
tin, Andrew Hawkyard ; Decatur, David S. 
Hughes; Milam, \\'. E. Kyker; Maroa, 
John Longstreet ; S. \\'heatland, Hiram 
Ward; ^\'hitmore, J. C. Ruddock; Long 
Creek, H. W. Davis; Niantic, A. C. Ed- 
gar ; Friends Creek, J. W. Brown ; S. 
Macon, R. H. Woodcock. 

1877. 

Austin, A. Hawkyard ; Blue Mound, W. 
T. Mofifett; Decatur, Samuel Powers, H. 
W. Waggoner, D. L. Hughes ; Friends 
Creek, J. W. Brown ; Harristown, H. M. 
Cameron ; Hickory Point, Henry Lehman ; 
Illini, E. J. Roberts; Long Creek, H. W. 
Davis; Maroa, John Longstreet; Milam, 
W. E. Kyker; Mt. Zion, W. H. Wallace; 
Niantic, A. C. Edgar; Oakley, William 
Grason; Pleasant View, E. House; South 
Macon, R. H. Woodcock; South Wheat- 
land, Hiram Ward ; Whitmore, J. C. Rud- 
dock. 

1878. 

Austin, A. Hawkyard ; Blue Mound, R. 
H. Hill; Decatur, Samuel Powers, E. Mc- 
Nabb, D. S. Shellabarger ; Friends Creek, 
J. W. Brown; Harristown, J. N. Hoyt; 
Hickory Point, P. F. Lehman ; Illini, E. J. 
Roberts ; Long Creek, A. T. Davis ; Maroa, 
John Longstreet; Milam, John VanGundy; 
Mt. Zion, W. H. W^allace; Niantic, A. C. 
Edgar; Oakley, H. J. Manecke; Pleasant 
View, E. House ; South Macon, R. H. 
Woodcock ; South Wheatland, Hiram 
\\'ard : \\hitmore, C. H. Garver. 

1879. 
Austin, A. Hawkyard ; Blue Mound, H. 
H. Rosengrantz ; Decatur, H. W. Wag- 
goner, Jason Rogers, D. L. Hughes, W. 
B. Chambers; Friends Creek, W. A. Van- 
Leer; Harristown, J. N. Hoyt; Hickory 
Point, P. F. Lehman; Illini, E. J. Roberts; 
Long Creek, H. W. Davis ; Maroa, John 



2i 



PAST y\ND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Longstreet; Alilam, John VanGundy; Mt. 
Zion, S. Mahaniiah ; Niantic, A. C. Edgar; 
Oakley, H. J. Manecke ; Pleasant View, E. 
House; South IMacon, R. H. Woodcock; 
South Wheatland, Hiram Ward; Whit- 
more, Richard Kirby. 

1880. 

Austin, A. Hawkyard ; Blue Alound, PI. 
n. Rosengrantz; Decatur, D. L. Hughes, 
Jason Rogers, W. B. Chambers ; Friends 
Creek, W. A. VanLeer; Harristown, J. N. 
Hoyt; Hickory Point, H. C. Mowrey; 
mini, E. J. Roberts; Long Creek, H. W. 
Davis; Maroa, John Longstreet; Milam, 
John VanGundy; Mt. Zion, S. Mahannah ; 
Niantic, A. C. Edgar; Oakley, H. J. Man- 
ecke ; Pleasant View, ; South 

Macon, R. H. Woodcock ; South Wheat- 
land, Hiram Ward ; Whitniorc, Richard 
Kirbv. 

1881. 

Austin, A. Hawkyard; Blue Mound, H. 
H. Rosengrantz; Decatur, Joseph Michaels, 
James Freeman, B. O. McRcynolds, A. T. 
Hill; Friends Creek, W. A. VanLeer; Har- 
ristown, J. N. Hoyt ; Hickory Point, H. C. 
Mowrey ; Illini, J. S. Childs ; Long Creek, 
H.W.Davis; Maroa, John Marsh ; ]\Iilam, 
John VanGundy; Mt. Zion, S. Mahannah; 
Niantic, A. C. Edgar; Whitmore, C. H. Car- 
ver; South Wheatland, Hiram Ward; 
South Macon, C. A. Turner; Pleasant 
\''iew, W. S. Gage ; Oakley, H. J. Manecke. 

1882. 
Austin, John Johnston ; Blue Mound, H. 
H. Rosengrantz; Decatur, A. T. Hill, Jos- 
eph Michaels, James Freeman, B. O. Mc- 
Rcynolds; Friends Creek, W. A. VanLeer; 
Harristown, J. N. Hoj't ; Hickory Point, 
J. R. Hayes; Illini, J. S. Childs; Long 
Creek, S. C. Davis; IMaroa, M. P. Funk; 
Milam, John VanGund}'; Mt. Zion, S. Ma- 
hannah; Niantic, H. N. Clark; Oakley, H. 
J. Manecke ; Pleasant \'iew, W. J. Evans ; 



South ^lacon, C. A. Turner; South Wheat- 
land, Hiram \\'ard ; Whitmore, C. H. Car- 
ver. 

1883. 

Austin, John Johnston ; Blue Mound, IrL 
H. Rosengrantz ; Decatur, A. T. Hill, B. 
O. McReynolds, Joseph IMichaels, James 
Freeman ; Friends Creek, W. A. VanLeer ; 
Harristown, J. N. Hoyt; Hickory Point, 
J. R. Hayes ; Illini, Joseph Brown ; Long 
Creek, S. C. Davis; Maroa, ]\I. P. Funk; 
Milam, John VanGundy; Mt. Zion, G. T. 
Outten ; Niantic, Patrick Graham ; Oakley, 
H. J. Manecke; Pleasant \'iew, W. J. 
Evans; South Macon, C. A. Turner; 
South Wheatland, Hiram Ward ; Whitmore, 
C. H. Carver. 

1884. 

.\usLin, C. L. Hadley ; Blue Mound, II. 
H. Rosengrantz ; Decatur, .V. T. Hill, Jos- 
eph Michaels, John Giblin, James Free- 
man; Friends Creek, W. H. Wikoflf; Har- 
ristown, \\'. E. Gouge ; Hickory Point, J. 
R. Hayes; Illini, Joseph Brown; Long 
Creek, S. C. Davis; Maroa, M. P. Funk; 
Milam, C. W. Freeland; Mt. Zion, G. T. 
Outten; Niantic, Patrick Graham ; Oakley, 
H. J. ^Manecke ; Pleasant \^iew, W. J. 
Evans; South Macon, J. L. Hight; South 
Wheatland, Hiram Ward ; Whitmore, C. 
H. Carver. 

1885. 

Austin, C. L. Hadley ; Blue -Mound, H. 
II. Rosengrantz; Decatur, Joseph Mich- 
aels, James Freeman, A. T. Hill, John Gib- 
lin ; Friends Creek, W. H. Wikoff; Har- 
ristown, W. E. Gouge; Hickory Point, J. 
R. Hayes; Illini, J. C. Tucker; Long Creek, 
S. C. Davis; Maroa, M. P. Funk; Milam, 
C. W. Freeland; Mt. Zion, W. S. Smith; 
Niantic, Elias Ford ; Oakley, H. J. Manecke ; 
Pleasant \'iew, J. D. Seiberling ; South 
Macon, R. H. Woodcock; South Wheat- 
land, Hiram Ward ; Whitmore, C. H. Car- 
ver. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



1886. 
Austin, H. E. Peverly ; Blue Mound, R. 
H. Hill ; Decatur, A. f. Hill, James Free- 
man, C. M. Imboden, H. M. Davis; Friends 
Creek, D. K. \\'ilson ; Harristown, W. E. 
Gouge ; Hickory Point, Jacob Hanes ; Illini, 
J. J. Batchelder ; Long Creek, S. C. Davis ; 
Maroa, D. J. Mover; Milam, C. W. Free- 
land : Mt. Zion, W. S. Smith ; Niantic, H. 
N.Clark; Oakley, H. J. Manecke; Pleasant 
View, J. D. Seiberling; South Macon, R. 
H. Woodcock ; South Wheatland, Hiram 
Ward ; \\'hitmore, C. H. Carver. 

1887. 

Austin, H. E. Peverly; Blue :\lound, R. 
Hill; Decatur, A. T. Hill, C. M. Imboden, 
James Freeman, H. W. Davis ; Friends 
Creek, J. W. Brown ; Harristown, W. E. 
Gouge; Hickory Point, Jacob Hanes; Illini, 
J. J. Batchelder ; Long Creek, S. C. Davis ; 
Maroa, D. J. Mover; ]\Iilam, C. W. Free- 
land ; Pleasant \'iew, J. W. K. McClure ; 
Mt. Zion, \\'. S. Smith ; Niantic, H. N. 
Clark; Oakley. H. J. Manecke; South 
Macon, R. H. Woodcock; South Wheat- 
land, D. H. Stickle ; Whitmore. C. H.' Car- 
ver. 

1888. 

Austin, H. E. Peverly; Blue Mound, E. 
R. IMoffett : Decatur, \\. T. Hill, J. W. 
Butman, J. A. ;\Ierriweather, \\". H.. Acuff, 
Isaac Rogan. H. F. Ma}'. C. Ammann; 
Friends Creek, J. W. Brown ; Harristown, 
L. F. Hauck : Hickory Point, Jacob Hanes; 
Illini, J. J. Batchelder : Long Creek, John 
S. Jones; Maroa. T. N. Leavett ; Milam, C. 
W. Freeland; Mt. Zion, W. S. Smith; 
Niantic, John Wacker; Oakley, H. J. ]\Ian- 
ecke ; Pleasant \'iew, J. W. K. McClure; 
South Macon. H. C. Montgomery; South 
Wheatland. John H. Miller; Whitmore, R. 
M. Alachan. 

1889. 

Austin, John Johnston ; Blue Mound, W. 
P. Sleeter; Decatur, James Freeman, H. F. 



May. Isaac Rogan, C. .Vmmann, D. L. 
Hughes, H. \\'. Waggoner, Hiram Johnson ; 
Friends Creek, J. ^^^ Brown ; Harristown, 
L. F. Hauck; Hickory Point, Hezikiah 
Hayes; Illini, E. J. Roberts; Long Creek, 
John S. Jones; Maroa, ^^'. M. Phares; Mi- 
lam. W. H. Murphey; Mt. Zion, W. S. 
Smitli ; Niantic, C. B. Richardson; Oak- 
ley. T. M. Keller; Pleasant \'ic\\\ J. W. K. 
]\IcClure ; .South ;\Iacon, H. C. Montgom- 
ery; South Wheatland, John H. Miller: 
Whitmore, R. M. Machan. 

1890. 

Austin, C. E. Albert ; Blue Mound, W. P. 
Sleeter; Decatur, H. F. May, C. Ammann, 
G. F. Bell, James Freeman, R. A. Newell, 
T. A. Ouinn, Isaac R. Rogan ; Friends 
Creek, Samuel Gerber ; Harristown, W. L. 
Whitley; Hickory Point, Hezikiah Hayes; 
Illini, E. J. Roberts ; Long Creek, John A. 
Meyers; Maroa, J. H. Parker; Milam, F. 
D. Bromley ; Mt. Zion, W. S. Smith ; Nian- 
tic, W. R. Riser; Oakley, W. C. Burley; 
Pleasant View, J. W^ K. McClure; South 
Macon. H. C. Montgomery ; South \\'heat- 
land. John H. Miller; Whitmore, C. H. 
Garver. 

1891. 

Austin, C. E. Albert; Blue ^lound. W. P. 
Sleeter ; Decatur, H. F. May, Hiram John- 
son, Hugh Singleton, C. Ammann, James 
Freeman, R. A. Newell, G. F. Bell ; Friends 
Creek, Samuel Gerber; Harristown, W. L. 
A\'hitley ; Hickorj- Point, Volney Barber ; 
Illini, E. J. Roberts: Long Creek, John A. 
Meyers; Maroa, J. H. Parker; Milam, 
Archie Dickson; Mt. Zion, W. B. Hunter; 
Niantic, W. R. Riser; Oakley, W. C. Bur- 
ley ; Pleasant View, J. W. K. McClure ; 
South Macon, O. H. Draper; South Wheat- 
land. John H. Miller; Whitmore, C. H. Gar- 
ver. 

1892. 

Austin, J. B. Nowlin ; lUue Mound, W. P. 
Sleeter; Decatur, \\'. H. .Starr, T. A. Ouinn, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



A. H. Cope, H. F. May, Hiram Johnson, 
Hugh Singleton, C. Ammann ; Friends 
Creek, H. C. Griffin ; Harristown, AV. L. 
Whitley ; Hickory Point, Volney Barber ; 
mini, E. J. Roberts; Long Creek, S. C. 
Davis; Maroa, J. H. Parker; Milam; Wil- 
liam Best; Mt. Zion, W. B. Hunter; Nian- 
tic, J. A. Cussins ; Oakley, W. C. Burley ; 
Pleasant View, ^\'. H. Bean ; South Ma- 
con, O. H Draper ; South AVheatland, John 
H. Miller; Whitmore, C. H. Carver. 

1893. 
Austin, J. B. Nowlin ; Blue Mound, W. 
P. Sleeter; Decatur, H. F. May, Daniel 
Halleck, J. P. Nicholson, C. Ammann, 
George Lovvrey, D. Brintlinger, Hugh 
Singleton ; Friends Creek, H. C. Griffin ; 
Harristown, J. L. Connelly; Hickory 
Point, C. A. Thrift; lllini, C. W. French; 
Long Creek, S. C. Davis ; Maroa, J. H. 
Parker; Milam, Archie Dickson; Mt. Zion, 
D. C. Davidson; Niantic, J. A. Cussins; 
Oakley, W. C. Burley ; Pleasant View, W. 
H. Bean ; South Macon, O. H. Draper ; 
South Wheatland, M. A. Connard ; Whit- 
more, C. H. Garver. 

1894. 

/Vustin, J. B. Nowlin; Blue ^lound, W. 
T. Moffett; Decatur, Hiram Johnson, James 
Hollinger, J. A. Davidson, H. F. .May, D. 
Brintlinger, C. Ammann, D. Halleck; 
Friends Creek, H. C. Griffin ; Harristown, 
F. P. Town; Hickory Point, C. A. Thrift; 
lllini, J. C. Tucker ; Long Creek, S. C. 
Davis; Maroa, J. H. Parker; Milam, C. ^V. 
Freeland ; Mt. Zion, D. C. Davidson ; Nian- 
tic, M. E. Lockhart ; Oakley, John W. Wal- 
ker; Pleasant Mew, W, H. Bean; South 
Macon, II. R. Woodcock; South Wheat- 
land, M. A. Connard; Whitmore, Ross 
Hockaday. 

1895. 

Austin, J. B. Nowlin ; Blue Mound, W. T. 
Moffett; Decatur. H. F. May, W. 11. 



Spence, F. W. Kipp, Jacob Hanes, J. B. Bul- 
lard, G. W. Stoy, W. J. Magee ; Friends 
Creek, II. C. Griffin ; Harristown, J. F. 
Muirhead; Hickory Point, C. A. Thrift; 
lllini. C. W. French; Long Creek, S. C. 
Davis; Maroa, David \Veilepp ; Milam, 
Archie Dickson; Mt. Zion, C. H. Scott; 
Niantic, M. E. Lockhart; Oakley, John 
W. Walker; Pleasant \"iew, W. H. Bean; 
-South }ilacon, O. H. Draper; South Wheat- 
land, M. A. Connard; Whitmore, Ross 
Hockaday. 

1896. 
Austin, W. L. Gaines; Blue Mound, J. 
W. Turner ; Decatur, J. A. Davidson, James 
Hollinger, W. J. Magee, J. B. Bullard, H. F. 
May, Jacob Hanes, W. H. Spence, F. W. 
Kipp, G. W. Stoy; Friends Creek, J. N. 
Orr; Harristown, J. F. Muirhead ; Hickory 
Point, C. A. Thrift; lllini, C. W. French; 
Long Creek, J. E. Rucker; Maroa, David 
\\'eilepp; Milam, Archie Dickson; Mt. 
Zion, C. H. Scott; Niantic, J. J. Graves; 
Oakley, M. A. Nickey; Pleasant View, W. 
H. Bean; South Macon, O. H. Draper; 
South Wlieatland, M. A. Connard; Whit- 
more, Ross Hockaday. 

1897. 

Austin, W. L. Gaines; Blue Mound, 
George Loewer ; Decatur, John Allen, J. 
A. Davidson, J. H. Record, James Hollinger, 
F. W. Kipp, W. J. Magee,' H. F. May, W. 
H. Spence, George W. Stoy ; Friends Creek, 
J. N. Orr; Harristown, Jacob Lebo; Hick- 
ory Point, H. Hayes; lllini, C. J. Tucker; 
Long Creek, J. E. Rucker; Maroa, David 
Wcilcpp; Milam, W. Best; Mt. Zion, W. 
L. Riber ; Niantic, J. J. Graves ; Oakley, 
M. A. Nickey; Pleasant View, W. H. Bean; 
South Macon, O. H. Draper; South Wheat- 
land, J. H. Miller; Whitmore, Ross Hock- 
aday. 

1898. 

Austin, Z. B. Wooley; Blue Mound, C. 
W. Sleeter; Decatur, John Allen, Jacob 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



27 



Hanes, James Hollinger, O. B. Gorin, F. W. 
Kipp, W. J. Magee, J. H. Record, G. W. 
Stoy, J. \V. W'eigand; Friends Creek, J. N. 
Orr ; Harristown, Jacob Lebo ; Hickory 
Point, H.' Hayes; Long Creek, J. E. 
Rucker ; Ivlaroa, David Weilepp ; Milam, 
W. Best; Mt. Zion, W. L. Riber; Niantic, 
J. J. Graves; Oakley, M. A. Nickey; Pleas- 
ant View, W. H. Bean ; South Macon, O. 
H. Draper; South Wheatland, J. H. .Miller; 
Whitmore, Ross Hockaday. 

1899. 

Austin, Z. B. Wooley; Blue Mound, C. 
W. Sleeter; Decatur, John Allen, Jacob 
Hanes, James Hollinger, J. A. Davidson, F. 
W. Kipp, W. J. :\Iagee, J. H. Record, G. 
W. Stoy, J. W. Weigand ; Friends Creek, 
J. N. Orr; Harristown, R. O. VanGilder; 
Hickory Point, H. Hayes ; Illini, C. J. 
Tucker ; Long Creek, J. E. Rucker ; Maroa, 
David Weilepp; Milam, W. Best; Mt. 
Zion, W. L. Riber; Niantic, J. J. Graves; 
Oakley, M. A. Nickey; Pleasant View, W. 
H. Bean; South Macon, H. R. Woodcock; 
South Wheatland, John Ward ; Whitmore, 
Ross Hockaday. 

1900. 

Austin, C. H. Giffin; Blue ]\Iound, E. W. 
Jokisch ; Decatur, J. A. Davidson, H. A. 
Aldridge, John Allen, James Hollinger, F. 
W. Kipp, W. J. Magee, J. PL Record, G. 
W. Stoy, J. W. Weigand; Friends Creek, 
F. R. Querrey; Harristown, R. O. Van- 
Gilder; Hickory Point, H. Hayes; Illini, 
C. J. Tucker; Long Creek, E. B. Chapman; 
Maroa, David Weilepp; Milam, W. Best; 
Mt. Zion, W. L. Riber ; Niantic, J. A. Cus- 
sins; Oakley, M. A. Nickey; Pleasant View, 
W. H. Bean; South Macon, H. R. Wood- 
cock ; South Wheatland, John Ward ; Whit- 
more, G. W. Reynolds. 

1 901. 
Austin, George Johnston ; Blue Mound, 
E. W. Jokisch ; Decatur, J. H. Record, H. 



A. Aldridge, John Barron, James Henson, 
James Hollinger, F. W. Kipp, W. J. Magee, 
W^ Neidermeyer, J. W. Weigand ; Friends 
Creek, F. R. Querrey; Harristown, R. O. 
VanGilder; Hickory Point, H. Hayes; 
Illini, C. J. Tucker; Long Creek, E. B. 
Chapman; Maroa, C. G. Persinger ; Alilam, 
W. Best ; Mt. Zion, E. R. Hurlburt ; Nian- 
tic, J. A. Cussins ; Oakley, M. A. Nickey ; 
Pleasant X'iew, W. H. Bean ; South Macon, 
H. R. Woodcock; South AVheatland, John 
Ward; Whitmore, G. W. Reynolds. 

County Officers. 

The following is a list of county officers: 

Circuit Judge — S. D. Lockwood, S. T. Lo- 
gan, William Brown, Jesse B. Thomas, S. 
H. Treat, David Davis, Charles Emerson, 
A. J. Gallagher, C. B. Smith, W. E. Nelson, 
E. P. Vail, W. C. Johns. 

Judge of Probate — D. AlcCall, Charles 
Emerson. 

Probate Justice — Kirby Benedict, John 
G. Spear, Thomas H. Reed. 

County Judge — William Prather, John 
Ricketts, S. F. Greer, W. E. Nelson, W. L. 
Hammer, O. W. Smith. 

State's Attorney— John H. Pugh, D. H. 
Campbell, Josiah Lamborn, John A. McDu- 
gall, David Campbell, Flam Rust, J. R. 
Eden, James P. Boyd, D. L. Bunn, M. B. 
Thomas, C. C. McComas, I. A. Bucking- 
ham, W. C. Johns, E. P. \^ail, I. R. Mills, 
W. E. Redmon. 

Sheriiif — William Warnick, John McMen- 
namy, James Stephens, William Warnick, 
William Wheeler, Samuel Rea, William 
Wheeler, Samuel Whitehouse, E. McClel- 
lan, W. Wheeler, George Goodman, John 
W. Bear, A. A. Murry, John E. Jones, 
James Travis, George M. Wood, I. D. Jen- 
nings, M. Forstmeyer, W. W. Foster, John 
H. Mauzy, Peter Pearl, J. P. Nicholson, 
G. W. Lehman, Charles Thrift. 

Count_v Superintendent of Schools — Will- 
iam S. Crissey, C. C. Burroughs, Edwin 



28 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



I'ark, (.). 1'. McKiiii, John Trainer, T. L. 
Evans, J. N. Donehay, John G. Keller, A. 
A. Jones. 

Master in Cliancery — I. C. Pugli, William 
A. Barnes, R. H. ^Merrivveather, John A. 
Brown, J. J- Finn. 

Circuit Clerk— D. .McCall, H. M. Gorin, 
\\'. W. Peddecord, William Prather, J. Q. 
A. Oder, W. L. Hammer, E. McClellan, D. 
L. Foster, John Allen. 

County Clerk— D. McCall, H. M. Gorin, 
W. W. Peddecord, E. B. Hall, W. W. Ogles- 
by, Samuel Rea, I. C. Pugh, H. W. Wag- 
goner, George P. Hardy, James M. Dodd. 

County Treasurer — B. R. Austin, John 
Miller, B. R. Austip, James Johnson, Joseph 
Hosteller, Joseph Stephens, J. Renshavv, 
Henry Snyder, Thomas H. Reed, George 
W. Powers, S. C. Allen, I. C. Pugh, William 
Cantrell, Ira B. Curtis, William M. Boyd, 
R. H. Park, George M. Wood, George R. 
Steel, Clay Alontgomery, Charles Patter- 
son, Joseph Miller, E. R. Moffett. 

Agriculture. 

"W'lu-n tlic county was first settled the 
rank grasses retarded the evaporation, the 
result being a moist climate, that gave too 
luxuriant a growth to wheat and oats. This 
caused the lodging of the latter and i)ro- 
duced rust in the former, but culture and 
pasturage have modified these conditions 
so thai llic latter is becoming one oi our 
great staples." On account of the chinch 
bug spring wheat has entirely disappeared 
and the acreage of fall wheat is not what 
it was in an earlier day. W^Tile we jjroduce 
rye, wheat, oats, timoth}-, clover, millet and 
bluegrass, corn is the main cro]) ; not less 
than two-thirds of the tillable land in the 
county is each year planted to corn. For- 
merly it was thought that corn could not. 
safely, be cribbed in the fall, consequently 
it remained in the field until spring. Much 
corn was cut and shocked for cattle feeding, 
in fact, the entire crop, except that which 



was kept for the farmer's use in producing 
the ne.xt year's crop. It was no unusual 
thing to see farmers husking corn and at the 
same time cultivating the ground for the 
next crop. 

All kinds of vegetables are produced in 
abundance. Fruit, such as strawberries, 
raspberries, blackberries, currants and 
gooseberries, also cherries, pears, plums, 
cjuinces, apples and peaches grow and yield 
well ; our extensive nurseries verify the fact 
that this is a fruit county. 

Stock raising assumes no mean propor- 
tions as compared with other localities both 
in number and in grade produced. The 
grade of cattle, hogs, horses, sheep and even 
poultry is constantly improving. 

The cattle are of beef and dairy grades, 
the former arc represented by the Short- 
horn, Cjalloway and Hereford, while the 
latter are represented by the Jersey, Guern- 
sey and Holstein. 

The hogs now in favor are : Berkshire, 
Poland-China, Chester White, Jersey-red 
and Yorkshire. 

The horses are of three grades, the draft, 
the coach and the roadster. 

Every farmer grows stock to some extent, 
liogs arc grown more extensively than 
horsi-s and cattle owing to the short time re- 
(juircd for their maturity; at the age of nine 
months a hog will weigh from one hundred 
and fifty to two hundred ])ounds, while it 
recjuires several years for horses and cattle 
to dc\elop into '"shippers." 

Since Decatur contains more than half 
the jKipuIation of Macon county, not half 
the inhabitants of the county are engaged 
in agricultural pursuits. This affords a good 
local market for vegetables, dairy products 
and fruit ; none of the above are produced 
in sufficient quantities to supply the de- 
mands of the count}' ; carloads of vegetables, 
potatoes especially, cheese and all kinds of 
fruit are shipped in every year. 

Hay, oats and corn are. also in great dc- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



29 



mand ; Macon county does not yield much 
more than half the amount of hay consumed 
within the county; our flour mills 'afiford an 
excellent market for all of our wheat and 
our cereal mills can grind all the corn raised 
in the county. 

But if we do not see fit to sell here, we 
have railroads entering the county from 
twelve different directions, making Decatur 
one of the greatest railroad centers in the 
state, thus aiTording ready access to the 
eastern and the southern markets of the 
United States. 

The Illinois Central Railroad. 

In 1850 an act passed by Congress granted 
lands to the state of Illinois for the purpose 
of building a railroad through central Illi- 
nois. In 1851 the legislature of Illinois in- 
corporated the Illinois Central Railroad and 
transferred to this company the lands held 
in trust by the state upon a compliance of 
the company with the conditions embodied 
in the charter. 

Work began at the north end of the road 
and in 1854 was completed through Deca- 
tur, and in a short time was opened for 
traffic through its entire length. A senator 
from Macon county was the first one to in- 
troduce and carry through the legislature 
a resolution urging our senators and repre- 
sentatives in Congress to secure the re- 
quisite aid from the national government. 

Senator Stephen A. Douglas, acting upon 
the resolution, secured the passage of the 
law giving to the state for the use of the 
railroad each alternate section for a distance 
of six miles upon each side of the right-of- 
way ; providing, that had some of this land ' 
been previously granted to private parties, 
the company be permitted to go as far as 
twenty miles out in order to secure the re- 
quired amount of land. 

The power of peneration into the future, 
possessed by Mr. Douglas, is well estab- 
lished by his persistence and final victory in 



compelling the construction from Cairo lo 
Chicago and Dunleith, which in a remark- 
ably short time developed the most fertile 
lands in the state. He lived to see his pre- 
dictions verified and his expectations fully 
realized. 

An effort was made to carry the road, in 
Macon county, across the Sangamon river 
at the "Cut Off" six miles west of Decatur ; 
this would, in all probability have doomed 
Decatur to remain a village. But through 
the efforts of the'citizens of Decatur, led by 
E. O. Smith, the present route was selected. 

The charter of this road provided that 
seven per cent of its gross earnings be paid 
into the state treasury. Since 1854 it has 
paid a total of $20,000,000 to the state ; it 
pays now yearly about $800,000. The com- 
pany operates over 4,000 miles of road, 
which reaches from New Orleans to Omaha 
and through Chicago to St. Paul ; numer- 
ous small roads cross it at various points 
along the line of the main tracks. This 
road is the gateway to the south from which 
a large export trade is now made. This 
road affords two direct rapid routes to Chi- 
cago, either by way of Champaign or by 
way of Clinton. The Peoria, Decatur and 
Evansville Railroad, now the Peoria Divi- 
sion of the Illinois Central, extends from 
Peoria to Evansville, from northwest to 
southeast, through the most productive part 
of Illinois. Through the favorable connec- 
tions made at its terminals, with through 
lines, it is enabled to do a large amount of 
through business. 

The Illinois Central has done much to de- 
velop Decatur and in fact, all of Macon 
county. Recently it has erected a hand- 
some depot at an outlay of $65,000 ; the 
building is 290 feet long and is built of 
stone and yellow pressed brick, surmounted 
by a neat tower; the central part of the 
building is two stories, the rest of the build- 
ing is but one story; the entire roof is of red 
tile. The style of the structure is the Eng- 



30 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



lish gothic ; the walls are frescoed, a very 
handsome tint being selected ; the appoint- 
ments both inside and out are modern and 
are arranged with a view to symmetry and 
convenience. 

The road originally known as the Decatur, 
Monticello and Champaign is now part of 
the Illinois Central, making a convenient 
conniction between the two original 
branches of the road. 

The Vandalia Railroad. 
The Terrc Haute and Peoria division of 
the \''andalia passes through this city and 
joins the main line at Terre Haute. The 
Vandalia line with 700 miles of 'track is 
part of the Pennsylvania system which 
gives us direct communication with the 
eastern trunk lines. This was originally the 
Illinois ^Midland, which, until thrown into 
the hands of a receiver, who placed it on a 
paying basis, had a continued struggle for an 
existence. 

The Indiana, Decatur and Western Rail- 
road. 

The Indiana, Decatur and Western ter- 
minates at Indianapolis on the east and 
Springfield on the west ; the extension from 
Decatur to Springfield was completed in 
3902. The entire length of the road is now 
about two hundred miles. The road is part 
of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton 
system. . It carries large quantities of east- 
ern merchandise and western farm products 
as well as being a very popular passenger 
route. 

The Wabash Railroad. 

To give a history of this railroad it be- 
comes necessary to begin with the enact- 
ment of the legislature in 1835 ^"^ 1836, 
known as The Internal Improvement 
Scheme. In this scheme was included the 
Northern Cross Railroad extending from 
Quincy to Danville, chartered in 1837. The 
first locomotive engine in the state ran over 



this road from Meredosia to Jacksonville, 
in 1839. The road was completed to Spring- 
field in 1842. This road was constructed 
of wooden rails, faced with strips of strap- 
iron. The cars made three round trips per 
week from Springfield to the Illinois river. 
The track finally became so insecure that 
the engine was taken off and mules sub- 
stituted for motive power. Eventually the 
road became so utterly dilapidated that the 
expense overran the income; the state then 
disposed of it for a mere song. 

In 1854 the road was reconstructed and 
extended through Decatur and Danville, 
over the original route, to Toledo, under the 
name of the Great Western Railroad. The 
cars entered Decatur in 1854. The advent 
of the railroad gave new life and impetus 
to Decatur and the surrounding country. 
Instead of carrying goods to Chicago and 
St. Louis in the old-fashioned broad-tired 
wagon with the proverbial tar bucket 
swung beneath its axle, we received our 
consignments by freight, new and fresh, in 
a few days after ordering. 

Much objection, that now seems peculiar, 
was urged against railroads when first pro- 
posed. Some argued that the horses would 
be so frightened by the cars that the lands 
near the roads could not be cultivated ; 
that the ranges would be rendered useless 
and the poor people would be compelled 
to keep up their stock ; that the game would 
all be driven away by the whistling of the 
engines. 

The name of this road was soon after 
changed to The Toledo, Wabash and West- 
ern Railroad. In 1876 this road operated 
473 miles of track between Toledo and 
Quincy; no miles between St. Louis and 
Decatur ; the Keokuk branch of 41 miles 
and the Naples branch of 3 miles ; a total of 
627 miles. 

In 1877 the name was changed to The 
Wabash Railroad, which name it still re- 
tains. This road now operates over two 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



31 



thousand miles of track and is a through 
line from Kansas City to BulTalo with 
tlirougii passenger trains to New York City. 
It has a line to Kansas City via Hannibal 
and Ouincy; another via St. Louis, and a 
third to Chicago, a fourth to Detroit and 
the east. 

Decatur is tlie central point through 
which all this enormous traffic must pass. 
It is an aggressive road, having recently 
acquired a large number of feeders, which 
penetrate some of the most remote regions 
of the middle west. 

Decatur is the home of the Middle Divi- 
sion of the ^\'abash. Superintendent A. 
Robertson and the ^Middle Division officials 
reside here, the largest force of dispatchers 
in the country is located here; the car shops 
employ between 200 and 300 men ; a branch 
of the locomotive shops employs a number 
of men ; and most of the train men live here ; 
not less than 1.200 men connected with the 
Wabash live in Decatur. The pay rolls ap- 
proximate $900,000 per year on the Middle 
Division. 

The new ^^"abash station, just west of the 
north end of the Central station, with which 
its platform connects, is one of the hand- 
somest stations on the Wabash system. It 
is 230 feet long, two stories high, built of 
yellow brick and trimmed with stone and 
terra cotta. The architecture is colonial, 
except the tower; the main portion is two 
stories, while the mail, baggage and express 
rooms are but one story. The interior is 
finished in tile floors, marble wainscoting, 
frescoed ceiling and walls ; lending a charm- 
ing effect. The cost of the building ap- 
proximates seventy thousand dollars. 

Black Hawk War. 

Muster roll of Captain Johnson's com- 
pany of mounted volunteers belonging to 
the Fifth Regiment, commanded by James 
Johnson of the brigade of mounted volun- 



teers of Illinois Militia, commanded by Brig- 
adier General Samuel Whiteside. 

Alustered out of the service of the United 
States at the mouth of the Fox river, Illi- 
nois ]\Iay 27, 1832. Date of enlistment, April 
24, 1832; term of enlistment, 35 days. 

Tames Johnson, captain, promoted to colo- 
nel May 16, 1832; William Warnick, first 
lieutenant, absent with leave; I. C. Pugh, 
second lieutenant, promoted to captain May 
16, 1832; J. D. Wright, first sergeant, ab- 
sent on extra duty ; James A. Ward, second 
sergeant, promoted to second lieutenant ; 
Walter Bowls, third sergeant, absent with 
leave ; Joseph Hanks, fourth sergeant ; 
Henry M. Gorin, first corporal ; S. R. Shep- 
ard, second corporal ; G. Coppenbarger, 
third corporal, absent with leave; James 
Milton, fourth corporal, killed in battle. 

Privates — Asher Simpson, Abram Black, 
D. McCall, D. H. Stewart, Elisha Butler, 
G. D. Smallwood, John Hanks, Jacob Lane, 
John Henderson, James Querrey, James 
Miller, John JManley, James Ennis, John 
Clifton, Jesse Dickey, John Williams, John 
iMurphey, John Black, James Herrod, Kin- 
ian Ingram, C. Hooper, Robert Smith, S. B. 
Dewees, S. Miller, S. Troxel, Thomas Dev- 
enport, William Hanks, William Adams, 
William Miller, William Hooper, William 
Cox, Joseph Clifton. 

There was also a company of rangers or- 
ganized during the summer of 1832, com- 
manded by Captain William Warnick. They 
went as far as Kickapoo, a town on Big 
Vermilion river, but finding no Indians, 
soon returned. 

Mexican War. 
War was declared with Mexico in May, 
1846. Under the call for volunteers Illinois 
was entitled to three regiments. Under 
proclamation of Governor Ford, the sheriflf 
of Macon county calling for volunteers. 
Company C, afterwards forming part of the 
Fourth Regiment, was raised, consisting of 



32 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



seventh-eight men. Thirty companies had 
reported when Company C reached Spring- 
field ; in all three full regiments. E. D. 
iiaker, a prominent Illinois man, asked 
President Polk for permission to raise a 
fourth regiment, and in this were the Ma- 
con county men. Baker was elected colonel, 
Lieutenant (iovernor Morris was elected 
lieutenant colonel, Thomas Harris major 
general, I. C. Pugh was elected captain of 
Company C, Senator R. J. Oglesby first 
lieutenant. .Anderson Froman second lieu- 
tenant, John P. Post third lieutenant, Ste- 
phen Osburn first sergeant, G. W. Galbreath 
second sergeant, B. F. Oglesby third ser- 
gent, B. L. Martin first corporal, James 
Hollingsworth second corporal, W. J. Usrey 
third corporal, G. W. Nelson fourth cor- 
poral. 

List of Volunteers. 
RLidison Bradshaw, P. T. Bebee, G. M. 
Braden, A. Botkin, \V. \\'. Chapman, G. 
W. Church, Laban Chambers, George Car- 
ver. J. B. Case, J. M. Dickey, G. W. Dillow, 
W. Dean, W. P. Davidson, Daniel Davis, 
A. Greenfield, James Greenfield, David 
lluftman, Sterne Helm, J. Horner, D. How- 
ell, S. K. Harrell. Williams Hawks, M. .^L 
Henry, \\'. D. B. Henry. Levi Hite, John 
Henry, L Inman, T. Johnson, J. A. Lowrie, 
J. C. Leadbetter, H. Lord, Thomas Lord, 
A. B. Lee, J. C. Malson, G. J. Malson, Ben- 
jamin IMartin, L Martin, H. ]\lartin, Will- 
iam McDaniel, Chris. Mayers, Charles Nel- 
son, William Nesbit, J. S. Post, J. Perry- 
man, S. Rice, James Rea, William Robinson, 
E. Rice, J. .Shcppard, Jason Sprague, R. H. 
Stewart, D. G. Stephens, W. ,E. Lee, Daniel 
Spangler, J. A. Shepley, T. Souther, J. 
Saunders, James Turner, F. E. Travis, J. B. 
Travis, J. D. Travis, T. D. Turney, William 
Wheeler, W. R. Wheeler, Lewis Ward, B. 
E. Wells, W. E. Warnick, J. W. White, B. 
White, Robert Warnick, James Freeman, J. 
M. Arwood, Richard Barnwell, Miles Bos- 
worth, Jesse Butler, David Bailer. 



Company C marched from Decatur to 
Springfield about the middle of June, 1846, 
where the regiment was formed. After a 
time they moved to .\lton, where arms were 
in store which were procured by Colonel 
Baker and Captain J. S. Post; Colonel J. J. 
Hardin protested against this and a warfare 
of words followed between him and Baker, 
nearly ending in a duel. From Alton the 
regiment was sent to JelTerson Barracks, 
where Colonel Churchill, the commandant, 
took charge, giving them thorough disci- 
pline and drill. 

July 20 the regiment was mustered into 
service by Colonel Crogan, of Vt. Meigs 
notoriety ; after a few daj-s they embarked 
for New Orleans thence to Brazos, Santiago 
l!ay on tl;e Rio Grande river, where they 
disembarked. They next marched up the 
Rio Grande eight miles, where the first 
death occurred, that of Second Sergeant 
(ieorge Galbreath. 

A squad of twelve Macon county men un- 
der Colonel Baker were detailed to bury 
the body ; on their return to camp they 
heard a disturbance near by on a steamboat 
and cMi going there found that an Irish com- 
pany, in a drunken melee, had driven the 
Kenesaw Rangers from the boat. Colonel 
Iiaker ordered his men on board to settle 
the trouble, w-hen a hand to hand encounter 
ensued in which the Colonel and his little 
band were soon overpowered. Colonel Ba- 
ker received a rapier thrust. Captain Post 
wounded in breast and rib broken ; Charles 
Dillow, killed; R. H. Stewart, bayonetted 
in thigh, and seven others were more or less 
injuretl. Orders were now received to move 
to Matamoras on the Mexican side; a few 
days later they moved on to Camargo, where 
many of the boj^s took sick. 

Returning to Matamoras they proceeded 
1(1 \ictoria. thence to Tampico early in 
June, 1847, where preparations were made 
for an attack on \'era Cruz. About the mid- 
dle of l'"el)ruary Company C assisted in the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



33 



construction of batteries and also in the 
bombardment of the city, whicli surrendered 
March 29. 

General Scott's army marched from here 
to the City of Mexico, meeting on the way 
General Santa Anna at a mountain pass of 
Cerro Gordo, where a battle ensued April 
18; Company C had forty-eight men in this 
engagement ; two were killed aiid ten 
wounded. J. C. Malson and George Nelson 
were killed. Santa Anna came near being 
captured in this battle; in his elTort to es- 
cape he left $25,000 in silver and his cork 
leg, in his carriage, which articles were cap- 
tured by Company C. 

After the battle General Scott went on 
to Jalapa ; Company C remained here a 
month. \Mien time of enlistment expired, 
the company returned to St. Louis, reach- 
ing home June i, 1847, carrying the banner 
given them when they left. 

But four Mexican war veterans are now 
living in Macon county. The list is : Rob- 
ert Warnick, living near Boody; Madison 
Bradshaw, living near Harristown ; David 
Blalock, of Mt. Zion, and Walter Elworthy, 
of Decatur. 

Civil War. 

The Seventh Illinois Cavalry was organ- 
ized at Camp Butler, Illinois, and mustered 
into service October 13, 1861. Companies 
A, C, I, and G were ordered to Bird's Point, 
Missouri, the other eight companies arrived 
December 25. In January all excepting 
Companies B, C, I, and L moved to Cape 
Girardeau. ^Missouri, Company I engaged 
in scouting during the winter. .-\t New Ma- 
drid the regiment again united. They next 
met at Island No. 10, from which place they 
moved to Hambtirg Landing in Tennessee, 
thence toward Corinth, which movement in- 
volved them in a battle at luka and at Cor- 
inth October 23, 1864. 

November 23 seven companies engaged 
Richardson near Somerville ; December i 
the Seventh was assigned to Col. Dickey's 



command : they participated in the battle 
of Holly Springs, were compelled to retreat 
followed by Price to ColTeeville, from west- 
ern Tennessee; April 17 they started on 
Grierson's raid to Baton Rouge ; December 
26 the regiment fought Forest, also had an 
engagement at Moscow, Tennessee ; went 
next to Decatur, Alabama, then returned to 
Nashville ; from this point to Camp Butler, 
Illinois, at which place they were mustered 
out, paid and discharged November 17, 
1865. 

SEVENTH CA\^\LRY ROSTER. 
Company I. 

Colonels— \\\ P. Kellogg, Sept. 8, 1861, 
resigned June i, 1862; Edward Prince, June 
I. 1862, term expired Oct. 15, 1864, was lieu- 
tenant colonel ; John M. Graham, Alarch i, 
1865. mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, was major. 

Lieutenant Colonels — W. D. Blackburn, 
Feb. ID, 1863, died of wounds May 17, 1863; 
George W. Trafton, March 17, 1863, dis- 
missed Nov. 4, 1864; H. C. Forbes, March 
I. 1865, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, was 
major. 

Majors — Cyrus Hall, Sept. 21, 1861, re- 
signed for promotion Feb. 9, 1862 ; James 
Rawalt, Sept. 21, 1861, resigned June 10, 
1862; Z. Applington, Nov. 13, 1861, killed in 
battle May 15, 1862; Henry Case, Feb. i, 
1862, resigned April 4, 1862; H. C. Nelson, 
.\pril 24, 1862, resigned June 22, 1863; A. 
P. Koehler, March 15, 1862, resigned May 

14, 1863; A. W. McDonald, June 22, 1863, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; George A. Root, 
May 15, 1865, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, 
was adjutant; M. G. Wiley, May 10, 1865, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865. 

Adjutants — Henry Stockdale, Jan. 30, 
1862, mustered ottt May 5, 1862; .^llen W. 
Held, May 10, 1865. 

Battalion Adjutants — George Bestor, Jan. 

15, 1861, mustered out in 1862; Charles 
Wills, Jan. 15, i86r, mustered out in 1862. 

Quartermasters — W. A. Dickerson, Oct. 



34 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



25, 1861, mustered out May 26, 1862; J. R. 
W. Hinchman. Oct. 28, 1862, mustered out 
Nov., 1865. 

Battalion Quartermasters — James T. 
Meyers, Dec. 26, 1862, mustered out 1862; 
John W. Resor, Dec. 25, 1861, mustered out 
May 26, 1S62. 

Surgeons- -C. D. Rankin, Oct. 28, 1861, 
resigned Jan. i, 1862; Daniel Stahl, Sept. 
9, 1862, discharged Sept. 9, 1864; Thomas 
J. Riggs, Sept. 16, 1864, mustered out Nov. 
4, 1865, was first assistant. 

First Assistant Surgeons — Charles H. 
Novel, April 3, 1865. mustered out Nov. 4, 
1865. 

Second Assistant .Surgeons — A. G. Gil- 
bert, May 29, 1863, discharged Sept. 9, 1864; 
M. W. Nesmith, .April 16, 1865, mustered 
out Nov. 4, 1865. 

Chaplain — Simon G. Meinor, Oct. 3, 1861, 
term expired Oct. 5, 1864. 

Commissaries — H. F. Barker, Oct. i, 1862, 
term expired ( )ct. 15. 1864; Daniel F. Rob- 
bins, Oct. 4. 1864. mustered out Nov. 4, 
1865. 

Captains — A. J. Gallagher, Aug. 19, 1861, 
resigaed June 20, 1862; William Ashmead, 
June 20, 1862, term e.xpired Oct. 15, 1864, 
was second lieutenant; Byron T. Tuller, 
March 28, 1865, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865. 

First Lieutenants — William H. Straton, 
Aug. 19, 1861, term expired Oct. 15, 1865; 
Horace K. Rice, March 28, 1865; mustered 
out Nov. 4, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — S. G. Washburn, 
June 20, 1862. mustered out Oct., 1864; O. 
L. Kendall. March 28, 1865, mustered out 
Nov. 4, 1865. 

First Sergeant — \\'illiam F. Clark, Sept. 
3, 1861, killed in action March 3, 1862. 

Quartermaster Sergeant — George Flat- 
tery, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 
1864, as private. 

Sergeants — John W. Haworth, Sept. 3, 
1861, discharged Oct. 15, 1862; Mathew 
Ruby, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 



1864; George H. Gardner, Sept. 3, 1861; 
mustered out Oct. 15, 1864; S. G. Washburn, 
Sept. 3, 1861, promoted to second lieutenanv. 
Corporals — Archibald Dickson, Sept. 3, 
1861, re-enlisted as veteran ; Daniel H. Dun- 
bar, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15. 
1864; George W. Kaylor, Sept. 3, 186I: 
killed in action May i, 1862; Marion Ash- 
mead, Sept. 3, 1861, killed in- action May 30. 
1862; W. D. McComas, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged Dec. I, 1862; Abner H. Jorden, 
.Sept. 3, 1861, killed in action June 30, 1862: 
William Hilt, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out 
Sept. 8, 1864; Thaddeus P. Varney, Sept. 3, 
1 86 1, mustered out Oct. 15, 1864, as private. 
Buglers — Davis T. King, Sept. 3, 1861, 
promoted chief bugler ; J. J. Strong, Sept., 
1 861, promoted chief bugler. 

Farrier — .Xrgyle ^^'. Furr, Sept. 3. 1861. 
mustered out Oct. 15, 1864. 

Blacksmith — George Fornof, Sept. 3, 
1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 1864. 

Wagoner — William Deal, Sept. 3, 1861, 
mustered out Oct. 15, 1864, as private. 

Privates — John O. Adams, .Sept. 3, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran ; John Bohrer, Sept. 
3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 1864; C. M. 
Belknap, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as veter- 
an; mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, as sergeant; 
Robert Barlett, Sept. 3, 1861 ; Luther Beals, 
Sept. 3, 1861, discharged Oct. 15, 1862; 
Webster Calhoun, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered 
out Oct. 15, 1864; David Calhoun; Isaac P. 
Cornwell, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a vet- 
eran, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; George 
Clark, Sept. 3, 1861 ; re-enlisted as a veteran, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; Charles Di;- 
gan, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a veteran, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; William A. 
Dngger, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 
1864; William H. Doner, Sept. 3, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran ; E. B. Dawson, .Sept. 3, 
1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 1864, as ser- 
geant; George Dickson, Sept. 3, 1861, mus- 
tered out Oct. 15, 1864; Walter Earles, 
Sept. 3, 1861 ; George W. Fletcher, Sept. 3, 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



35 



1861, discharged May 8, 1863, as corporal; 
Ed. M. Gibbs, Sept.. 3, 1861, mustered out 
Oct. 15, 1864, as sergeant; Charles Goff, 
Sept. 3, 1861, discharged April 4, 1862; Will- 
iam Grove, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a 
veteran, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; Henry 
Grady, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 
1865; John P. Hartman, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged July, 1862; Charles P. Hopkins, 
Sept. 3, 1861 ; John Hayes, Sept. 3, 1861, 
mustered out Oct. 15, 1864; Mahlon Ha- 
worth, Sept. 3, 1861, died at Andersonville 
Aug. lo, 1864; James Hafrau, Sept. 3, 1861, 
died at Andersonville July 23, 1864; James 
^I. Jones, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. * 
15, 1864; John S. Jones, Sept. 3, 1861, mus- 
tered out Oct. 15, 1864; O. L. Kendall, 
Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a veteran, was 
private, sergeant and lieutenant ; Henry 
Knipple, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a vet- 
eran, mustered out as corporal Nov. 4, 1865 ; 
James C. Ledbetter, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged July, 1862 ; William Martin, Sept. 
3, 1861, re-enlisted as a veteran, mustered 
out Nov. 4, 1865 ; Henry Martin, Sept. 3, 
1861, discharged Oct., 1862; Marion May, 
Sept. 3, 1861, discharged Dec, 1862; Henry 
Meyers, Sept. 3, 1861, transferred to Com- 
pany M ; Samuel C. TilcKay, Sept. 3, 1861, 
mustered out Oct. 15, 1864, as corporal; 
Edward Melville, Sept. 3, 1861 ; Lawrence 
Miller, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a veter- 
an, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, as corporal; 
James McElroy, . Sept. 3, 1861, died of 
wounds received in camp ; J. R. McDougal, 
Sept. 3, 1861, discharged April 6, 1863; 
Thomas McCoy, Sept. 3, 1861 ; James Nich- 
olson, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a veteran, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; J. P. Nicholson, 
Sept. 3, 1861, discharged May, 1862; John 
Powers, Sept. 3, 1861, died of wounds Dec. 
5, 1862; Michael Powers, Sept. 3, 1861, re- 
enlisted as a veteran, mustered out Nov. 4, 
1865; Robert S. Paine, Sept. 3, 1861, mus- 
tered out Oct. 15, 1864; William Riley, Sept. 
3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 1864; Henry 



Ruby, Sept. 3, 1861, re-enlisted as a veteran, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, as corporal; 
Horace K. Rice, Sept. 3, 1861, promoted 
sergeant, then first lieutenant; M. Sullivan, 
Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, as 
corporal; Cyrus B. Smith, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged January, 1862; John A. Stookey, 
Sept. 3, 1861, died Feb. 11, 1862; Charles 
E. Smythe, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Sept. 
20, 1865 ; Michael Sullivan, Sept. 3, 1861, 
re-enlisted as a veteran ; Byron H. Tuller, 
Sept. 3, 1861, promoted to captain; Pulaski 
L. Temple, Sept. 3, 1861, discharged Sept., 
1862; Henry Tooter, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged April 16, 1863 ; Augustus A. Taber, 
Sept. 3, 1861, promoted hospital steward; 
John R. Thomas, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered 
out Aug. 29, 1864; John D. Vancourt, Sept. 
3, 1861, discharged April 18, 1862, as cor- 
poral; W. D. Weatherby, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged July, 1862; Charles Williams, Sept. 
3, 1861, discharged July, 1862; George W. 
Wood, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered out Oct. 15, 
1864; Edward S. Webb, Sept. 3, 1861, dis- 
charged Sept., 1862; Charles Westfall, Sept. 
3, 1861, discharged May, 1862; James L. 
Walters, Sept. 3, 1861, discharged March 4, 
■1862; Simon Yopes, Sept. 3, 1861, mustered 
out Sept. 8, 1864. 

Recruits — John H. Arbuckle, Aug. 6, 
1862, mustered out July 12, 1862; David 
Adams, Dec. 22, 1863, mustered out Nov. 4, 
1865: Dempsey Able, Dec. 15, 1863, mus- 
tered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; William H. Ater, 
Sept. 3, 1861, died Nov. 14, 1862; Jacob An- 
derson, Aug. 12, 1862; Worth R. Bradley, 
Feb. 2, 1864, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; 
D. S. Brockway, Jan. 24, 1864, mustered out 
Nov. 4, 1865 ; Robert Boddy, Dec. 14, 1863, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; Robert Car- 
mean, Dec. 14, 1863, mustered out Nov. 4, 
1865 ; G. W. Carmean, Dec. 18, 1863, mus- 
tered out Nov. 4, 1865; Thomas Clark, Jan. 
18, 1864, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; James 
W. Daniels, Jan. 29, 1864, mustered out 
Nov. 4, 1865, as sergeant; J. O. Dunston, 



36 



PAST AM) I'RI'.SILXT OF MACUX (ol XIA' 



Jan. 4. i8(')4, imistered out Xov. 4, 1865; 
joliii Uaili.'}-, March 18, 1864, mustered out 
Nov. 4. 1865; Charles Dunslon, Jan. 4, 1864, 
died of wounds at LaGrange, Tenn., July 14, 
1864; Edward Earlcs. Jan. 30, 1864, mus- 
tered out .\o\'. 4. 1865; Jerome Emerson, 
Feb. 7, 1865, mustered out Nov. 4. 1865; 
John (ircgerty, Jan. 27, 1864, mustered out 
Aug. 31, 1865; James A. Ciibbs, Jan. 15, 
1864, mustered out Nov. 4, 1864, as cor- 
poral; luigcne Hall. Dec. 10. 1863. mustered 
out Xo\-. 4, 1865; \\'illiam llolman. Jan. 26, 
1864, mustered out Xov. 4, 1865; Peter 
IToffman. Jan. 19, 1864, mustered out Nov. 
4, 1865, as corporal; Andrew J. Holman, 
Feb. 9, 1864, died at Memphis, Tenn., June 
9, 1864; Taylor Lawson, Jan. 16, 1864, mus- 
tered out Xov. 4, 1865; Wilson Lehn, April 
16, 1864, mustered out June 5, 1865 ; Henry 
Martin, Dec. 15, 1863, mustered out Xov. 
4, 1865; John R. McDougal. Jan. 4, 1864, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; Martin McCune, 
Dec. 19, 1863, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; 
Theodore May, Dec. 19, 1863, mustered out 
Nov. 4, 1865; Robert Pate, April 7, 1864, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; Horace S. Ruby, 
Jan. 30, 1864, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; 
John T. Rea, Jan. i, 1864; mustered out 
Nov. 4, 1865; Elhannan Reed, April i, 1864, 
mustered out Nov. 4, 1865 ; James A. Reedy, 
Jan. 26, 1864; William F. Scott, Dec. 31, 

1863, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865, as corporal ; 
A. T. Shinneman, Feb. 13, 1864, mustered 
out Nov. 4, 1865; H. L. Stookey, Jan. 30, 

1864, mustered out Nov. 4, 1865; William 
Smitli, Dec. 11, 1863, sick, absent at mus- 
tering out of regiment; William C. Stewart, 
March 20, 1864, sick, absent at mustering 
out of regiment; James Wood, April 16, 
1864; Charles Williams, Jan. 25, 1864, vet- 
eran, mustered out Nov. 11, 1865; Philip 
Webber, Feb. i, 1864; George W. Wood, 
Feb. 9, 1865, mustered out Oct. 19, 1865; 
George Young, March 24. 1864, mustered 
out Nov. 4, 1865. 

I'nassigned Recruits — James Dorris, Jan. 



26, 1864; James Daniels, F"eb. 12, 1864; 
Charles \\'. I'.arles. Ai)ril 7, 1864, rejected; 
Alonzo M. (ilove, Jan. 2j, 1864, discharged 
May 10, 1864; F'orest Saunders, Jan. 25, 
1864, discharged July 2, 1864; William F. 
Scott, Dec. 21, 1863; William 11. Wilson, 
March 9, 1865, discharged July 11, 1865; 
^\■illiam D. White, March 7, 1865. 

EIGHTH ILLINOIS IXFAXTRY. 

The Eighth Illinois Infantry was organ- 
ized April 25, 1861, for three months' serv- 
ice ; Colonel R. J. Oglesby in command, was 
stationed at Cairo until mustered out at 
close of term. They immediately reorgan- 
ized for three j^ears" service, then moved to 
Bird's Point, Alissouri. They embarked 
February 2, 1862, for Tennessee, where they 
were in the engagements of Ft. Henry and 
Ft. Donelson. A heavy loss was sustained 
and Major John P. Post was taken prisoner. 

They ne.xt engaged in the battle of Shiloh 
also at the siege of Corinth, where Colonel 
R. J. Oglesby was dangerously wounded. 
There was also an encounter at Raymond, 
after which the regiment was sent to Camp 
Butler un a veteran furlough; this was in 
1864. Later they were in western Tennes- 
see, Mississippi and Louisiana. They were 
mustered out at Baton Rouge May 4, 1866; 
ordered to Springfield for final payment and 
discharge, which took place May 4, 1866. 

Roster Eighth Illinois Infantry. 
For Three Months. 

Colonel — R. J. Oglesby, May 3, 1861, re- 
cnlisted for three years. 

Lieutenant Colonel — Frank L. Rhodes, 
May 3, 1861, re-enlisted for three years. 

Major.s — John ]'. Post, May 3. 1861, re- 
enlisted for three years ; Herman Leib, Oct. 
7, 1862, promoted colonel Xinth Infantry 
(colored). 

Captain, Company A — I. C. Pugh. .Ajiril 
2^. 1861. re-enlisted for three years, colonel 
I'orty-first Regiment. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



37 



First Lieutenant — G. M. Bruce, April 23, 
1861, re-enlisted for three years. 

Second Lieutenant — L N. Martin, April 
23, 1861. 

Captain, Company B — H. P. Westerfield, 
.\pril 30, 1861 ; John P. Post. 

First Lieuteant — John M. Lowery, April 
25, 1861, resigned Sept. 3, 1862. 

Second Lieutenant — Thomas Goodman, 
.\pril 2^. 1S61, resigned July 25, 1861. 

Roster Eighth Illinois Infantry, 
For Three Years. 

Colonels — R. J. Oglesby, April 26, 1861, 
promoted brigadier general April i, 1862, 
to major general Nov. 9, 1862 ; F. L. Rhodes, 
April I, 1862, resigned Oct. 7, 1862; John 
P. Post, Oct. 7, 1862, resigned Sept. 28, 
1863; Josiah A. Shietz, Sept. 22,. 1863. pro- 
moted brevet brigadier general Nov. 25, 
1865, resigned Feb. 9. 1866; Loyd AVheaton, 
Feb. 9, 1864, mustered out May 4, 1866. 

Lieutenant Colonels — R. H. Sturges, Oct. 
7, 1862, resigned July 25, 186^; Noah Denni- 
son, Nov. 8, 1862, mustered out May 4, 1866. 

Majors — Herman Lieb, Oct. 7, 1862, pro- 
moted colonel of Ninth Louisiana (colored) ; 
Daniel Sayers, March 8, 1862, mustered out 
June 25, 1866. 

Adjutants— W. C. Clark, Jan. 25, 1861, 
resigned June 25, 1862 ; B. F. Monroe, June 
25, 1862. promoted Captain Company I; 
Freol .\. King, July 25, 1864, resigned Oct. 
9, 1864; William W. Carver, Oct. 9, 1864; 
Leander A. Sheets, Nov. 25, 1865 : mus- 
tered out May 4, 1866. 

Quartermasters-.-Samuel Rhodes, Jan. 
25, 1861, resigned Dec. Q, 1861 ; H. N. Pearse, 
Dec. 10, 1861, resigned Aug. i, 1863; R. T. 
Mercer, Aug. i, 1863. mustered out May 4, 
1866. 

Surgeon.s — S. T. Trowbridge, April 25, 
1861, mustered out July 27, 1864; C. N. Den- 
nison, July 27, 1864, mustered out May 4, 
1866. 

First Assistant .Surgeons — John M. 



Phipps, April 25, '1861, resigned Feb. 16, 
1863; W. F. Buck, Nov. 28, 1863, mustered 
out May 4, 1866. 

Second Assistant Surgeons — C. M. 
Spaulding, May 27, 1865, mustered out May 
4, 1866. 

Chaplain — Samuel Day. Jan. 28, 1864, 
mustered out Jan. 29, 1865. 

Captains— G. I\L Price, July 25, 1861, re- 
signed Feb. 5. 1862: Frank Leeper, Feb. 5, 
1862; killed in battle, was first lieutenant; 
George S. Durfee, May 14, 1863, mustered 
out -May 4, 1866, was first lieutenant. 

First Lieutenant.s — W. J. Taylor, Feb. 5, 
1862, resigned Jan. 28, 1863; W. A. Albert, 
May 14, 1863, term expired Jan. 27, 1864; 
Samuel Nicholson, Jan. 2j, 1864, mustered 
out May 4. 1866. 

Second Lieutenants — J. D. Reavis, Jan. 
28, 1864, mustered out May 4, 1866. 

Sergeants — Benjamin F. Monroe. July 25, 
1861, promoted second lieutenant; D. W. 
Green wait, July 25, 1861, died at Birds' 
Point, Missouri, Nov. i, 1861. 

Corporals — Juan Dunbar, July 25, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, promoted, mustered 
out May 4, 1866; :\Iichael IMathews, July 
25, 1861, killed at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 
1862: William M. Bullard. July 25, 1861, 
died at Cincinnati, Ohio, ]\Iarch 4, 1862, of 
wounds received at Ft. Donelson ; Robert 
A. Florey, July 25, 1861, discharged July 24, 
1864; Charles Henderson, July 25, 1861, 
died March 12, 1862, of wounds; George S, 
Leach, July 25, 1861, killed at Ft. Donelson 
Feb. 15, 1862; John B. Lowell, July 25, 
1 861, died at Bird's Point, Missouri, Nov. i, 
1861: Marcellus Warner, July 25, 1861, 
killed at Raymond. Mississippi. May 12, 

1863. 

Privates— Abijah J. Baker, July 25, 1861, 
promoted sergeant, died of wounds received 
at Vicksburg June 4, 1863; G. D. Bashford, 
July 25, 1861, promoted sergeant; John H. 
Bacon, July 25, 1861, mustered out May 24, 
1866; Henry Cochrane, July 25, 1861, killed 



38 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



at Shiloh April .6, 1862; Alvin E. Cook, 
July 25, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran; James 
W. Dunn, July 25, 1861, mustered out July 
30, 1864; William Denniston, July 25, 1861, 
killed at Shiloh April 6, 1862; Joseph S. 
Dudley, July 25, 1861, promoted corporal, 
mustered out May 4, 1866; Andrew J. Flo- 
rey, July 25, 1861, discharged Aug. 15, 1862, 
wounded; Joseph Fouch, July 25, 1861, pro- 
moted sergeant, discharged July 10, i865,' 
wounded ; B. F. Greer, July 25, 1861, re- 
enlisted ; A. H. Hugart, July 25, 1861 ; pro- 
moted corporal, mustered out May 4, 1866; 
L. Helm, July 25, 1861, promoted sergeant, 
discharged Jan. 27, 1866; Joseph Hess, July 
25, 1861, discharged June 22, 1862, wounded 
at Ft. Donelson ; James Hudson, July 25, 
1861, killed at Raymond, Miss., May 12, 
1863; Robert Idell, July 25, 1861, mustered 
out May 4, 1866; W. J. Jefferson, July 25, 
1861, killed at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; 
George W. James, July 25, 1861, promoted 
corporal, killed at Champion Hill May 16, 
1863; Andrew Jones, July 25, 1861, killed 
at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; M. C. Living- 
ston, July 25, 1861, mustered out July 30, 
1864; James Leach, July 25, 1861, mustered 
out July 30, 1864; James H. Leland, July 
25, 1861 ; T. J. Muirhead, July 25, 1861, killed 
at Shiloh April 4, 1862; J. C. McDaniels, 
July 25, 1861 ; Ellis Maskcll, July 25, 1861, 
mustered out May 28, 1866; Abel O'Neil, 
July 25, 1861, discharged April i, 1865, dis- 
ability; George S. Pope, July 25, 1861, killed 
at Sl'.iloh April 6, 1862; James W. Rcavis, 
July 25, 1S61, promoted second lieutenant; 
Joseph PL Rock, July 25, 1861, mustered 
out May 4, 1866; PL C. Shivoly, July 25, 
1861, mustered out July 30, 1864; Joseph 
W. Smith, July 25, 1861, mustered out July 
30, 1864; H. Whitbeck, July 25. 1861. killed 
at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 1862. 

Recruits — William A. Albert. Aug. 15. 
1861, promoted lieutenant; Joseph Ault. 
Dec. II, 1863, promoted sergeant, mustered 
out May 4, 1866; J. A. Bradbury, Aug. 15, 



18O1, promoted sergeant, killed at Sliiloh 
April 6, 1862; Robert W. Craine, Aug. 5, 
i86i, discharged Dec. 27, 1861 ; James Chaf- 
fin, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran; W. 
C. Dunnivan, Aug. 15, 1861, promoted, dis- 
charged Aug. 15, 1862, of wounds received 
at Ft. Donelson; George S. Durfee, Aug. 15, 
1861, promoted; John F. Greer, Aug. 10, 
1 86 1, killed at Raymond, Miss., May 12, 
1863; John A. Harvc}-, Aug. 10, 1861, re- 
cnlisted as veteran, mustered out May 15, 
1866; Irwin Helpman, Aug. 15, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran; Ernest Holtz, Aug. 15, 
1861, discharged July 22, 1862, of wounds 
at Ft. Donelson ; William Hatchett, Aug. 
15, 1861, discharged Aug. 14, 1864; James 
Haggard, Aug. 16, 1861, died at Decatur, 
III, April II, 1862; B. F. James, Aug. 15, 
1861, killed at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; 
J. IL Kunkleman, Aug. 10, 1861, re-enlisted 
as veteran ; \\'illiam W. Estes, Aug. 5, 1861, 
died April 20, 1862, of wounds ; Nathaniel 
Harris, Sept. i, 1861, discharged April 22, 
1862: Lander Hughart, Dec. 30, 1863, mus- 
tered out May 4, 1866; Patrick McArty, 
Aug. 5, 1861, died at Carthage, La., of 
wounds received on steamer Moderator; 
Peter Mash, Dec. 15, 1861, mustered out 
May, 1866; Charles W. Mosher, mustered 
out Alay 4, 1866; W. A. McKinley, Aug. 10, 
1861, died at Alcmphis, Tenn., March 10, 
1863; John H. Norris, .'\ug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Feb. 19, 1863; Samuel Nicholson, 
Aug. 5, 1861, promoted second lieutenant 
July I, 1863; J. R. Nicholson, Aug. 15, 1861, 
mustered out May 4, 1866; J. Nicholson, 
Aug. 15, 1861, discharged Aug. 14, 1864, 
term expired ; R. T. Paine, Aug. 5, 1861, 
transferred to Ninth Regiment Louisiana 
Infantry, ?.Iay 5, 1863; Irwin Pearce, Aug. 
25, 1861, discharged Dec. 25, 1861 ; William 
F. Pope, Jan. i, 1862, promoted captain, dis- 
charged Oct. 31, 1865, for disability; John 
W. Rector, Dec. 15, 1862, died in hospital 
at Vicksburg July 2, 1863, of sickness; W. 
F>. Stevenson, Aug. 2, 1861, transferred, dis- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



39 



charged Feb. 2, 1866, of wounds at Jackson, 
Miss.; George W. Squire, Aug. 15, 1861, 
died at Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 9, 1863; 
James F. Steel, Aug. 15, 1861, discliarged 
Aug. 14, 1864, term expired. 

Drafts and Recruits — J. B. Bosworth, 
Sept. 26, 1864, mustered out Sept. 26, 1865. 

Company B. 

Captains — H. Leib, Jan. 25, 1861, pro- 
moted major ; Peter Schlosser, Oct. 7, 1862, 
term expired Jan. 27, 1864; H. A. Miller, 
Jan. 28, 1864, mustered out May 4, 1866. 

First Lieutenants — B. Zick, Oct. 7, 1862, 
term expired Jan. 28, 1864; Thomas McGur- 
ray, Jan. 28, 1864, mustered out May, 1866. 

Second Lieutenants — H. J. Marsh, Jan. 
25, 1861, killed at Ft. Donelson, Feb. 16, 
1862; John Colmer. Oct. 7, 1862, term ex- 
pired July 28, 1864. 

First Sergeant — H. C. Oglesby, July 25, 
1861, reduced to rank Sept. 15, 1863, then 
retired from service. 

Sergeants — B. F. Snow, July 25, 1861, 
discharged Sept. 22, 1862, for wounds re- 
ceived at Ft. Donelson ; W. F. Gardenhire, 
July 25, 1861, discharged May 2, 1862, dis- 
abled: Charles Albert, July 25, 1861, mus- 
tered out July 30, 1864. 

Corporals — John Colmer, July 25, 1861, 
promoted second lieutenant ; C. P. A. God- 
dard, July 25, 1861, died Oct. i, 1863; 
Charles Fechner, July 25, 1861, killed at 
Shiioh April 6, 1862; John Smith, July 25, 
1861, mustered out July 30, 1864; Thomas 
Scantlin, July 25, 1861, transferred to non- 
commissioned staff as commissary sergeant ; 
Charles W. Leies, July 25, 1861, reduced to 
rank Dec. 6, 1861. 

Privates — W. H. Athons, July 25, 1861 ; 
George Albin, July 25, 1861, died April 8, 
1864, of wounds received at Raymond, 
Miss.; James H. Bech, July 25, 1861, dis- 
charged Sept. 8, 1862, for wounds at Ft. 
Donelson; F. Batim, July 25, 1861, mus- 
tered out July 30, 1864 ; J. G. Easier, July 25, 



1861, mustered out July 20, 1864; William 
Becher, July 25, 1861, died at Vicksburg 
June 30, 1863; John Bruner, July 25, 1861, 
died May 25, 1863, of wounds received at 
Champion Flill ; D. M. Berlin, July 25, 1861, 
nuistered out July i, 1865; J. D. Bruner, 
July 25, 1861, transferred to Company C; 
Jacob Baner, July 25, 1861, mustered out 
July 30, 1864: W. Breitsprecher, July 25, 
1861, mustered out July 30, 1864; John Cul- 
ligan, July 25, 1861, mustered out July 30, 
1864 ;^S^ B. Cunningham, July 25, 1861 ; 
John E. Campbell, July 25, 1861, mustered 
out May, 1864; F. Durant, July 25, 1861, 
accidentally killed May 25, 1862 ; Charles 
Dutcher, July 25, 1861, discharged Oct. 14, 
1861 : Amos Dunham, July 25, 1861, killed 
at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; J. G. Ever- 
man, July 25, 1861, mustered out Aug. 6, 
1864; Joseph Elliot, July 25, 1861, died at 
Cairo, Illinois: Jasper Flora, July 25, 1861, 
discharged July 25, 1862, order of Grant ; 
J. M. Gardenhire, July 25, 1861, discharged 
May 2, 1862, order of Grant ; August Gemer, 
July 25, 1861, died Aug. 14, 1861 ; August 
Genert, July 25, 1861 ; N. Geswinder, July 
25, 1861, mustered out March 21, 1866; 
George Gardenhire, July 25, 1861, killed at 
Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; J. A. Humphrey, 
July 25, 1861, retired Oct. 29, 1863; Joshua 
Jameson, July 25, 1861, absent at muster- 
ing out; Moses Johnson, July 25, 1861, dis- 
charged Oct. 14, 1861 ; Charles Krebs, July 
25, 1861, discharged July 24, 1862, wounded 
at Donelson and Shiioh ; Jacob Keller. July 
2^. 1861, killed at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15. 
1862; John Kelley, July 25, 1861, murdered, 
Norfolk, Mo., Sept. 17, 1861 ; James Lynch, 
July 25, 1861, mustered out July 30, 1864; 
William Leeper, July 25, 1861, transferred 
to N. C. S. as Mus. ; F. C. Miller, July 25, 
1861, killed at Ft.' Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; 
H. A. Miller,- July 25, 1861, promoted cap- 
tain July 14, 1864; H. Manchon, July 25, 
1861, discharged July 10, 1863, disabled; 
Peter O'Brien, July 25, 1861 ; John O'Neil, 



40 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Jul)' 25, 1861, discharged July 25. 1864: 
term expired; John AV. Priest, Jiilj- 25, 1861, 
killed at Ft. Donelson Feb. 15, J862; Frank 
Peters, July 25, 1861, mustered out May 4, 
1864; John Robinet, July 25, 1861, mus- 
tered out May 4, 1864; George W. Rouse, 
July 25, 1861; M. N. Rust, July 25, 1861, 
transferred to Twelfth Illinois Infantry ; H. 
Schnerdcryan, July 25, 1861, veteran, mus- 
tered out May 4, 1866; John M. Switzer, 
July 25, 1861, promoted sergeant; Dutton 
Staines, July 25, 1861, promoted corporal, 
discharged Sept. 24, 1862 ; E. O. Steward, 
July. 25, 1861, discharged Oct. 14, 1861 ; John 
C. Seiter, July 25, i86r, mustered out May 
4, 1866; V. G. Tanscy, July 25, 1861, dis- 
charged Oct. 14, 1861 ; II. Wardner, July 
25, 1861, transferred to Inv. Corps Sept. 15, 
1862; J. Warren, July 25, 1861, discharged 
Nov. 8, 1863, wounds at Vicksburg; Andrew 
Wills, July 25. i86r, discharged Feb. 17, 
1862, wounds at Ft. Donelson. 

Recruits, Drafts and Substitutes — Jo- 
sephus Athons, April 5, 1864, promoted cor- 
poral, mustered out May 4, 1866; .\ntoine 
Andrish, Aug. 17, 1861, killed at Shiloh 
April 6, 1862; Peter Baker, Aug. 17, 1861, 
discharged Sept. 9, 1862, wounds at Shiloh ; 
Henry Brown, Aug. 29, 1861, discharged 
Dec. 5, 1862, wounds at Shiloh ; Dayton 
Dunham, Aug. 16, 1861, discharged April 11. 
1862, wounds at Ft. Donelson; John Denz, 
Aug. 29, 1861, mustered out May 4, 1865; 
Peter Frank, Sept. 7, 1861 ; August Fluke, 
Aug. 29, 1862, discharged Oct. 11, 1863; 
Jacob Grosh, Aug. \j, 1861, mustered out 
Sept. 5, 1864; Jacob Gross, Aug. 22, 1861 ; 
Hugo Gunter, Nov. 27, i86r, mustered out 
March 2. 1866; John J. Grob, Jan. 5. 1864, 
mustered out May, i86r): Isaac llatchly, 
Nov. 26, 1861. discharged May i, 1862, 
wounds at Shiloh; John D. Hawley, Sept. 
9, 1861 ; R. F. Jones, mustered out May 14. 
]866; M. Kepler, Sept. 7, 1861, discharged 
Dec. 15, 1862, wounds at Shiloh ; Jacob 
Lehman, Aug. 8, 1861, discharged Aug. 7, 



1864; .\ugust Langheld, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Aug. 8, 1863, wounds at Raymond, 
Miss.; Robert Lynn, Aug. 29, 1861, died 
Oct. 30, 1861 ; Charles Lenlz, veteran, killed 
at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864; Jacob Lan- 
kerman, Jan. i, 1862, mustered out May 4, 
1866; William Mossman, Dec. 18, 1863, mus- 
tered out May 4, 1866; John S. Magee, April 
28, 1864, mustered out May 4, 1866; John 
Mathys, April 16, 1864, mustered out May 
4, 1866; Thomas McGorry, Dec. i, 1861, 
promoted first lieutenant ; J. H. O'Conner, 
Aug. 13, 1861 ; Thomas Preston, Aug. 23, 
1861, discharged Oct. 15, 1863, wounds at 
\'icksburg; Frank PfeifFer, April 15, 1864, 
mustered out July i, 1865; Leonard Reister, 
Sept. 2, 1861 ; Michael Walker, Aug. 13, 
1861, mustered out May 4, 1866; Charles 
Webber, Sept. 28, 1861, killed at Charles- 
ton, Mo., Oct. 16, 1861 ; John Zimm, April 
28, 1864, mustered out May 4, 1866. 

TWENTY-FIRST ILLINOIS REGULAR 
INFANTRY. 

The Twenty-first Illinois Regular Infan- 
try was mustered into service in June, 1861, 
U. S. Grant in command. Went to Ironton, 
I\Io., then in battle at Pcrrysvillc and Chap- 
lin Hill, skirmish at Knob Gap. Engaged 
in battle near Murfreesboro, Tenn., with 
Gen. Rosecrans' army ; next went to Chat- 
tanooga. Engaged in skirmish at Liberty 
Gap, June 25, 1863 ; in battle at Chicka- 
mauga Sept. 19, 1863. Then tarried three 
months at Bridgeport, Ala., mustered out 
Dec. 16, 1865. at San Antonio, Tex. .Ar- 
rived at Camp lUitler Jan. 18, 1866, for dis- 
charge. 

Roster Twenty-first Infantry. 

Colonels — U. S. Grant, June 16, 1861, pro- 
moted brigadier general Aug. 5, 18(^1, major 
general Feb. 16, 1862; J. W. Alexander, 
Aug. 23, 1861. killed in battle Sept. 20, 1862; 
James E. Calloway, May n. 1865, mustered 
nut Dec. 16, 1865; W'illiani H. Jamison, 
July 13, i8ri5, mustered out Dec. 16, 1865. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



41 



Lieutenant Colonels — George W. Peck, 
Sept. 2, 1861, discharged Sept. 19, 1862, ill 
health; W. E. McMaken, Sept. 19, 1862, 
term expired Nov. 16, 1864. 

Alajor — John L. Wilson, June 2, 1865, 
mustered out Dec. 16, 1865. 

Adjutants — Charles B. Steele, Sept. 6, 

1861, resigned July, 1864; J. R. Duncan, 
July 20, 1864, promoted captain, mustered 
out Dec. 16, 1865; John A. Pierce, Aug. 21, 
1865 ; mustered out ]Dec. 16, 1865. 

Quartermasters — John E. Jones, May 15, 
1863, mustered out Aug. 18, 1864; Simeon 
Paddleford, Aug. 18, 1864, mustered out 
Dec. 16, 1865. 

Surgeons — Eden M. Seeley, Aug. 21, 1862, 
resigned Ma\' 21, 1864; James J. Reat, May 
21, 1864, mustered out Dec. 26, 1865. 

Chaplain— E. D. Wilkins, Oct. 12, 1861, 
resigned Jul_v g, 1864. 

Company A. 

Captains — S. S. Goode, May 7, 1861, state 
service Tenth Regiment ; George H. Dun- 
ning, May 17, 1861, resigned Oct. 24, 1862; 
George F. Eaton, Oct. 24, 1862, mustered 
out July 5, 1864. 

First Lieutenant — E. D. Co.xe, Oct. 24, 

1862, mustered out July 5, 1864; B. F. Os- 
borne, July 5, 1864; J. R. Shepard, Aug. 21, 
1865, mustered out Dec. 16, 1865. 

Second Lieutenant — J. L. Bowman, May 
7, 1861, resigned April 14, 1862; Joseph C. 
Alvord, Oct. 24, 1862, killed in battle Dec. 
31, 1862; Thomas Gross, June i, 1863, re- 
signed May 12, 1865 ; Alvin Calmus, Dec. 
16, 1865, mustered out Dec. 16, 1865. 

First Sergeant — Edward D. Co.xe, June 
15, 1861, promoted first lieutenant. 

Second Sergeant — Charles Disbrow, June 
15, i86t. Discharged Aug. 10. 1862; disa- 
bility. 

Corporals — Elijah Smith, June 15, 1861, 
killed at Stone River, Dec. 30, 1862 ; William 
R. Wheeler, June 15, 1861, discharged Sept. 
I, 1863; Benjamin F. Osborne, June 15, 



1 86 1, re-enlisted as veteran, promoted first 
lieutenant; Joseph Wagoner, June 15, 1861, 
discharged April 23, 1863; G. W. Stephens, 
June 15, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, mus- 
tered out Dec. 16, 1865. 

Musician — J. D. L. Meeks, June 15, 1861, 
mustered out July 5, 1864. 

Wagoner — John Hanks, June 15, 1861, 
mustered out July 5, 1864. 

Privates — Joseph Barber, June 23, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, mustered out Dec. 
16, 1865; James T. Baker, June 15, 1861, 
discharged Sept. 13, 1862; Hugh Bacon, 
June 15, 1861, killed Stone River, Dec. 31, 
1862; Philip Bios, June 15, 1861, died, An- 
dersonville, June 15, 1864; Jacob Conouff, 
June 15, 1861, killed. Stone River, Dec. 30, 
1862; William H. Clepson, June 15, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 13, 
1865, prisoner of war; James Clark, June 
21, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, transferred 
to engineering corps Aug. 2, 1864; Henry 
Cruise, June 21, 1861, discharged Aug. 10, 
1862; David Crawford, July 26, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 13, 
1865, prisoner of war; Frank Ernest, July 
15, 1861, discharged Aug. 10, 1862, disabil- 
ity; F. H. Fammer, June 15, 1861, died at 
Andersonville June 20, 1864; H. F. Fletcher, 
June 15, 1861, mustered out July 5, 1864; 
Daniel Foley, June 15, 1861, killed at Chicka- 
mauga Sept. 19, 1863 ; Joseph E. Hobson, 
June 15, 1861, mustered out July 5, 1864; 
Jasper H. Hi.xson, June 15, 1861, discharged 
March 11, 1864, disabled; William H. Hig- 
gins, June 24, 1861, killed at Stone River, 
Dec. 30, 1862; Orlando Hogan, June 24, 
t86i, mustered out Aug. 16, 1864; William 
Johnson, June 25, t86i, discharged Oct. 7, 
1861 ; Thomas E. Jefiferson, June 25, 1861, 
mustered out July 5, 1864 ; James B. Ken- 
nedy, June 25, 1861. discharged Sept. 9, 

1862, wounds; John B. Lambach, June 25, 
1861, transferred to Inv. Corps Aug. 5, 1864; 
John Leigh, June 24, 1861. mustered out 
July 5, 1864; William McPherson, June 15, 



42 



PAST AXD PRESENT OI' MACOy, COUNTY. 



1861; John .McA\oy, June 15, 1861. re-en- 
listed as veteran, mustered out July 13. 
1865, prisoner of war; Abraham McKitrick, 
June 23, 1861, discharged April 30, 1862, 
disability: William .McGrath, June 15, 1861. 
discharged Oct. 7. 1861; 11. 1!. I^'. Martin. 
June 15. 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, died 
Oct. 30, 1864; L. D. Morgan, June 23. 1861, 
mustered out July 5, 1864; C M. Pope, 
June 15, 1861, mustered out 'uly 5, 1864: 
\\ illiam H. Ross, June 25, 1 ,61, mustered 
out July 5, 1864; C. Rosenbarger, June 15. 
1861. mustered out July 5. 1864, as corporal ; 
Daniel Shutter. June 23, 1861 ; Peter Shell, 
June 15, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, mus- 
tered out Dec. 16, 1865; George S. Stuart, 
June 15, 1861, (lied at Annapolis, Md., Nov., 
1864; Harvey C. Stuart, June 15, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran, mustered out Dec. 16, 
1865; Edward Stockton, June 15, 1861 ; 
Joseph Shepard, June 15, 1861, nothing 



known ; John Smith, 



lune 15, 



1861, 



mustered out July 5, 1864; Jol-n Street, June 

15, ]86i, re-enlisted as \e) ran, mustered 
out l^ec. 16, 1865, as corporal; Patrick Shan- 
non, June 15, 1861, discharged to re-enlist 
in 15th U. S. Infantry, Dec, 24, 1862; James 
Shepherd, June 22, 1861, re-enlisted as vet- 
eran, promoted to first lieutenant ; William 
11. Stewart, June 2^. 18O1, nuistered out 
Dec. 16, 1865; Martin Tibbelt, June 15, 1861, 
mustered out June 30, 1864; John Tliute, 
June 21, 1 861, re-enlisted as veteran, mus- 
tered out Dec. 16, 1865 ; John L. Whitten. 
June 15, 1861. discharged Aug. 18, 1863, 
disability; Benjamin F. Witts, June 22, 
1861, died Jan. 7, 1863, wounds; William If. 
Witts, June 24, 1861, mustered out July 7, 
1864; Rudolph Zorger, June 22, 1861, died 
Jan. 7, 1863, wounds; George W. Stephens, 
rc-enlisted as veteran, mustered out Dec. 

16, 1865. 

Recruits — John Cram, Oct. 12, 1861, died 
Nov. 10, 1862; John Eckart, Jan. 22, 1862, 
mustered out Jan. 28, 1865;' Martin Fitz- 
])atrick, Oct., 1861, mustered out Feb. 2, 



18^15; Taylor Florey, Oct. 12, 1861. mus- 
tered out April 27, 1*865 • Albert Fowkes, 
Oct. 12, 1861 ; Silas W. West, .\ug. 13, 
i8C)i. died Feb. i. 1862, disability. 

Company K. 

Captains— .\. .\1. Peterson. May 16, 1861, 
resigned Nov. 21, 1862; John L. Wilson, 
No\. 21. 1862, promoted to major; Sydney 
P>. Wade, July 18, 1865, mustered out Dec. 
iG, 1865. 

Second Lieutenant — John F. Weitzel, 
Jan. 31, 1863, killed at Chickamauga Sept. 
19, 1863. 

Privates — Patrick S. Curtis, June 14, 
1861 ; George M. Short, June 24, 1861, died 
March 25, 1863, of wounds. 

Unassigned — John Parrett. Dec. 19, 1863. 

TIIIRTV l-ll-Tll ILLINOIS 
INFANTRY. 
The Thirty-fiith Illinois Infantry was 
organized in Dec itur July 3, 1861, and ac- 
cepted 1)\' the secetary of war on the 23d 
of the month, witii G. A. Smith as colonel. 
The regiment left Decatur Aug. 4, arriving 
at Jefferson Parricks on the 5th ; thence 
to Marine Hospit.il at St. Louis; next to 
JeiTerson City, ]\lo., to Otterville and Se- 
dalia. where it joiiied General Siegcl's ad- 
vance on SpringfieM, reaching that place on 
the 26th, then to Rollo, returning to Spring- 
field, Feb. 13, 1862. Col. G. A. Smith was 
badly wounded in an engagement at Pea 
Ridge. This regiment took part at Rocky- 
ford Ridge. Resaca. Dallas, Mud Creek, 
Kenesaw, Perry ville Stone River and Chick- 
amauga ; was mustiTed out at Springfield, 
TIL, Sept. 27. 1864. 

Roster of Thiity-fifth Regiment. 
( 'olonels — G. A. Smith, July 2. 1861, pro- 
moted brigadier general Sept, 19, 1862, dis- 
charged Sept. 22, 1863; W. B. Chandler, 
Sept. 22, 1863, term expired Sept. 27, 1864, 
was lieutenant colonel. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



43 



Major — John Mcllwain. July 3, 1861, 
killed at Kenesaw June 22, 1864. 

Adjutants — W. J. Usrey, Sept. i, 1861, re- 
signed April 15, 1862; Uriah Fox, April 15, 
1862, resigned Nov. 17, 1863; Samuel W. 
Bird, Nov. 17, 1863, term expired Sept. 27, 
1864. 

Quartermaster — John IM. Miles, July 3, 
1861, term expired Sept. 27, 1864. 

Surgeons — W. J. Chenoweth, Sept. 25, 

1861, resigned Dec. 14, 1862; S. B. Hawley, 
Dec. 9, 1862, term expired Sept. 27, 1864. 

First Assistant Surgeon- — D. C. Tidball, 
Sept. 25, 1861, term expired Sept. 27, 1864. 

Second Assistant Surgeon — Johnathan 
Wylie, Dec. 8, 1862, term expired Sept. 27, 
1864. 

Chaplains — P. D. Hammond, July 3, 1861, 
resigned IMay, 1862; R. E. Harris, May 12, 

1862, left at Florence, Ala., Aug. 18, 1862. 

Non-Commissioned Staff. 

Sergeant Major — George B. Peake, July 
3, 1861, promoted second lieutenant, then 
captain of Company A. 

Hospital Steward — Joseph T. DeWatney, 
July 3, 1861, reduced and retired to Com- 
pany A. 

Musicians — Nevvlin B. Davis, July 3, 
1861 ; Archibald JMonroe, July 3, 1861, pro- 
moted to prin. musician. 

Second Class Musicians — Joseph Rick- 
etts, July 3, 1 86 1. 

Company A. 

Cajjtains — B. M. Tables, July 3, 1861, re- 
signed Dec. 20, 1861 ; Pierre W. Thomas, 
Dec. 25, 1861, resigned Jan. 31, 1864; George 
B. Peake. Jan. 31, 1864, mustered out Sept. 
27, 1864. 

First Lieutenant — George F. Deitz, Dec. 
25, 1861, died July 8, 1863; John W. Peed, 
Jan. 31, 1864, term expired Sept. 27, 1864. 

Second Lieutenant — James Shoaf, July 
3, 1861, resigned Feb. 3, 1862. 

Privates — Augusta Glotz, July 3, 1861, 
discharged Aug. 9, 1862, wounds; Conover 



Hatfield, July 3. 1861. discharged Dec. 12, 
1861. disability; William C. Stewart, dis- 
charged June 15, 1862, disability; Andrew 
Stewart, July 3, 1861, mustered out Sept. 
27, 1864, wounded; Joseph McMullen, July 
3, 1861 ; John D. McFadden, July 3, 1861 ; 
John Hager, July 3, 1 861; Curtis Austin, 
July 3, 1861, transferred to 5gth Regiment; 
Frank Rea, July 3, i85i. 

Company F. 

N. L. F. Monroe, July 3, 1861, discharged 
March 24, 1863, disability. 

FORTY-FIRST ILLINOIS INFANTRY, 
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS. 
The P'orty-first Infantry, Illinois Volun- 
teers, was organized in Decatur, Illinois, 
in August, 1861, by Col. Isaac C. Pugh. 
The regiment went to St. Louis, Aug. 7, 
Bird's Point, Mo., on the 29th ; was assigned 
to the command of General Prentiss Sept. 
8, moved to Paducah, Ky., where it was as- 
signed to Gen. B. F Smith ; Feb. 5, 1862, 
the regiment went to Ft. Henry, on the nth 
to Ft. Donelson, was engaged in the siege 
on the 13th, 14th ond 15th under Colonel 
McArthur. Reached Pittsburg Landing on 
the i6th ; engaged mi battle of Shiloh April 
6 and 7, 1862, also s'^^ege of Corinth, arriving 
at Memphis July 11, staying here until Sept. 
6, then to Bolivar, to LaGrange, Nov. 3, to 
Memphis, Tenn., March 10, 1863, next to 
Henando, Miss., h-td an engagement at Cold- 
water, thence retired to Memphis ; moved 
to Vicksburg May 12; finally consolidated 
with Fifty-third liegiment. 

Roster Forty -first Illinois Infantry. 
Adjutants — B. G. Pugh, Dec. 12, 1861, re- 
Colonel — I. C. Pugh, July 2^, 1861, mus- 
tered out Aug. i.'O, 1864. 

Lieutenant Colonels — Ansel Tupper, July 
27, 1861, killed at Pittsburg Landing April 
fi, 1862; John Warner, April 8, 1862, dis- 
'charged Nov. 26, 1862; John H. Nale, mus- 
tered out Aug. 2, 1864. 



44 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Majors — F. M. Lung, killed in action July 
12, 1863; R. H. McFadden, transferred to 
field staff as consolidated. 

Adjutants — 13. G. Pugh, Dec. 12, 1861, re- 
signed June 9, 1862; William Gillespie, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20, 1864. 

Quartermasters — H. C. Bradsby, July 27, 
1861, resigned June 9, 1862; I. R. Pugh, 
Sept. 30, 1862, resigned Aug. i, 1863; John 
Bougliman, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864. 

Surgeons — William M. Gray, mustered 
out March 29, 1862; Charles Carle, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20, 1864. 

I'^irst Assistant Surgeons — George W'. 
.Short, July 27, 1861, resigned; O. M. War- 
moth, April 12, 1862, transferred to field 
staff as consolidated. 

Second Assistant Surgeon — John W. 
Coleman, Sept. 30, 1862, term expired 1866. 

Captains — John H. Kale, July 27, 1861, 
promoted; M. F. Kanan, April 8, 1862, 
transferred to Company A. 

First Lieutenants — George R. Steele, 
April 8, 1862, resigned Aug. 3, 1863; Roland 
Picll, April 8, 1862, promoted from second 
lieutenant, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864. 

Non-Commissioned Staff. 

Sergeant .Major — Bartlcy G. Pugh, Aug. 
5, 1861, promoted adjutant. 

Quartermaster Sergeant — Alonzo Bur- 
gess, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864. 

Hospital Ste\vard.s — John Luttrcll, Aug. 
5, 1861, died ; James W. Routh, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864, was corporal. 

First Sergeant — Lewis B. Morton, .Vug. 
5, 1861, died at Paducah, Ky., Sept. 19, 1861. 

Sergeants — Roland Bell, Aug. 5, 1861, 
promoted second lieutenant ; Bryant Kel- 
sey, Aug. 5, 1861, died June 20, 1863, 
wounded; W. E. Winholtz, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864, as first ser- 
geant, wounded ; David S. Morse, Aug. 5, 
1861, died at Moscow, Tenn., Jan. 23, 1863. 

Corporals — William II. Hccocks, Aug. 5, 



1861, killed at Jackson, Miss., July 12, 1863, 
was sergeant ; Moses A. Stare, Aug. 5, 1861 ; 
Henry C. Payne, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out 
Aug. 20, 1864; H. M. Strever, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864, as sergeant ; 
John W'. Shepard, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
Nov. 15, 1862; Fred O. Spooner, .Aug. 5, 
1861, killed at Shiloh April 4, 1862; Horace 
W. Clark, Aug. 5, 1861. 

Privates — James W. Anderson, Aug. 5, 
1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Robert 
Asher, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered cut Aug. 20, 
1864; John Albert, Aug. 5, iS'ii, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864; James Bryant, Aug. 5, 
1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; John 
Boring, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out -Aug. 20, 
1864; ]\larion Beamcr, Aug. 5, 1861, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20j 1864; .'Vlonzo Burgess, 
Aug. 5, 1861, promoted quartermaster ser- 
geant; George W. Betzcr, Aug. 5, 1861, 
discharged Sept. 28, 1862, wounds; Albert 
Bell, Aug. 5, 1861, muslered out Aug. 20, 
1864; Samuel W. Brindh man, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out .Aug. 20, 1864; Samuel W. 
Bear, -Aug. 5, 1861, discharged Oct. 18, 1862, 
disability; Marion Biancet, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 2C, 1864; Latham Buck, 
Aug. 5, 1861, re-enliited as veteran, trans- 
ferred to Company A, veteran battalion ; 
Aaron Cole, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as 
veteran, wounded ; Henry Chambers, Aug. 
5, 1861, discharged June 10, 1862, disability; 
Henry C. Colladay, .Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
for disability; Chris Crandall, .Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Henry G. 
Clark, .Aug. 5, 1861, died November, 1861 ; 
L. L. Culver, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out 
.Aug. 20, 1864; James S. Cox. .Aug. 5, 1861, 
killed at Shiloh April 6, 1862; J. B. Dren- 
nan, .\ug. 5, 1861, killed at Donelson Feb. 
15. 1862; M. C. Dubois, Aug. 5, 1861, died 
at home Sept. 23, 1863, wounds; Elijah De- 
laiiey, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864; George W. Davis, Aug. 5, 1861, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20, 1864; John M. Davis, 
-Aug. 15, 1861, discharged Nov. 24, 1861, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



45 



disability; J. W. Edmondson, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Adam Ebord, 
Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864, 
wounded; Henry Fuller, Aug. 5, 1861 ; John 
Fike, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864; Elijah B. Fenner, Aug. 5, 1861, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20, 1864; John L. Forin, 
Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; 
Enoch D. Greene, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864; Michael Giblin, Aug. 5, 
1861 ; R. W. Classic, -A.ug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864; Richard Gathored, Aug. 
5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Will- 
iam H. Greene, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out 
Aug. 20, 1864, corporal; John Hayes, Aug. 

5, 1861, discharged Aug. 6, 1861, by writ 
of habeas corpus ; John R. Hull, Aug. 5, 

1861, discharged April 8, 1863, as corporal, 
disability; James E. Hull, Aug. 5, 1861, died 
in enemies' hands, wounded ; Thomas J. 
Harter, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged Dec. 5, 

1862, wounds ; Walter B. Huston, Aug. 5, 
1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Norville 
Huston, Aug. 5, 1861, killed at Shiloh April 

6, 1862; Thomas Hackney, Aug. 5, 1861, 
discharged Sept. 19, 1862, wounds; I. X. 
Jordan, Aug. 5, 1861, wounded at Shiloh, 
killed at Vicksburg, June 7, 1863; George 
Jimison, Aug. 5, 1861, captured, paroled ; 
Oscar A. Kelse, Aug. 5, 1861, wounded at 
Donelson, discharged Oct. 23, 1863, as cor- 
poral; Isaac W. Kile, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864, as corporal ; J. W. Cumis- 
son, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864; C. Longabaugh, Aug. 5, 1861, re-en- 
listed as veteran, transferred to Company 
A, veteran battalion; R. Longabaugh, Aug. 
5, 1861, transferred to Inv. Corps, Sept. 15, 
1863 ; William M. xMorlan, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged No. 7, 1862, wounds; George Man- 
derville, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864; James W. Moore, Aug. 5, 1861, died 
at Paducah, Ky., Feb. 7, 1862; Hugh Mc- 
Donald, Aug. 5, 1861 ; J. M. Monohon, Aug. 
5, 1861, died at Paducah, Ky., Dec. 28, 1861 ; 
William Parr, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out 



Aug. 20, 1864, veteran battalion; Joseph 
Ray, Aug. 5, 1861, wounded at Shiloh, re-en- 
listed as veteran, transferred to Company 
A; Aaron Smick, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out 
Aug. 20, 1864, sergeant, wounded ; James M. 
Sides, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864; H. L. Stookey, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Aug. 2, 1862, wounded ; William H. 
Stookey, Aug. 5, 1861, died at Alexandria, 
\"a., April 17, 1864; Thomas B. Strope, Aug. 
5. 1 861, discharged April 27, 1862, disa- 
bilit}^ ; \^'illiam W. Smith, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Sept. 19, 1862, wounds ; Michael 
Sweet, Aug. 5, 1861 ; Bartley G. Pugh, Aug. 
5, 1861, promoted sergeant major and adju- 
tant; Daniel Senseman, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Aug. 20, 1863, as corporal ; Will- 
iam H. Smith, Aug. 5, 1861, sergeant, died 
April 16, 1862, wounds ; William T. Short, 
Aug. 5, 1 861, discharged Feb. 27, 1863, dis- 
ability; David Spainhower, Aug. 5, 1861, 
discharged Sept. 18, 1862 ; James S. Stew- 
art, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864, wounded ; James B. Troxel, Aug. 5, 

1861, discharged Aug. 20, 1864, wounded; 
George E. Todd,. Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
x\pril 7, 1862, disability; George Tuttle, 
Aug. 5, 1861, killed at Shiloh April 6, 1862; 
G. W. Thompson, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
Nov. 17, 1862, disability; S. H. Timmons, 
Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; 
M. F. Timmons, Aug. 5, 1861, died at 
Natchez Oct. 20, 1863, wounds ; Alexander 
W. Tansy, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged Nov. 25, 

1862, disability ; William D. Vaughn, Aug. 
5, 1861, discharged Aug. 4, 1862, disability; 
W. H. Westcoat, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out 
Aug. 20, 1864; John R. White, Aug. 5, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, transferred to Com-' 
pany A, veteran battalion ; Andrew Will- 
iams, Aug. 5, 1861, transferred to invalid 
corps Sept. 15, 1863 ; John E. Williams, Aug. 
5, 1861, died at Jackson, Tenn. ; Hiram R. 
Wilson, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged Aug. 2, 
1862, wounds; John J. Ward, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; William H. 



46 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



W hilcscU, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 
20, 1864. 

Recruits — James H. Grain, died at home 
Oct. 27, 1863; Joel Hull, mustered out Aug. 
27, 1863 ; Samuel A. ^icDonald ; Kilburn H. 
Roby, mustered out Nov. 24, 1861, disabil- 
ity ; George B. Schroll, discharged Sept. 18, 
1862, disability ; William Wheeler, Aug. 25, 
1862. mustered out May 3, 1866. 

Company B. 

Captains — A. 13. Lee, July 27, 1861, re- 
signed Aug. II, 1863; John H. Davis, Aug. 
15, 1863, term expired Aug. 20, 1864, was 
first lieutenant. 

First I-ieutenant — William H. Palnior, 
Aug. 15, 1863, transferred to Company B 
as consolidated. 

Second Lieutenant — Jackson IL Aldridge, 
July 27, 1861, died at Mound City ^March 
I, 1862. 

Private— John G. Good, Jan. 3, 1864, 
transferred to Company B, veteran battal- 
ion, transferred to Company G, 53(1 Regi- 
ment. 

Company E. 

Captains — John L. .Armstrong, July 27, 
1861, died Dec. II. 1861; W. S. Oglesby, 
Dec. 12, 1861, killed in action April 6, 1862, 
first lieutenant; Oscar Strait, Sept. i, 1862, 
term expired Aug. 20, 1864. 

First Lieutenants — Robert Warnick, Dec. 
12, 1861, relieved as second lieutenant Janu- 
ary, 1862; James A. Wilson, April 18, 1862, 
term expired Aug. 20, 1864. 

Second Lieutenants — James M. Taylor, 
Dec. 12, 1861, resigned April 26, 1862, was 
sergeant; S. R. Appleton, Sept. 30, 1862, re- 
signed Nov. 17, 1862; Joseph Catherwood, 
Nov. 18, 1862, term expired Aug. 20, 1864. 

Sergeants — Buckner H. Pasley, Aug. 5, 
1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; James A. 
Wilson, Aug. 5. 1861. mustered out Aug. 
20, 1864; Joseph Yick, Aug. 5, 1861, died 
April 8, 1862, wounds. 

Corporals — AIIktI D. Rose, Aug. 3, i86t. 



discharged Sept. 6, 1862, disability; John 
H. Bennet, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged April 
15, 1862; Oscar Strait, Aug. 5, 1861, pro- 
moted to sergeant, then captain ; James M. 
Stevens, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 
20, 1864; Henry Stevens, Aug. 5, 1861, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20, 1864, as private; Harri- 
son Graham, Aug. 5, 1861, drowned, De- 
catur, June 19, 1862; James W. Burke, Aug. 

5, 1861, discharged Oct. 9, 1862; Jacob Gra- 
ham, Aug. 5, 1861, killed at Shiloh April 

6, 1862. 

Privates — T. J. Armstrong, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20. 1864; Edmiston 
Austin, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1804; William D. Botts, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Sept. 19, 1862, disability; Jesse R. 
Berry, Aug. 5, 1861, died Nov. 11, 1863, dis- 
ability; John P. Bassell, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged March 2, 1863, disability; William 
Bennett, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 
20, 1864; William Blair, Aug. 5. 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran, transferred to Company 
A, veteran battalion ; James Blair, Aug. 5, 
1861 ; John Beshle, Aug. 5, 1861. died Aug. 
6, 1862, wounds; Benjamin Berry, Aug. 5, 
1861, sergeant, died at Keokuk July i, 1862; 
J. P. Brookshire, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
March 10, 1863, disability ; C. S. Barker, 
Aug. 5, 1861 ; Charles Bentley, Aug. 5, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, transferred to Com- 
pany A, veteran battalion ; PL J. Brewing- 
ton, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, 
transferred to Company A. veteran battal- 
ion : Benjamin Clark, Aug. 5, 1861, in ina- 
rine service; Martin Clark, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out .Aug. 20, 1864 ; Alexander 
Crouch, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, 
transferred to Company A, veteran battal- 
ion ; Pearson Carmean, Aug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Dec. 7, 1861, disability; David \l. 
Davis, Aug. 5, 1861, killed at Shiloh April 
2, 1862; Edward Douglas, Aug. 5. 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran ; Job A. Dillon, Aug. 5, 
1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Robert 
Evans, Aug. 3. 1861, discharged June 19, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



47 



1862, disability; \\'illiam J. Graham, Aug. 
5, i86i, died at Andersonville Aug. 2t,. 1864; 
Levi Griffee, Aug. 5, 1861. discharged Jan. 
8, 1862, disability ; John Z. Gall, Aug. 5, 
1861, .died at Albany, Ind., June 9, 1862; 
Henry Hemstead, Aug. 5, 1861 ; Thomas 
Herring, Aug. 5, 1861, sergeant, died July 
18, 1862, disability; Henry Jostes, Aug. 5, 
i86i, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; William 
Jostes, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864: Da\id Jones, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
June 17, 1862, disability; \A'illiam Kir- 
baugh, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran ; 
D. H. Krone, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as 
veteran: .'-^. Langdon, Aug. 5, 1861, died at 
Paducah. Ky., Dec. 2, 1861 ; James W. 
Long, .\ug. 5, 1861, died July i, 1863, 
wounds; James W. Little, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out .\ug. 20, 1864; John Luttrell, 
Aug. 5, i8()i, died at Columbus, Ky., Dec. 

4, 1862: James McOuality, Aug. 5, 1861, 
discharged Nov. 25, 1862, disability ; Perry 
Malone, Aug. 5, 1861, re-enlisted as vet- 
eran; Charles Nevins, Aug. 5, 1861; J. N. 
Nicholson, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 
20, 1864; Henry C. Odor, Aug. 5, 1861, miss- 
ing since Feb. 10, 1862; Lewis Ordleb, Aug. 

5, 1861 : George A. Peck, Aug. 5, 1861, ser- 
geant, died at Mound City March 8. 1862; 
Joseph A. Pasley, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864 ; J\L L. Pasley, Aug. 5, 
1861. died at Blue Mound, 111., Feb. 8, 1862; 
John Pope, Aug. 5, 1861, transferred to Inv. 
Corps Dec. i, 1863; John Read, Aug. 5. 
1861, killed at Donelson Feb. 15, 1862; 
George W. Ralls, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864; Thomas C. Philbrick, 
Aug. 5, 1861, transferred to Inv. Corps Nov. 
10. 1862 ; James J. Pasley, Aug. 5, 1861, died 
at Paducah. Ky.. Dec. 4, 1861 ; William C. 
Rose. Aug. 5, 1861, died April 18, 1862, 
wounds; John Scott, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out in field ; John .Shortel, Aug. 5, 1861 ; 
Joseph F. Stephens, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged 
Dec. 20, 1861, disability; George W. Stich, 
Aug. 5, 1861, killed at Shiloh April 4, 1862; 



IJenjamin P. Sinnard, .Vug. 5, 1861, dis- 
charged Feb. 14, 1863, disability ; Simon 
D. Smith, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged Sept. i, 
1862, as corporal, disability; Charles Ul- 
mer, Aug. 5, i86i, mustered out Aug. 20, 
1864; John Ward, Aug. 5, 1861, mustered 
out .A.ug. 5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 
18O4, as sergeant, wounded. 

Recruits — Alexander Allsbury, re-enlist- 
ed as veteran ; Aaron G. Green, mustered 
out Aug. 20, 1864, first sergeant; Patrick 
Murray, transferred to Company A, veteran 
battalion; James T. Purdue, Dec. 22, 1862, 
discharged Dec. 25, 1863, disability; F. M. 
Stevens, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; John 
D. Stevens, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864, as 
sergeant; Joseph Smith, died at Memphis, 
Tenn.. April 3, 1863; Joseph L. Walker, 
Jan. 5. 1864, transferred to Company A, 
veteran battalion ; Andrew M. Wheeler, 
mustered out May 29, 1865 ; Charles Nevins, 
re-enlisted as veteran. 

Company F. 

Captains — David P. Brown, July 27, 1861, 
resigned March 28, 1862; J. C. Lewis, 
March 28, 1862, resigned Oct. 16, 1862, was 
first and second lieutenant ; Jesse F. Har- 
old, October 16, 1862, term expired Aug. 
20. 1864, was first lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — H. C. McCook, July 
27, 1861, promoted to chaplain ; Henry 
Bevis, Oct. I, 1861, resigned Feb. 10, 1862; 
^\■illiam H. Taylor, Oct. 16, 1862, term ex- 
pired Aug. 20, 1864, was second lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenant — Ed C. Sackett, Oct. 
16, 1862, term expired Aug. 20, 1864. 

Privates — Solomon Petry, Aug. 20, 1861, 
mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Levi H. 
Rouse, July 27, 1861, discharged May 5, 
1862, disability; Henry Rogers, Aug. 7, 
1861, re-enlisted as veteran, transferred to 
Company II, veteran battalion. 

Company G. 
Captains — Francis M. Lt)ng. July 27, 1861, 
promoted to major; Daniel K. Hall, Sept. 1, 



48 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



1862, pronioU-d b)- president May 26, 1864, 
was first liciiteiiant ; T. J. Anderson, May 
2^, 1864, icnn expired Aug. 20, 1864, was 
second lieulenajit. 

First Lieutenants— John B. Butler, Sept. 
I, 1862, resigned June 18, 1863, was second 
lieutenant; Charles G. Young, May 27, 1864, 
term expired Aug. 20, 1864. 

Second Lieutenant — John C. Cox, July 27, 
1861, died April 9, 1862, wounds at Pitts- 
burg Landing. 

Privates — William II. Ready, July 26, 

1861. killed at Shiloli April 6, 1862; John 
W. Ready, Oct. 5, 1861, discharged Sept. 
18, 1862, disability. 

Company H. 
Captains — H. Blackstone, July 27, 1861, 
resigned June 28, 1862; John H. Lluffner, 
Jan. 28, 1862, killed in battle April 6, 1862, 
was first lieutenant; Luther IL Wilber, 
.'\pril 7, 1862, died April 28, 1862, was first 
lieutenant; William F. Turney, April 29, 

1862, term expired Aug. 20, 186^4, was sec- 
ond lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — James S. Steen, July 
27, 1861, resigned Dec. 21, 1861 ; D. M. 
Turney, April 29, 1862, term expired Aug. 
20, 1864. 

Second Lieutenants — H. H. Hardy, Dec. 
25, 1861, resigned ^lay 22, 1862; Chris Cor- 
neley, May 22, 1862, killed in action July 
12, 1863. 

Privates — Patrick Kenny, Aug. 5, 1861, 
died of wounds received at Ft. Donelson ; 
Isaac R. Pugh, Aug. 5, 1861, promoted regi- 
mental quartermaster. 

Company I. 

Captains — Benjamin B. Bacon, July 27, 
1861, resigned March 4, 1862; F. M. Green, 
March 5, 1862, term expired Aug. 20, 1864, 
was second lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — R. R. Parrish, July 27, 
1861, resigned Sept. 28, 1862, was second 
lieutenant; Leander Green, Nov. 5, 1862, 



term ex])ired Aug. 20, 1864, was second 
lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenant— P. J. Frederick, Sept. 
28, 1864, term expired Aug. 20, 1864. 

Privates — John T. Carmon, Aug. 5, i86i, 
promoted to commissary sergeant Samuel 
E. Gross, Aug. 5, 1861, discharged Aug. 
16, 1861 ; George Jacobs, Aug. 5, 1861, mus- 
tered out Aug. 20, 1864; Elijah Wells, Aug. 
5, 1861, mustered out Aug. 20, 1864; Henry 
\\'hite, Aug. 5, 1861, died of wounds Sept. 
13, 1862; Peter Welhouse, Aug. 5, 1861, 
mustered out .\ug. 20, 1864. 

\'eterans — Edward Conrad, Jan. 21, 1864, 
transferred to Company A, veteran battal- 
ion ; Benjamin F. Frazee, Dec. 18, 1863, 
transferred to veteran battalion ; James 
Jones, Jan. 5, 1864, transferred to veteran 
battalion; Henry Snyder, Dec. 18, 1863, 
transferred to veteran battalion ; William 
H. Smith, Dec. 18, 1863, transferred to vet- 
eran battalion ; Samuel Woodward, Feb. 10, 
1864, transferred to veteran battalion; 
Joseph Davidson, April 5, 1864; Maxwell 
Gaines, Oct. 31, 1863; Daniel Stingley, Jan. 
15, 1864; Alfred A. Shartzer, -Aug. 5, 1861, 
transferred to Company B, veteran battal- 
ion. 

SIXTY-THIRD ILLINOIS INFANTRY, 
VOLUNTEER REGIMENT. 

The Sixty-third Illinois Infantry was or- 
ganized at Camp Dubois Anna, Illinois, in 
December, 1861, by Colonel Francis Mors, 
and was mustered into service April 10, 
1862. Was ordered to Cairo, April 27, to 
Henderson, Ky., July 12, returning to Cairo 
July 22, moved to Jackson, Tenn., August 
4 ; was then assigned to Fourth Brigade, 
Seventh Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, 
under Colonel John D. Stephenson, Seventh 
Missouri Infantry, commanding brigadier 
and brigadier general. 

John A. Logan, commanding division, 
moved to LaGrange Nov. 10; on 28th moved 
against Pembcrton and back to LaGrange 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



49 



Jan. i6, 1863. Ordered to Vicksburg, Aliss., 
May 10, 1863; did picket duty at Youngs 
Point until May 21 ; was then assigned to 
Mowers Brigade and moved to Millikin's 
Bend June 7. After an engagement at Rich- 
mond, La., returned to Young's Point, 
then to Vicksburg; July 5, 1863, moved to 
Helena, Ark.; to Memphis July 28; then 
toward Chickamauga ; to Bridgeport, .\la., 
Nov. 16; Chattanooga, Nov. 20; in battle 
at Mission Ridge Nov. 23 and 24, 1863 ; went 
into winter quarters at Huntsville, Ala., 
Dec. 26; ordered to Illinois on veteran's 
furlough April 3 ; returned to Huntsville 
May 21, 1864; moved to Kingston June 22; 
ordered to join General Sherman, arrived at 
Savannah Dec. 10, 1864; moved to Miles 
Station on Gulf Railroad, thence on a trip 
through the Carolinas, returning to Savan- 
nah ; engaged in battle of Bentonville, N. C, 
March 21 ; entered Goldsborough March 24, 
1865 ; then to Raleigh ; April 29 moved from 
Raleigh to Richmond, arriving May 10; 
then to Alexandria ; took part in general 
review at Washington May 24 ; moved to 
Parkersburg on Ohio river ; thence to 
Louisville, Ky. ; were mustered out of ser- 
vice July 13, 1865, and departed for Camp 
Butler, III., reaching that point July 16, 
1865. 

Roster Sixty-third Illinois Infantry. 

Colonels — Francis Moro, Dec. i, 1861, re- 
signed Sept. 29, 1862 ; Joseph B. McCown, 
Sept. 29, 1862, mustered out April 9, 1865, 
was lieutenant colonel ; James Isaminger, 
July 12, 1865, mustered out July 13, 1865, 
was lieutenant colonel. 

Lieutenant Colonel — Henry Glaze, Sept. 
29, 1862, resigned June 30, 1863, was major. 

Majors — Joseph K. Lemen, Sept. 29, 1862, 
mustered out April 9, 1865 ; J. R. Stanford, 
June 14, 1865, mustered out July 7, 1865. 

Adjutants — C. S. Chambers, April 10, 
1862, resigned Dec. 16, 1862; W. P. Richard- 
son. Dec. 16, 1862, mustered out April 9, 



1865 ; Theodore Elfes, June 6, 1865, mus- 
tered out July 13, 1865. 

Quartermasters — John AL Maris, Febru- 
ary 28, 1862, mustered out April 9, 1865; 
Benjamin Robertson, June 6, 1865, mus- 
tered out July 13, 1865. 

Surgeons — William M. Gray, May 26, 
1862, resigned Sept. 12, 1862; J. W. Mc- 
Kinney, Sept. 15, 1862, mustered out April 
9, 1865 ; Ale.xander A. Lodge, June 6, 1865, 
mustered out July 13, 1865, was first assist- 
ant, also second assistant. 

First Assistant Surgeon — Lyman Hall, 
April 10, 1862, resigned Dec. 31, 1862. 

Chaplains — Stephen Blair, April 10, 1862, 
died ; John Glaze, Feb. 2, 1863, commission 
cancelled ; George Compton, May 22, 1863, 
mustered out July 13, 1865. 

Company H. 

Captains — S. G. Parker, April 10, 1862, 
honorably discharged July 14, 1863 ; John 
AI. Davis, July 14, 1863, discharged April 
30, 1864, was first lieutenant ; George W. 
Ba.xter, July 12, 1863, mustered out July 
12, 1865, was first lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — Wilson F. Cox, July 
14, 1863, mustered out May 24, 1865, was 
second lieutenant ; A. J. Bixler, July 12, 
1863; mustered out July 13, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — James Honselman, 
April 10, 1862, discharged Dec. 7, 1862; 
Thomas Abernethy, July 12, 1863, mustered 
out July 13, 1865. 

First Sergeant — Daniel D. Snider, Dec. 
16, 1861. 

Sergeants — Wilson F. Cox, Dec. 16, 1861, 
promoted to first lieutenant; George W. 
Ba.xter, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran; 
R. J. Freeman, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted as 
veteran; James C. Mettlin, Dec. i, 1861, re- 
cnlisted as veteran. 

Corporals — Joseph McQuay, Dec. 16, 
1861; J. M. B. Patterson, Dec. i, 1861 ; D. 
L. Dawson, Dec. 16, 1861, died Jackson, 
Tenn., Sept. 14, 1862; David Robinson. Dec. 



50 



PAST AND PRESENT OF >rACON COUNTY. 



i6, 1861, died Jackson, Teiin., Sept. 14, 18O.2 ; 
Samuel L. Kohr, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted 
as veteran; V. 1'. Lawrence, Dec. 16, 1861, 
mustered out April 4, 1865; Joel Hill, Dec. 
16, 1861 ; \V. H. Holmes, Dec. 16, 1861, dis- 
charged Nov. 14, 1862, disability. 

Wagoner — Absolom Rovve, Dec. lO, 18(11, 
discharged Nov. 14, 1862, disability. 

Privates — Daniel C. Ayers, Dec. 16, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 
13, 1865; S. A. Armstrong, Dec. 16, 1861, 
died at Cairo May 12, 1862; Josiah Abbott, 
Dec. 16, 1861, mustered out July 13, 1865; 
Thomas Abernethy, Dec. Kn 1861, re-en- 
listed as veteran, mustered out Jul\ 13. 1865, 
as sergeant; Levi Alsbury, Dec. 16, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran; William H. Barnes, 
Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran : .Vlonzo 
Brockway, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted as vet- 
eran ; D. L. Brockway, Dec. 16, 1861, dis- 
charged Nov. 14, 1862, disability; A. J. Bix- 
ler, Dec. 16. 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, 
mustered out July 13, 1865, as first lieuten- 
ant; Franklin Bruce, Dec. 16, 1861, mustered 
out May 31, 1865; Godfrey Brower, Dec. 
16, 1861 ; John S. Bozarth, Dec. 16, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 13, 
1865; George Burcli, Dec. 16. 1861, re-en- 
listed as veteran, mustered out July 13, 
1865; Jacob Barnhardt, Dec. 16, 1861, died 
at .Anna. 111., Ajiril ij, 1862; Samuel Beaty, 
Dec. 16, 1861, discharged June 28, 1864; Eli 
Crawford, Dec. 16, 1861 : William Craw- 
ford, Dec. 16, 1861. re-enlisted as veteran, 
mustered out July 15, 1865; Smith Craw- 
ford, Dec. 16, 1861, discharged Nov. 14, 
1862, disability; S. M. Culver, Dec. 16, 1861, 
mustered out April 9, 1865; S. D. Campbell, 
Dec. 16, 1861, died at Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 
3, 1864; A. Cadwallader, Dec. 16, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 13, 
1865; George Church, Dec. 16, i86i ; Simon 
Cline, Dec. 16, 1861, discharged Nov. 14, 
1862, disability: William H. Crigler, Dec. 
16. 1861 ; J. L. Doolcn, Dec. 16, 1861 ; Rich- 
ard Day, Dec. 16, i86i, mustered out .April 



9. i''^''5: Josiuia Earls, Dec. 16, i8()i, dis- 
charged Se])t. 19, i8(>2, disability; Booker 
Earls, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran; 
John J. Ebbert, Dec. 16, 1861 ; William C. 
Ford, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, 
Jdhn 1-laherty, Dec. 16, 1861 ; John Harri- 
gan, Dec. 16, 1861, re-enlisted at veteran, 
mustered out July 12, 1865; Michael Holly, 
Dec. i(), i86i ; Jesse Harman, Dec. 16, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran ; John Hogan, Dec. 
16, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran, mustered 
out July 15, 1865; James H. Jones, Dec. 16, 
1861 ; ^lytcr Linch. Dec. 16, 1861, mustered 
out April 9, 1865; John LaCost, Dec. 16, 
1861 ; mustered out July 13, 1865; .\ndrew 
Lord, Dec. 16, 1861, mustered out .\pril 9, 
1865; B. Middleton, Dec. 16, 1861; John 
A'loore, Dec. 16, 1861 ; Samuel Morgan, Dec. 
16, 1861; H. McWilliams, Dec. 16, 1861 ; 
William Newton, Dec. 16, 1861, mustered 
out A])ril II, 1865; Phineas Piatt, Dec. 16, 
1861 ; William Ouerrey, Dec. 16, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 15, 
1865; Joseph Roberts, Dec. 16, 1861; 
.Andrew Sparling, Dec. 16. 1861 ; Joseph 
Sheets, Dec. 16, 1861 ; Isaiah Sheets, Dec. 
16, 1861 ; James Smith, Dec. 16, 1861 ; 
George Smith, Dec. 16, 1861, died at Mound 
City May 20, 1862 ; Isaac Sparlin, Dec. 16, 
1861, re-enlisted as veteran, mustered out 
July 13, 1865; Jacob Schreck, Dec. 16, 1861, 
re-enlisted as veteran ; Oren S. Sullivan, 
Dec. 16, 1861. re-enlisted as veteran, mus- 
tered out July 13, 1865; Charles F". L'mbert, 
Dec. 16, )86i, re-enlisted as veteran; Sin- 
clair Wimmer, Dec. 16, 1861, mustered out 
-April 9, 1865; W. .\. Wil.son. Dec. 16, 1861, 
discharged July 19, 1862, disability; John B. 
Wilson, Dec. 16, 1861, mustered out April 
9, 1865; Harrison \\ right. Dec. 16, 1861, re- 
enlisted as veteran, mustered out July 13, 
1865: Joel Watkins. Dec. 16. 1861 ; Eli 
^^'alkcr. Dec. I'l, 1861 ; Lsaac Weiver, Dec. 
16, 1861, re-enlisted as veteran; Thomas 
^^'aggoner, Dec. 16. 1861 ; R. W^aggoner, 
Dec. iT), 1861 ; George Young, Dec. 16, 1861, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



51 



discharged July 2^. 1862; James B. Young, 
re-enlisted as veteran. 

Recruits — Isaiah Abbott, Dec. 16, 1861, 
mustered out July 13, 1865; Harmon Beach, 
Feb. 2y, 1864, mustered out July 13, 1865 ; 
Allen Davis, Feb. 2y, 1864, mustered out 
July 13, 1865. 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH ILLI- 
NOIS INFANTRY, ILLINOIS 
VOLUNTEERS. 

The regiment left Camp Butler Oct. 4, 
1862; reported at Cincinnati Oct. 6, crossed 
into Kentucky and reported to Brigadier- 
General A. J. Smith ;• was assigned to the 
second brigade, second division, of the 
Army of Kentucky ; then went to Rich- 
mond, Ky., remaining there two months ; 
Dec. 21 reached Danville, Ky., next Louis- 
ville, then Nashville, going into camp at 
Franklin. Under Baird and Atkins they 
helped to drive VanDorn across Duck river, 
afterward returning to camp, where they 
remained until June i, 1863; next went to 
Triune. Tenn., and on the 24th of June, 
with Army of the Cumberland, drove Gen- 
eral Bragg across the Tennessee river ; 
went into camp at Tullahoma ; after march- 
ing toward Chattanooga across the Cum- 
berland mountains to Rossville, Ga., they 
engaged the enemy at Chickamauga on the 
19th and 20th of September ; five from 
Macon county lost their lives in this battle ; 
next marched against Dalton, Ga., then re- 
turned to camp near Cleveland, Tenn., 
where they remained until May 3, when 
they joined Sherman's army on the At- 
lanta campaign. 

This regiment led the charge at Tunnel 
Hill, Ga., and on May 15 and 16, 1864, en- 
gaged in battle at Resaca, Ga. ; in Noverri- 
ber and December, 1864, the regiment took 
an active part in the engagements which 
resulted in the destruction of Bragg's old 
veteran army, known as the Army of the 
Tennessee, commanded by General Hood. 



The 115th was for nearly two years a part 
of the "Iron Brigade;" Col. J. H. Moore, of 
the 115th Illinois,' was in command of this 
brigade, of which the 115th was a part, on 
the 23d of December, 1864, while following 
Hood from Nashville. He remained com- 
mander until the regiment was mustered 
out at the close of the war. The regiment 
went into camp at Huntsville, Ala., Jan. 6, 
1865. On March 14 moved into East Ten- 
nessee, then to Nashville, where it was mus- 
tered out of service at the close of the war, 
June II, 1865. On June 16 arrived at Camp 
Butler, 111., where it was discharged June 2^. 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH ILLI- 
NOIS INFANTRY, ROSTER. 

Colonel — Jesse H. Moore, Sept. 13, 1862, 
promoted brigadier general May 15, 1865, 
mustered out June 11, 1865. 

Lieutenant Colonels — \N'illiani Kinman, 
Sept. 13, 1862, killed in battle Sept. 20, 1863 ; 
George A. Poteet, Sept. 20, 1863, mustered 
out June II, 1865, was major. 

Major — J. W. Laphan, Sept. 20, 1863, 
mustered out June 11, 1865, was captain of 
Company A. 

Adjutants — John H. Woods, Sept. 13, 
1862, resigned April 10, 1863; A. Lichten- 
berger, April 10, 1863, resigned Oct. 26, 
1863; W. W. Peddecord, Oct. 26, 1863, 
mustered out June 11, 1865. 

Quartermasters — B. F. Farley, Sept. 13, 
1862, resigned April I, 1863; Charles W. 
Jerome, April i, 1863, mustered out June 11, 
1865. 

Surgeons — Enoch W. Moore, Oct. 4, 1862, 
resigned April 7, 1863 ; Charles W. Higgins, 
June 8, 1863, declined commission ; Garner 
H. Banc, June 17, 1S63, mustered out June 
II, 1865. 

First Assistant Surgeons — N. G. Blalock, 
Sept. 13, 1862, resigned July 27, 1863 ; Clark 
E. Loomis, Aug. 17, 1864, mustered out June 
II, 1865. 

Second Assistant Surgeon — James A.. 



0'2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Jones, Oct. 3, 1862, murdered by guerrillas 
at Tunnel Hill, Ga., June 11, 1864. 

Chaplains — Arthur Bradshaw, Sept. 23, 

1862, resigned Dec. 30, 1862; Richard Hold- 
ing, Jan. I, 1863, declined commission; Will- 
iam S. Crissey, July 20, 1863, mustered out 
June II, 1865. 

Company A. 

Captain — Jesse Hannun, Sept. 20, 1863, 
]3romoted major, mustered out June 11, 1865, 
was first and second lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — A. C. Bankson, Sept. 
13, 1862, resigned Dec. 30, 1862; Joseph B. 
Gore, Sept. 20, 1863, mustered out June 11, 

1863, was second lieutenant. 

Private in Company B — William Reese, 
\ug. II. 1862. died at Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 
12, 1863, wounds. 

Company E. 

Captains— John M. Lane, Sept. 13, 1862, 
resigned May 11, 1863; James A. Whitaker, 
May II, 1863, mustered out June 11, 1865, 
was first lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — David S. Moffett, 
Sept. 15, 1862, resigned March 3, 1863; Jesse 
F. Hedges, May 11, 1863, mustered out June 
II, 1865, was second lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenants — Adam C. Allison, 
Sept. 13, 1862, resigned Feb. 28, 1863; L H. 
C. Royse, May 11, 1863, mustered out June 
IT, 1865, was second lieutenant. 

Privates— F. M. Abrams, Aug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865; J. A. Arm- 
strong, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 11, 
1865; M. S. Arriistrong, Aug. 13, 1862, died 
at Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 3, 1863; M. J. 
.'\shmead, Aug. 15, 1862, killed at Chicka- 
mauga, Sept. 20, 1863; John Ansler, Aug. 
22, 1862, discharged June 20, 1863, disa- 
bility; Alexander Biddle, Aug. 22, 1862, 
transferred to V. R. C. April 30, 1864; John 
M. Breeden, Aug. 13, 1862, discharged Jan. 
5. 1863, disability; C. M. Breeden, Aug. 13, 
1862, mustered out June 11, 1865, as cor- 



poral; John A. Barnes, Aug. 13, 1862, mus- 
tered out June II, 1865, as corporal; Robert 
Bivens, Aug. 15, 1862, discharged March 
23, 1865, wounds; D. T. Clements, Aug. 13, 
1862, missing in action Sept. 20, 1863 ; M. H. 
Clements, Aug. 15, 1862, discharged Dec. 
14, 1862, disabilities; Philip Clements, Aug. 
13, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865, as 
corporal; E. T. Clements, .Vug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865, as sergeant; 
James Cumniings, Aug. 11, 1862, absent, 
sick at muster out; J. 11. Cummings, Aug. 
22, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; G. W. 
Crocks, Aug. 11, 1862, died in Christian 
county, 111., Nov. 6, 1862; John Crafton, 
Aug. 22, 1862, died at Nashville, Tenn., 
March 4, 1863; A. C. Douglas, Aug. 13, 1862, 
promoted to hospital steward ; John O. Dar- 
ner, .Vug. 15, 1862, discharged May 15, 1865, 
wounds; William C. Darner, Aug. 15, 1862, 
mustered out July i, 1865, was prisoner; 
A. H. De.-Vtley, Aug. 13, 1862, died at Nash- 
ville, Tenn., March 3, 1863; David H. Gay, 
Aug. 13. 1862, discharged April 13, 1863, 
disability: James L. Hight, Aug. 13, 1862, 
corporal, transferred to V. R. C. April 3, 
1864; Jesse T. Hedges, Aug. 13, 1863, first 
sergeant, promoted to second lieutenant 
1863; James Johnson, Aug. 11, 1862, cor- 
poral, killed at Chickamauga Sept. 20; 
James C. Jacobs. Aug. 22, 1862, mustered 
out June II, 1865; W. A. Markwell, Aug. 
13, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; John 
W. Meyers, .'Vug. 15, 1862, mustered out 
June II, 1865; James M. Martin, Aug. 13, 
1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; Zach- 
ariah Pope, Aug. 13, 1862, died at Lexing- 
ton, Ky., Nov. 10, 1862; James M. Pope, 
Aug. 13, 1862, died at Danville, Ky., Dec. 
31, 1862; Samuel \\^ Quick, Aug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865; James H. Rob- 
erson, Aug. 13, 1862, transferred to engi- 
neer's corps .\ug. II, 1864; Henry Ruby, 
Aug. 13, 1862, killed at Chickamauga Sept. 
20, 1863; John V. Rose, .A.ug. 13, 1862, died 
Rcsaca, Ga., May 20, 1864; James A. Ruby. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



53 



Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; 
Samuel Rugh, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out 
June II, 1865; Newell Wood, Aug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865; Levi White, 
Aug. 13, 1862, discharged Aug. 6, 1863, dis- 
ability ; G. A. Waterman, Aug. 13, 1862. 
Recruits — Joseph A. DeAtley, Jan. 22, 

1863, transferred to Co. A, 21st III. Inf.; 
W'illiam F. Elder, Jan. 28, 1863, discharged 
Jan. 2. 1865, wovmds ; John Hugle, died, 
Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 14, 1863. 

Company A. 
Captains — F.L.Hayes, Sept. 13, 1862, pro- 
moted by President to major and paymaster 
April 6, 1864 ; Charles Griffith, April 7, 

1864, mustered out June 11, 1864. 

First Lieutenant — James Smith, Sept. 
13, 1862, resigned Feb. 6, 1863; Mat. Free- 
man, Feb. 6, 1863, discharged March 30, 
1863, was first lieutenant; William F. Slo- 
cum, March 30, 1863, resigned Nov. 28, 
1863, was first lieutenant; Jacob Porter, 
Nov. 28, 1863, killed May 16, 1864; Gordon 
W. Mills, J\Iay 15, 1864, resigned Feb. 14, 
1865; C. C. McComas, March 13, 1865, 
mustered out June 11, 1865. 

Second Lieutenant — David Reed, March 
30, 1863, died Sept. 27, 1863, wounds. 

Privates — James F. Carter, Aug. 7, 1862, 
mustered out July 12, 1865; Alexander Lu- 
trell, Aug. 12, 1862, killed, Chickamauga, 
Sept. 30, 1863; Charles Goodman, Aug. 
16, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; Ed- 
ward Moore, August 18, 1862, discharged 
Aug. 16, 1863, disability; J. D. Sanderson, 
Aug. 21, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; 
Andrew Cline, Aug. 6, 1862, discharged June 
30, 1863, disability ; William L. Chew, Aug. 
13, 1863, discharged April i, 1863; G. C. 
Freeland, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered out June 
II, 1865, as corporal; Abraham M. Garver, 
Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; 
C. M. Imboden, Aug. 6, 1862, discharged 
Feb. 9, 1864, wounds ; Elias Kramer, Aug. 
6, 1862, disabled Oct. 4, 1862, and dis- 



charged; Andrew Kepler, Aug. 11, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865; I. S. Kaufman, 
Aug. 12, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865, 
as corporal; M. S. Kaufman, Aug. 11, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865, as corporal; 
William H. Kolp, Aug., 1862, promoted 
principal musician ; Theodore Lutrell, Aug. 
6, 1862, discharged Dec. 16, 1863, disability; 
Albert Moore, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out 
June II, 1865, sergeant; James W. Mere- 
dith, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 11, 
1865; C. E. Oglesby, Aug. 11, 1862, mus- 
tered out June II, 1865; John Priest, Sept. 
6, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865; Will- 
iam ^^^ Pierce, Aug. 11, 1862, mustered out 
June II, 1865, as sergeant; G. L. Roe, Aug. 
II. 1862, died at Franklin, Tenn., April 6, 
1863; Joseph Ross, Aug. 15, 1862, dis- 
charged April 14, 1863, disability ; Richard 
J. Roberts, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged Jan. 
22, 1863, disability; Alfred Shively, Aug. 
II, 1862, killed at Chickamauga, Sept. 20, 
1863, was sergeant; Richard W. Shull, Aug. 
II, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865. 

Company H. 

Captains — Henry J'ratt. Sept. 13, 1862, 
resigned April 16, 1863 ; J. O. Reardon, 
April 24, 1863, mustered out June 11, 1865, 
was first and second lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — Silas Parker, Sept. 13, 

1862, resigned March 12, 1863; Joseph J. 
Slaughter, April 24, 1863, mustered out June 

11, 1865. 

Second Lieutenant — S. R. Hatfield, March 

12, 1863, mustered out June 11, 1865. 
Privates — Alvis H. Boze, Aug. 15, 1862, 

discharged March 31, 1863, disability; A. 
Lizenberger, July 6, 1862, promoted com- 
missary sergeant ; W. W. Peddecord, Aug. 
5, 1862, promoted sergeant major ; John 
Ouinlan, Aug. 7, 1862, discharged March 20, 

1863, disability; W. H. Weatherford, Aug. 

13, 1862, mustered out June 11, 1865, as cor- 
poral. 



54 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Company K. 

Captains — James Steele, Sept. 13, 1862, 
discharged March 3, 1863; Alanson Pierce, 
March 3. 1863, resigned Sept. 24, 1864; 
PhiHp Rilcy, Sept. 24, 1864, mustered out 
June 11, 1865, was first and second lieuten- 
ant. 

First Lieutenants — Sylvester Bailey, Sept. 
13, 1862, resigned Dec. 28, 1863; Samuel 
Alexander, Sept. 24, 1864, nuislered out 
June II, 1865. 

Private — J. W. Throckmorton 

ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH ILLI- 
NOIS INFANTRY, ILLINOIS 
VOLUNTEERS. 

The One Hundred Sixteenth Illinois In- 
fantry Regiment was made up principally 
from Macon county. About the middle of 
August, 1862, the company began to go 
into camp in the l*"air (Iround near Decatur. 
They were sworn into service September 
the 6th, but as ranks were ntit full were 
onh' mustered as a battalion ; w ere mus- 
tered as a regiment Sept. 30. They left 
Decatur Nov. 8, arriving at Cairo next day, 
left same day for Memphis where the)' re- 
mained until Nov. 26. In the mean- 
time the Fifteenth Army Corps was organ- 
ized under command of \V. T. Sherman and 
assigned to First ISrigacle, Second Division. 

This division was under connnand of 
Major (jeneral Morgan L. Smith, the 
brigade connnander being ( ieneral Giles A. 
.Smith. Tallahatchie was reached on Dec. 
13; started down the Mississippi on 20th; 
entered Yazoo river the 26th, and landed 
fifteen miles above the mouth of the Yazoo 
ri\-er. The first engagement of the regi- 
ment was the battle of Chickamauga which 
began on the 27th and continued until the 
30th. On the first of the new year they 
passed down the Yazoo, sailed uj) the Miss- 
issippi and Arkansas rivers to Arkansas 
Post where was fought the second battle 
Jan. 10 and 11. Landed at Young's Point, 



La., opposite \'icksburg on 22(1. During 
winter attempted by various means to 
get aroum! X'icksburg; crossed the river 
in the spring near Port (iibson: were under 
fire at IJlack river and Champion Hills and 
engaged in the charges on works in rear of 
X'icksburg, ]\[ay 18 and 22, and were pres- 
ent when Yicksburg surrendered on the 4th 
lit July. 

Ne.Kt morning started after (jeneral John- 
ston who was near Black river, fol- 
lowed him to Jackson, Miss., where he took 
refuge, after several engagements drove him 
beyond Pearl river. July 25 went into camp 
near Black river, this camp was called Camp 
-Sherman. The regiment stayed here until 
October then moved to Vicksburg, sailed to 
Memphis; then went to Corinth; marched 
to Chattanooga, reached latter place Nov. 
21. At night on Nov. 23 the ii6th, together 
with the 6th Missouri, got into pontoon 
boats, floated down the Tennessee river 
and landed at mouth of Chickamauga 
creek a short distance from the enemy's 
entrenchments on Missionary Ridge, keep- 
ing this position until the remainder of the 
corps arrived, then captured all of Bragg's 
|)ickets., marched to foot of ridge on even- 
ing of 24th. were in skirmish in which 
(ieneral (liles A. Smith was wounded at 
whicli the command devolved upon Colonel 
Tupper. 

X\'as present at storming of .Missionary 
Ridge on 25th. The regiment was then 
marched to the relief of Kno.xville and 
moved constantly until Jan. 9, 1864, when 
it went into winter cpiarters at Likinsville, 
Ala. ; remained here until May 16, then 
took part in the charge and capture of Re- 
saca, was at battle of Dallas, May 25 to 
28; at Big Shanty; then at Kenesaw Mount- 
ain, June 2"] : crossed the Chattahoochie 
and fought battle of .Stone Mountain, drove 
the enemy close to Atlanta re-capturing the 
works, after the enemy had taken them 
from us in the battle of June 22. Fought 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



55 



battle of Ezra Chapel on 28th of- June, in 
which enemy was defeated and driven back ; 
moved on toward Atlanta ; Aug. 3, en- 
gaged in the siege of Atlanta fighting the 
closing battle of the siege at Jonesboro, 
Aug. 14. After which went into camp at 
Atlanta until ordered to break camp and 
begin Sherman's march to the sea. Aided 
in capture of Ft. Mcx\llister, Dec. 13. Regi- 
ment entered Savanah Dec. 21, where it 
went into camp ; next sailed for Beaufort, 

5. C. ; marched to Pocatalaga ; fought bat- 
tle; going on to Columbia, burned the latter 
city and went into camp : moved from here 
to Bentonville, N. C where was fought a 
severe battle; went into camp then moved 
to Raleigh which surrendered ; ordered from 
here to Washington where it camped until 
sent home and mustered out June 7, 1865. 

One Hundred Sixteenth Regiment Roster. 

Colonels — N. \\'. Tupper, Sept. 30, 1862, 
died at Decatur, March 10, 1864; John E. 
]\Iaddo.x, June 7, 1864, mustered out June 7. 
1865, was lieutenant colonel. 

Lieutenant Colonels — J. P. Boyd, Sept. 

6, 1862, resigned Jan. 28, 1864; Anderson 
Froman, Jan. 28. 1864, died June 15, 1864, 
was major; John S. Windsor, May 15, 
1865, mustered out June 7, 1865, was major. 

Major — Austin McClurg, Jan. 28, 1864, 
resigned Sept. 26, 1864; Nicholas Ge- 
schwind, June 7, 1864, mustered out June 7, 
1865, was corporal Co F. 

Adjutants — Charles H. ]<'uller, Sept. 30, 
1862, resigned June 27, 1863; \A'illiam E. 
Crissey, June 27, 1863, discharged Jan. 30, 
1865; Myron Holcomb, Jan. 30, 1865, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865. 

Quartermasters — Lyman King, Sept. 3, 
1862, resigned March 2, 1863; Charles F. 
Emery, March 2, 1862, promoted by Presi- 
dent, January 9, 1864; John H. Porter, Jan. 
9, 1864, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Surgeon — Ira N. Barnes, March 26, 1863, 
mustered out June 7, 1865. 



First Assistant Surgeon — J. A. Heckle- 
man, Sept. 17, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865. 

Second Assistant Surgeon — J. A. W. Hos- 
tetler, Oct. i, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865. 

Chaplain — N. .M. Baker, Sept. 30, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Non-Commissioned Staff. 

Sergeant Major — R. C. Crocker, Aug. 7, 
1862, transferred to Co. D ; Myron Hol- 
comb, Aug. 2, 1862, promoted adjutant; 
Thomas J. Ward, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865, was prisoner. 

Quartermaster Sergeants — John J. Porter, 
promoted regimental c|iiartermaster ; Allen 
F. Hopkins, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865. 

Commissary Sergeant — \^'illiam E. Cris- 
sey, Aug. 9, 1862, promoted to adjutant; I. 
D. Jennings, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865. 

Hospital Steward — Edward Lukens, Aug. 
13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Musicians — Martin L. Barrett, Aug. 14, 

1862, prin. musician, nuistered out June 7, 
1865 ; Francis Flennebry, Aug. 7, 1862, prin. 
musician, nwstered out June 7, 1865. 

Company A. 

Captains — W. J. Brown, Sept. 6, 1862, re- 
signed April 20, 1863; (lustin F. Hardy, 
April 20, 1863, died June 12, 1863, was sec- 
ond lieutenant: \Villiam Grason, June 12, 

1863, mustered out June 7, 1865, was first 
lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — John B. Purdue, Sept. 

6, 1862, died March 27, 1863; J. L. Shella- 
barger, June 12, 1863, mustered out June 

7, 1865, was second lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenant — James Boswell, June 
7, 1863, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Sergeant — James Boswell, July 26, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; A. C. Stephens, 



50 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Aug. 4, 1862, imistcrcd out June 7, 1865; 
George R. Farrow, Aug. 4, 1862. 

Corporals — W. R. Harrington, Aug. 9, 
1862, discharged Feb. 26, 1863, disability; 
Jerome A. Cox, Aug. 8, 1862, mustered out 
May 20, 1865; James Stine, Aug. 6, 1862, 
discharged Feb. 2, 1865, was sergeant; 
James Eads, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 18G5 ; Samuel Beaty, Aug. 6, 
1862, killed at Yicksburg May 19, 1863; 
William M. Purdue, Aug. 4, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865. 

Musicians — James H. Widick, Aug. 6, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 '• George 
W. Lyons, Aug. 7, 1862. 

Wagoner — William M. Steel, Aug. 4, 
1862, discharged March 4, 1863, disability. 

Privates — Monathan Agan, Aug. 8, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; Elisha Allen, 
Aug. 2, 1862, died, wounds received at Ar- 
kansas Post January 11, 1863; Alexander 
H. Balch, July 26, 1862, died at Van Buren, 
Ark., June i, 1863; William Bear, Aug. 6, 
1862, died at Young's Point March 5, 1863; 
Henry C. Bear, Aug. 9, 1862, absent, 
wounded at mustering out of regiment ; 
Jacob E. Bcamer, Aug. 21, 1862, died at 
Memphis Sept. 23. 1863; George Bilby, 
Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
Daniel Bowen, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; William Bowdle, Aug. 6, 
1862, mustered out Dec. 21, 1864, wounds; 
Solomon E. Bowman, Aug. 6, 1862, trans- 
ferred to V. R. C. Jan. 10. 1865; Eli Brack- 
ney, Aug. 4, 1862 ; Wesley M. Brown, Aug. 
6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; Thomas 
W. Brown, Aug. 13, 1862, transferred to 
invalid corps Aug. 8, 1863; Hardin Bundy, 
Aug. 9, 1862, died at Benton Barracks, July 
17, 1863: Thomas F. Burke, Aug. 6, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; 
Albert Calk, Aug. 9. 1862, died in An- 
dersonvillc prison April 9. 1865; .\lonzo 
Cheek. July 26, 1862, died at Young's 
Point, La. : George W. Davis, Aug. 2, 1862, 
sergeant, killed at Atlanta. Ga., July 22', 



1804 : Michael (ireen, -Aug. 6, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865; William Glaze, 
July 26, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out ; 
Nathaniel Guflfy, Aug. 6, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out; Jacob Guflfy, Aug. 14, 
1862, transferred to invalid corps Aug. 16, 
1863; William Hickman, Aug. 6, 1892, mus- 
tered .out June 7, 1865, as corporal ; J. H. 
Hollandsworth, Aug. 6, 1862, died at 
Young's Point April 19, 1863 ; John House- 
man, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; Nelson Houseman, Aug. 21, 1862, ab- 
sent, sick at mustering out ; William 
Houseman, Aug. 6, 1862, transferred to V. 
R. C. -Aug. 10, 1864; James T. Jabine, Aug. 
12. 1862, mustered (nit June 7, 1865, as 
corporal; T. M. Littleton, Aug. 26, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; James Long, 
Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
Thomas M. Long, Aug. 14, 1862, transferred 
to invalid coriis Sept. I, 1863; Andrew 
McKce, -Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865 ; Horace Mackey, -Aug. 8, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 26. 1865; Samuel D. Marsh, 
Aug. 22, 1862, died at St. Louis, April 29, 
1863 ; J. A. Michncr, .\ug. 6, 1862, died. 
Camp Butler, Til.. Jan. 4. 1864; Daniel Mill- 
er, .\ug. 24, 1862, died, Young's Point March 
4, 1863 ; Lewis Morris, Aug. 5, 1862, ser- 
geant, wounded, transferred to invalid corps 
Feb. 15, 1864; William T. Morris, Aug. 8, 
1862, died. Marietta, (ia., wounds, Aug. 3, 
1863; Charles McCurdy, Aug. 7, 1862, died 
at Memphis June 26, 1863; Samuel Nelson, 
July 30, 1862. discharged March 16, 1863, 
disability; John J. Neyhard. .Aug. 6, 1862, 
mustered out July 7, 1865; John W. Nich- 
ols, Aug. 6, 1862, discharged Feb. 6, 1864, 
wounds; Joel F. Purdue, Aug. 9, 1862, ab- 
sent, sick, at mustering out ; Moses B. Page, 
Aug. 21, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1-865; 
John Peck, Aug. 2T, 1862, sergeant, died at 
home Sept. 28, 1863; Jacob Peck, July 24, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Arthur 
Pasley, Aug. 6, 1862, transferred to Liv. 
corps, Dec. i, 1863; Joseph V. Palmer. .Aug. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF iMACON COUNTY, 



57 



8, 1862, died June 4, 1863, wounded ; John 
H. Porter, Aug. 20, 1862. promoted quarter- 
inaster sergeant ; \\'illiam J. Reason, Aug. 
6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; Henry 
'\\. Rimmell. Aug. 9. 1862, died, ^lemphis, 
'lenn., January i, 1863; John M. Ritter, 
Aug. II, 1802, mustered out June 7. 1865, 
sergeant ; Ehjah T. Rose, Aug. 7, 1862, died 
May 22, 1863, wounded at siege of Vicks- 
burg; Charles W. Rundle, Aug. 6, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; John W. 
Rogers, Aug. 6, 1862, killed, Kingston N. 

C, March 8, 1865 : F. W. Scheer, Aug. 23, 

1862, mustered out June 7, 1865: John R. 
Skinner, Aug. 6, 1862, discharged .Sept. 16, 

1863, wounds; Nelson Stafford, Aug. 6, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; David 
Stapp, Aug. 6, 1862, died, Lawson Hos- 
pital, ;\Iay 5, 1863; Thomas C. Stewart, 
Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
was prisoner: Henry Walker, Aug. 11, 
1862, died Memphis, Tenn., April 8, 1864; 
Peter ^Valker, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865, wounded ; Jonathan Wear, 
.•\ug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as 
corporal : George Wilson, Aug. 6, 1862, ab- 
sent, sick at mustering out : C. F. W'right, 
.Vug. 6, 1862, died, Jefferson Barracks, July 
2, 1 863. 

Recruits — Joseph E. Moffett, Feb. i, 1864, 
transferred to Co. H. 55th 111. Infantry; 
William J. \\'alters, Feb. i, 1864, died, Ken- 
esaw Mt., June zj. 1864; Stephen Johnson, 
March 26, 1864, transferred to Co. H, 55th 
111. Inf. ; John Leslie, Jan. 26, 1864, died of 
wounds received at Kenesaw ]\It., June 27. 
1864; Joseph Blythc, Jan. 28, 1864, wounded 
at Kenesaw Mt., June 27, 1864; W. H. Clay, 
Jan. 28, 1864, wounded at Ft. ^McAllister ; 
John \\'. Steward, Jan. 2%, 1864, died in 
hospital; John W. Slavens. Jan. 28, 1864, 
transferred to Co. H, 55th 111. Inf.; Josiah 

D. Steward, Jan. 28, 1864, killed at Jones- 
boro Aug. 13: J. M. Betzer, Jan. 28, 1864, 
transferred to 55th 111. Inf. ; James Peck, 
Jan. 28, 1864, transferred to 55th III. Inf.; 



John McKce, Jan. 2%, 1864, transferred to 
55th 111. Inf. ; James McKee, Jan. 28, 1864, 
transferred to 55th 111. Inf.; W. J. Walters, 
Feb. I, 1864, died, Kenesaw Mt., June 27, 
1864. 

Company B. 

Captains — Austin McCIurg, Sept. 6, 1862, 
promoted major; C. Reibsame, Jan. 28, 
1864, mustered out June 7, 1865, was first 
lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — John S. Taylor, Sept. 

6, 1862, killed Jan. 8, 1863 ; Charles E. Boles, 
Jan. 8, 1864, was second lieutenant; John 
H. Miller, Jan. 28, 1864, mustered out June 

7, 1865, was second lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenant — .\. J. Williams, Sept. 

6, 1862, resigned March 17, 1863. 

First Lieutenant — I. D. Jennings, Aug. 7, 
1862, promoted commissary sergeant. 

Sergeants — John H. Miller, Aug. 7, 1862, 
promoted second lieutenant ; W. T. Me- 
naugh, Aug. 7, 1862, absent, sick at muster- 
ing out; John A. Songer, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out July 10, 1865 : Andiniron Songer, 
Aug. 9, 1862. 

Corporals — K. A. Brown, Aug. 7, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; William Funk. 
Aug. 8, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
Reuben Rogers, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865 ; George W. Shirey. Aug. 9, 
1862, absent, sick at mustering out; Charles 
Bidwell, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 

7, 1865, was sergeant ; J. W. Troutman, 
Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out July 7, 1865 ; 
Samuel Troutman, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865; Isaac B. Jordan, Aug. 9, 
i8()2, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Musicians — H. \V. Carter. Aug. 8, 1862, 
discharged Jan. 28, 1863; J. E. Goodman, 
.\ug. II, 1862, discharged Sept. 20. 1863; 
George H. Welty, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865. 

Privates — James Adams. Aug. 5, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; J. B. Andrews, 
.\ug. 9, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out: 
Charles E. Boles, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered 



58 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



out June 7, 1865, as sergeant, commissioned 
lieutenant; Milton Billings, Aug. 8, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; John M. Bear, 
Aug. 6, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out; 
John E. Braden, Aug. 11, 1862, nmsterea 
out June 7, 1865: T. J. Burgess, Aug. 25, 
1862; John W. Bailey, Aug. 15, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 13, 1865, as corporal; Will- 
iam ]jeck, Aug. 15, 1S62, absent, wounded 
at mustering out; R. Bills, Jr., .\ug. 14, 
1862, killed at Arkansas Post Jan. 11, 1863; 
S. R. Braden, Aug. 12, 1862, absent, wound- 
ed at mustering out ; S. C. Bradshaw, Aug. 
9, 1862, died Young's Point, La., April 3, 
1863; Patrick Burke, Aug. 7, 1862, died 
Young's Point, La., April 8, 1863; William 
Burke, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; Charles V. Bell, Aug. 15, 1862, died in 
Mississippi March 23, 1863 ; James Dilliner, 
Aug. 7, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out ; 
Austin Daily, Aug. 19, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; Lewis Disbrow, Aug. 14, 1862, 
sergeant, died at Young's Point, La., April 
15, 1863; Michael Dugan, Aug. 14, 1862, 
mustered out June 12, 1865; Stephen Earls, 
July 19, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out; 
E, Enterline, Aug. 19, 1862, discharged 
March 14, 1863; Thomas Enos, .\ug. 9, 1862, 
died Young's Point, La., Feb. 11, 1863; Con- 
rad Enterline, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged 
March 20. 1864; David A. Ellis, Aug. 4, 
1862, transferred to V. R. C. Sept. i, 1863; 
S. G. Frank, Aug. 6, 1862, died at St. Loui.s 
April II, 1863; John W. Foster, Aug. 20, 
1862, mustered out July 7, 1865; Amos Fry. 
July 19. 1862, mustered out July 19, 1865; 
Fred Fuller, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out 
June 7. 1865; John Gill, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865; F. M. Garvcr, Aug. 
■9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as cor- 
poral; C. .M. Carver, Aug. 14, 1862, died at 
St. Louis May 17, 1863; Lewis Hauck, Aug. 
9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865: J. TT. 
Fliggins, Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865 ; R. S. Henson, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1863; George L. Hauck, 



Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; 
Thompson Hayes, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865: Francis Henley, Aug. 7, 
1862, promoted principal mr.sician ; John G. 
Hayes, Aug. 7, 1862, discharged Aug. 27, 
1863; John S. Hough, Aug. 9, 1862, absent, 
sick at mustering out; John W. Jordon, 
Aug. 8, 1862, died, Young's Point, La., Feb. 
8, 1863; William H. Jordon, .\ug. 8, 1862. 
/mistered <)ut June 7, 1865; Jeremiah Jor- 
.lon, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Young's Point, 
La., Feb. 11, 1863; Michael Kelley, Aug. 15, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; T. H. 
Larkiii, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; Edward Maher, Aug. 15, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865 ; John McWhinney, 
July 30. 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865. 
as corporal: \\'illiam Meyer, Aug. 2, 1862; 
R. McDonald, July 17, 1862. died at Mem- 
phis, Tenn., Oct. 4, 1863; Patrick Nolan, 
Aug. 21, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
William H. Nix, Aug. 7, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out; H. W. Nesbit, Aug. 11, 
1862, died at Keokuk, Iowa, Jan. 27, 1863; 
George W. 01ne}% Aug. 11, 1862, died at 
Memphis, Tenn., March 17, 1863; .\aron 
Pricer, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; John W^ Parker, Aug. 8, 1862, absent, 
wounded at mustering out ; A. Patterson, 
.Vug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; 
G. W. Patterson, Aug. 20,. 1862, killed at 
Kenesaw ^Mountain June 27, 1864; S. Ouack- 
enbush, July 30, 1862, mustered out July 
10, 1865; R. A. Rogers, Aug. 9, 1862, ab- 
sent, sick at mustering out ; C. Reibsame, 
Aug. II, 1862, promoted sergeant, then first 
lieutenant; G. W. Rutherford, Aug. 8, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; Benjamin F. 
Smoot, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Young's Point, 
La., Feb. 15, 1863; James D. Sherman, Aug. 
20, 1862, died on steamer City of Memphis, 
of wounds. May 2^. 1863; Wesley Street, 
Aug. 15, 1862, mustered out June 7. 1865; 
John .v. Stains, .\ug. 8. 1862, died at Young's 
Point March 4, 1863; .Martin Shelton, .'Vug.' 
Ti. 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; J. H. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



59 



Shepherd, Aug. y, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865; J. W. Sickafouse, Aug. 15, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; A. Shepherd, 
Aug. 8, 1862, killed at Arkansas Post Jan. 
II, 1863; Daniel Shutter, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865 ; Cyrus N. Tolles, 
Aug. S, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
Richard Wall, Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; John Widick, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; Samuel Weikel, 
Aug. 15, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out; 
J. W. Westfall, July 30, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865, as sergeant ; Amos Wheeler, 
Aug. II, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out; 
W. C. Warnick, Aug. 15, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out; A. J. Wheeler, Aug. 12, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Recruits — Henry Seits, Yeh. 25, 1864, 
transferred to Co. F, 55th 111. Infantry; 
Felix Shutter, Feb. 25, 1864, transferred to 
Co. F, 55th 111. Infantry; James K. West- 
fall, April 13, 1864, transferred to Co. F, 
55th 111. Infantry. 

Company C. 

Captains — Thomas White, Sept. 6, 1862, 
kill-d in battle May 26, 1^04; K. M. Foster, 
June 7, 1864, mustered out June 7, 1865, was 
first and second lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — James M. Wallace, 
Sept. 6, 1862, resigned March 2, 1863; Z. R. 
Prather, April 20, 1865, mustered out June 
7, 1865, was second lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenant — Jacob B. Schroll, 
June 7, 18(34, mustered out June 7, 186.S. 

First Sergeant — John W. Ellis, Aug. 9, 
1862, died at Young's Point, La., Feb. 23, 
1863. 

Sergeants — Abe Metzler, Aug. 13, 1862, 
wounded at mustering out ; W. P. Camp, 
Aug. 9, 1862, died at Millikin Bend June 
23, 1863; T. Montgomery, Aug. 9, 1862, 
transferred to V. R. C. Feb. i, 1864; John 
B. Davidson, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Young's 
Point Feb. 8, 1863. 

Corporals — Elias Dunbar, Aug. 9, 1862, 



mustered out Juno 11, 1865 ; J. W. Edwards, 
Aug. 9, 1862, discharged April 13, 1863, dis- 
ability; Philo S. Fenton, Aug. 13, 1862, 
wounded at mustering out; Samuel N. 
Maeyers, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865, as sergeant; James H. Jones, Aug. 

13, 1862, discharged Feb., 1863, wounds; 
Israel W. Markel, Aug. 9, 1862, died at 
^Memphis Jan. 30, 1863; Z. R. Prather, Aug. 
9, 1862, promoted second lieutenant ; R. G. 
Warnick, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Memphis 
May 22, 1863. 

Musicians — D. C. Helpman, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 12, 1865, was prisoner; 
VV. E. Wallace, Sept. 6, 1862, died on steam- 
er D. A. January, March 7, 1863. 

Wagoner — Erastus Niles, Sept. 6, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865. 

Priv'ates — James L. Aaron, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 11, 1865; James W. Al- 
lum, Aiig. 13, 1862, died at Young's Point 
May 12, 1863 ; William A. Akers, Aug. 18, 
1862, died at Youngs Point Feb. 10, 1863; 
Robert M. Black, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged 
June 3, 1863, disability; James P. Beedles, 
Aug. 9, 1862, died at Memphis March 16, 
1863; John W. Bohrer, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out June II, 1865; George W. Bohrer, 
Aug. 9, 1862, discharged Jan. 9, 1863, dis- 
ability; A. B. Champion, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out June II, 1865, as sergeant; James 
A. Cochran, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 

14, 1865, as corporal ; Elijah Coomb, Aug. 9, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Joseph De- 
vore, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged April 25, 
1864; John B. Dickey, Aug. 9, 1862, trans- 
ferred to Signal Corps June 7, 1864; James 
C. Davidson, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged 
Sept. 5, 1863, disability; D. L. David- 
son, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 
14, 1865, prisoner; William Davis, Aug. 
9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; R. L. 
Davidson, Aug. 9, 1862, died at home Dec. 
5, 1863; Alexander Davidson, Aug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; D. P. Davidson, 
Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 



60 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



T. K. Davidson, Aug. 15, 1862, killed at 
Jonesboro, Ga., Aug. 31, 1865; James A. 
Ellis, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; David Gregory, Aug. 9, 1862, died in 
Louisiana April 12, 1863; Cliarles Grennel, 
Aug. 9, 1862, died at Mound City Dec. 15, 
1863; Edward L. Goff, Aug. 9, 1862, died at 
JMound City Nov. 2, 1863; Leonard J. Goff, 
Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as 
wagoner: John M. Gault, .\ug. 9, 1862, 
wounded at mustering out; A. F. Hopkins, 
Aug. 9, 1862, promoted sergeant then quar- 
termaster sergeant ; Joshua F. Hill, Aug. 9, 
1862, died of wounds July 23, 1863, as pris- 
oner; D. J. llerrington, Aug. 11, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865, as musician; E. J. 
Howell, Aug. II, 1862, died at Richmond, 
V'a., Feb. 15, 1865, as ])risoner; Hugh Jones, 
Aug. 13, 1862, died at Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 
24, i8(')2; Jacob Krone, Sept. 15, 1862, died 
at Paducah, K}'., Feb. 20, 1864; John Mc- 
Ilheran, Aug. 9, 1862, wounded, prisoner of 
war at mustering out; John Maeyers, Aug. 
9, 1862, died at Andersonville Prison June 
7, 1864; Eli Montgomery, Aug. 9, 1862, died 
at Mound City Dec. 7, 1864; S. B. McCon- 
naughty, died at Walnut Hill, ]\liss., May 
23. 1863, wounds; William J. Meyers, Aug. 
13, 1862, discharged Jan. 24. 1863, disabil- 
ity; Henry 1". May, Aug. 13, 1862, dis- 
charged March 20, 1863, disability ; J. L. Mc- 
Murtr)-, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out May 
22, 1865, was prisoner; D. K. Pound, .Vug. 
13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; E. D. 
Riber, Aug. 13. 1862, mustered out as ser- 
geant, was prisoner; John H. Stoner, Aug. 
9, 1862, mustered out May 27, 1865; John 
R. Smith, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged Feb. 6, 
1864, tlisability ; Joseph P. Smith. Aug. 9, 
1862, discharged Aug. 8, 1863, disability; 
Samuel W. Snyder, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865; Hiram S. Stine, Aug. 9, 
1862. discharged July 7, 1863, disability; 
James T. Scott, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged 
Jan., 1863; Henry C. Scott, Aug. 9. 1862, 
died at Mcm])his July 8. 1863, wounds: Ja- 



cob Jl. Schroll, Aug. 9, 1862, nuisiered out 
June 7, 1865, as commissary sergeant, sec- 
ond lieutenant, prisoner; J. A. Spalding, 
Aug. 9, 1862, died at Camp Sherman, Miss., 
Aug. 3, 1863 ; Beechem 'J'urpin, .Vug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; William 
Thomas, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Richmond, 
Va., Feb. 10, 1864, prisoner; R. S. Traugh- 
ber, -Aug. 9, 1862, died on steamer City of 
Memphis Feb. 8, 1863 ; J. D. C. Travis, Aug. 
13, 1862, discharged Feb. 16, 1863, disabil- 
ity; Isaac W. Travis, Aug. 13, 1862, died 
at St. Louis Sept. 2, 1863 ; Samuel hi. Travis, 
Aug. 13, 1862, died on steamer Planet Jan. 
5, 1863; U. D. Travis, Aug. 13, 1862, died in 
Louisiana April 2~, 1863; Ephraim Tim- 
mons, Aug. 12, 1862, discharged Feb. 25, 
1863, disability ; Lemuel Timmons, Aug. 
13, 1862, died at Memphis March 16, 1863; 
H. C. Traughber, .Vug. 18, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865 ; John Urbain, Aug. 9, 1862, 
discharged Sept. 5, 1863, disability; Amos 
W. Vliet, .Vug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 
7. 1862: William Wallace, Aug. 9, 1862, 
discharged April, 1863, disability: Thomas 
J. Ward, -Aug. 9, 1862, sergeant, promoted 
sergeant iriajor, was prisoner ; Robert D. 
Wilson, .Vug. 9. 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; Lewis Webber, Aug. 18, 1862, died 
at Richmond, \'a., March 16, 1864. 

Recruits — John C. Aaron, Feb. 11, 1864, 
transferred to Co. F, 55th Illinois Infantry; 
N. M. Baker; Benjamin S. Devore, trans- 
ferred to Co. K before mustering in ; John 
Dulaney, March 29, 1864, transferred to 
Co. F, 55th Illinois Infantry; W. H. John- 
son, Feb. 27, 1864, transferred to Co. F, 55th 
Illinois Infantry ; John A. Kimberlin, trans- 
ferred to Co. K before mustering in ; Sam- 
>U'l Kitt, transferred to Co. F before mus- 
tering in ; George Dcboy, transferred to Co. 
K before mustering in. 

Company D. 

Captains — Josei>h Lingle, Sept. 6, 1862, re- 
signed Feb. 29, 1864; George A. Milmine, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



61 



Feb.' 29, 1864, discharged Jan. 30, 1865, wa.s 
first and second lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — James R. Briggs. 
Sept. 6, 1862, resigned April 6, 1863; Thad- 
deus Collins, Feb. 29, 1864, mustered out 
June 7, 1865, was second lieutenant. 

Second Lieutenant — Hugh A. Lyons, 
June 7, 1865, mustered out June 7, 1865, as 
sergeant. 

First Sergeant — J. W. George, Aug. 15. 
1862, discharged Aug. 3, 1863, disability. 

Sergeants — J. E. Hoagland, Aug. 7, 1862, 
discharged June 12, 1864, disability; G. W. 
Williams, Aug. 9, 1862, died on steamer 
City of Memphis Feb. 18, 1863 ; Thaddeus 
Collins, Aug. 7, 1862, promoted first lieu- 
tenant ; Hugh A. Lyons, Aug. 13, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865, as second lieutenant. 

Corporals — D. T. Armstrong, Aug. 13, 
1862, sergeant, died at St. Louis April 7, 
1863 ; John F. Bowser, Aug. 9, 1862, died at 
Chattanooga May 21, 1864, wounds; David 
Gill, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Chickasaw Bayou 
Dec. 3, 1862; A. J. Watson, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June, 18(^5 ; J. B. Streever, 
Aug., 1862, died at Annapolis, Md., Nov. 
I, 1863; Seth F. Spore, Aug. 9, 1862, trans- 
ferred to Co. F, 55th Illinois Infantry; N. 
W. Slifer, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865, as sergeant ; J. G. Long, Aug. 9, 
1862, died at Richmond, Va,, Feb. 20, 1864. 

Musicians — Elias Barger, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Amos Robert- 
son, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865, as corporal. 

Wagoner — C. F. Emery, Aug. 8, 1862, 
discharged ]March 2, 1863. 

Privates — John Armstrong, Aug. 15, 1862; 
Andrew Adams, Aug. 11, 1862, corporal, 
died at Richmond, \'a., Jan. 27, 1864, pris- 
oner : B. F. Antrim, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; Philip Locke, 
Aug. 2~, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; 
H. D. AlcKeever, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865 ; John Miller, Aug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as prisoner; 



Clarke ^liller, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; E. K. Alilmine, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; Robert Martin, 
Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; 
Barney 0"Neal, Aug. 13, 1862, discharged 
Sept. 2, 1863 ; Richard Pope, Aug. 23, 1862, 
discharged Sept. 27, 1863 ; Sanford Payne, 
Aug. 13, 1862, discharged March 12, 1863; 
G. J. Plater, Aug. 7, 1862, sergeant, died at 
Memphis April 4. 1863; James Querrey, 
Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
prisoner; Eri Querrey, Aug. 18, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865; Alonzo Ray, Aug. 8, 
1862, discharged Jan. 19 1863; William 
Rhinehart, Aug. 15, 1862, died at Camp But- 
ler, 111., March 19, 1864; Squire Reed, Aug. 
7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Joseph 
Ryan, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865: ^^'. G. Shannon, Aug. 22, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865; B. W\ Schenck, 
Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as 
corporal : ^\'illiam Schenk, Aug. 7, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as corporal; Ja- 
cob Spurling, Aug. 9, 1S62, mustered out 
June 7, 1865, as sergeant; Fred Smith, Aug. 
9, 1862, sergeant, died at Cleveland, Tenn., 
Jan. 28, 1865 ; David Scott, Aug. 7, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as prisoner; 
Peter Sellers, Aug. 18, 1862, discharged 
Aug. 12, 1863 ; J. W. Salters, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; John Shannon, 
Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
Edward Sandy, Aug. 9, 1862, discharged 
Feb. 6, 1864; Thomas Thornburg, Aug. 7, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; William 
Towers, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865 ; Charles Tooley, Aug. 9, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865, as corporal ; J. L. 
Allen, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; William Amber, Aug. 9, 1862, died 
at Young's Point Jan. 20, 1863; H. Amber, 
Aug. 9, 1862, died at Vicksburg July 25, 
1863 ; Joe! B. Adams, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered 
out May t8, 1865; J. I. .Arbuckle, Aug. 9. 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as corporal ; 
Samuel Alexander, Aug. 9, 1862; W'illiam 



62 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Briggs, Aug. 9, 1862, died at home Dec. 21, 
1863; R- A. Belford, Aug. 12, 1862, dis- 
charged Feb. I, 1863; John A. Chism, Aug. 
8, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; L. N. 
Chapman, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865, as corporal; Arthur Cory, Aug. 15, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, prisoner; 
X. Cooper, Aug. 13, 1862, died at Memphis, 
Tenn., March 6, 1863; John Craft, Aug. 15, 
1862, died at St. Louis April 5, 1864; A. F. 
Corn, Aug. 9, 1862, died on steamer City of 
Memphis Feb. 18, 1863 ; R. C. Crocker, Aug. 
7, 1862, promoted sergeant major; E. H. 
Davidson, .\ug. 9, 1862, absent, sick at mus- 
tering out; William Daves, Aug. 9, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; An- 
drew Evans, Aug. 13, 1862; George Emer- 
ick, Aug. 7, 1862, corporal, died at Annapo- 
lis, Md., Aug. 25, 1863; J. W. Elliott, Aug. 
15, 1862; Isaac Fesler, Aug. 9, 1862, dis- 
charged April 3, 1863; John W. Fenner, 
Aug. 9, 1862, killed at Vicksburg, Miss., May 
19, 1863; Larkin Fesler, Aug. 15, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865 ; H. B. Cast, Aug. 9, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; James 
Huckabey, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865, as corporal; John Kline, Aug. 15, 
1862, discharged Jan. 19, 1863 ; John Ken- 
nedy, Aug. 13, 1862; Edward Lukins, Aug. 
13, 1862, promoted hospital steward; Will- 
iam F. Lukins, Aug. 13, 1862, died in Missis- 
sippi June 22, 1863, J. E. Liston, Aug. 13, 
1862, killed at Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864; 
William A. VanLeir, Aug. 5, 1862, dis- 
charged Jan. 16, 1863; S. N. VanVoorhees, 
Aug. 9, 1862, discharged Jan., 1863; A. G. 
Williams, Aug. 11, 1862, died at Richmond, 
Va., March 5, 1864, prisoner; M. J. Will- 
iams, Aug. II, 1862, died at St. Louis Marcl) 
26, 1863; Alexander Withers, Aug. 9, 1862, 
died at Young's Point March 3, 1863; Ira 
\Vithers, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Millikin's 
Bend April 27, 1863 ; A. J. Wright, Aug. 12, 
1862, died at Young's Point Feb. 17, 1863; 
Jacob Zinn, Aug. 15, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865. 



Recruits — Alexander Briggs, Oct. i, 1862, 
died on steamer Planet Jan. 20, 1863; Will- 
iam H. H. Gill; E. Harris. 

Company E. 

Captains — Lewis J. Eyman, Sept., 1862, 
killed Jan. 11, 1863; J. S. Windsor, Jan. 31, 
1863, promoted major; R. M. Hamilton, 
Sept. 26, 1864, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
was first lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — S. H. Varney, Sept. 6, 
1862, resigned March 5, 1863; James D. 
Noon, March 5, 1863, died June 18, 1863; 
William II. Streeter, June 3, 1863, resigned 
May 27, 1864; Samuel J. Varnej', Sept. 26, 
1864; died of smallpox Feb. 13, 1865; Will- 
iam H. Dickerson, April 20, 1865. mustered 
out June 7, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — W. L. Harris, Sept. 
6, 1862, resigned June 28, 1863; Amzi H. 
Baker, June 7, 1865, mustered out June 7, 
1865. 

Sergeant.s — L. J. Mackey, Aug. 15, 1862, 
absent, sick at mustering out ; R. M. Ham- 
ilton, Aug. 15, 1862, promoted first lieuten- 
ant; Joseph D. Noon, Aug. 6, 1862, died at 
Memphis June 18, 1863; Amzi II. Baker, 
Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
as second lieutenant. 

Corporals — Ed. C. Eyman, Aug. 6, 1862, 
died at Millikin's Bend April 26, 1863 ; E. H. 
Boyd, Aug. 2, 1862, died at Young's Point 
Feb. 23, 1863 ; Jeremiah Gepford, Aug. 2, 
1862, mustered out June 2, 1865; Joel Rhine- 
hart, .Vug. 2, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865 ; John Eyman, Aug. 6, 1862, transferred 
to V. R. C. Jan. 15, 1864; John Danley, Aug. 
6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; Andrew 
Parr, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; George Goodman, Aug. 7, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865. 

Musicians — Robert G. Kitch, Aug. 6, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Silas Gepford, 
.\ugi 10, 1862. 

Wagoner — H. B. Nicholson, Aug. 6, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



03 



Privates — William ( J. Allen, Aug. 8, 1862, 
mustered out June 7. 1865. James H. Boyd, 
Aug. 2, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out ; 
Charles F. Benton, Aug. 6, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out ; G. W. Brewer. Aug. 6, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Charles 

5, Bullard, Aug. 6, 1862, absent, sick at 
mustering out; Joel Bruce, Aug. 8, 1862, 
died at Young's Point Feb. 9, 1863 ; George 
W. Bruce. Aug. 6, 1862, died at Decatur 
Aug. 31, 1863; E. L. Benton, Aug. 
8, 1862, died on hospital boat March 
18, 1863; J. Barnhart, Aug. 10. 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, prisoner ; Silas 
Burt, Aug. 2. 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865 : Ira E. Clark, Aug. 6, 1862, died Deca- 
tur, 111., Nov. 6, 1862; John W. Corn, Aug. 

6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Jacob 
Cross, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7> 
1865 ; Charles H. Clark, Aug. 6, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865; M. Carver, Aug. 7, 
1862, died at Young's Point Feb. 11, 1863; 
John H. Cox, Aug. 7, 1862, discharged at 
St. Louis; Israel M. Cross, Aug. 9, i8'52, 
died at Young's Point March 26, 1863 ; W. 
H. Dickerson, Aug. 2, 1862,, promoted cor- 
poral, sergeant and second lieutenant ; John 
Downey, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 

7, 1865; F. M. Danley, Aug. 6, 1862, died at 
Young's Point March 3, 1863 ; S. A. Doug- 
las, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; L. H. Dunham, Aug. 13, 1862, trans- 
ferred to V. R. C. May 16, 1864- Alichael 
Eaton, Aug. 8, 1862, discharged Nov. 25, 
1863; H. W. French, Aug. 2, 1862, trans- 
ferred to Inv. Corps Sept. 30, 1863; M. A. 
Farnam, Aug. 2, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865 ; Stephen Farnam, Aug. 2, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant ; Chester 
Farnam, Aug. 6, 1862, killed at Resaca, Ga., 
May 14, 1864; David Farnam, Aug. 6, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; Lindsay Far- 
nam, Aug. 6, 1862, absent, sick at muster- 
ing out ; James Free, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered 
out June 7. 1865 ; J. W. Fowler, Aug. 6, 
1862, killed at Walnut Hill May 19, 1863; 



James Goodin, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865 ; M. Greeley, Aug. 6, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865, as corporal; Thomas 
Graham, Aug. 7, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; E. M. Grass, Sept. 29, 1862, died at 
Memphis Oct. 21, 1863; W. H. Gepford, 
Sept. 16, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
as corporal; S. C. Hornback, Sept. 18, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; George W. 
Houser, Sept. 18, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865 ; William Houston, Aug. 2, 1862, 
killed at Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864; William 
Hunt, Aug. 2, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865 ; Byron Holcomb, Aug. 2, 1862, pro- 
moted sergeant major; James M. Hawk, 
Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as 
corporal ; Jacob J. Hobbs, Aug. 6, 1862, ser- 
geant, died July 30, 1864, wounds; Jacob 
Havener, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865 ; Benjamin Harrison, Aug. 6, 1862, 
died at Camp Butler Feb. 24, 1864; John H. 
Hatchett, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865, sergeant; Young P. Jones, Aug. 7, 
1862; F. M. Johnson, Aug. 6, 1862; William 
G. Jones, Aug. 7, 1862, absent, sick at mus- 
tering out ; E. M. Johnson, Aug. 7, 1862, 
died at Decatur Oct. 5, 1863; J. L. James, 
Aug. 8, 1862, discharged June 14, 1863 ; Solo- 
mon Kitch, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865, as corporal ; Edward M. Kile, Aug. 

6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Harper 
Kelsey, Aug. 13, 1862, died at Memphis Aug. 
5, 1863 ; John W. Kile, Aug., 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865 ; Moses Land, Aug. 6, 1862, 
died at Cherry Grove, 111., Nov. 25, 1863; 
Eli Nelson, Aug. 7, 1862, discharged Feb. 
18, 1865, disability; George Pettit, Aug. 6, 
1862, died at Dallas, Ga., May 31, 1864; 
James H. Parr, Aug. 6, 1862, died at Young's 
Point March 2, 1863 ; L W. Rittenhouse, 
Aug. 6, 1862, corporal, died at Decatur, 111., 
Sept. 29, 1864, wounds ; William H. Roger, 
Aug. 8, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
A. Shartzer, Aug. 2, 1862, mustered out June 

7, 1865; James H. Sprague, Aug. 2, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; R. M. Stockton, 



u 



PAST A.\"[) l'RF.Si:.\T OF MACOX C(>L XTY. 



Aug. 2, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
as sergeant; (j. R. Sollars, Aug. 6, 1862; 
discharged Sept. 16, 1864; Leonard Stout, 
Aug. 6, 1862, discharged March 28, 1864; 
Nat. Sprague, Aug. 5, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865. as corporal ; .Allen Smallej', 
Aug. 6, 1862, died at Camp Sherman, Miss., 
Aug. 31. 1863; Thomas A. Snj^der, Aug. 18, 
1862, died at St. Louis July 3, 1863; George 
Van Gundy, Aug. 6, 1862, died at Young's 
Point March 16, 1863: Samuel J. \^arney. 
Aug. 14. 1862, sergeant, first lieutenant, died 
at .\nnapolis Feb. 3, 1863; Larkin Wheeler, 
Aug. 2, i8()2; Lewis E. White, .\ug. 2, 1862, 
discharged Aug. 14, 1863; Basil Wood, Aug. 
6, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Joseph 
H. Young, Aug. 6, 1862, died at Memphis 
April 13, 1863. 

Recruits — William P. Benton, died at 
■Memphis Jan.. 1863. 

Company F. 

Captains — Samuel X. Bishop, .Sept. 6, 
1862. resigned .-\pril 12, 1863; N. Gesch- 
wind. .April 12, 1863, promoted major; Will- 
iam P. (ri(H)dncr, June 7. 1865. mustered out 
June 7, 1865. 

First Lieutenants — John B. Tutt, Sept. 

6, 1862, died Jan. 26, 1863 ; S. R. Riggs, April 
12, 1863, resigned Dec. 11, 1864; John A. 
Cochran, June 7. 1865, mustered out June 

7, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — H. R. Pratt. Sept. 
30, 1862, died March 30, 1863; J. C. Stans- 
bury, .\pril 28, 1863, died April 9, 1865 ; John 
P. Lewis, June 7, 1865, mustered out June 
7- 1865. 

Privates — Benjamin Lourish, Sept. 5, 
1862, died at Young's Point Feb. 15, 1863; 
David Lourish, Aug. 11, 1862, discharged 
March 20, 1863; George E. Young, Sept. 
14, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out. 

Company G. 
Captains — Alonzo P,. Davis, Sept. 30, 
1862, died Sept. 22, 1863; Harvey Mahan- 



nah, Dec. 22. 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865, was first lieutenant. 

First Lieutenant — James P. Barnett, Dec. 
22, i8f>3, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — Lafayette Helm, 
Sept. 30. 1862. died Feb. 16, 1863; Byron 
liarnett, March 15, 1863. mustered out |une 
7. 1865. 

l-'irst Sergeant — James P. Barnett. .\ug. 

11, 1862, promoted first lieutenant. 
Sergeant.s — D. B. Landis, Aug. 18, 1862, 

wounded, transferred to V. R. C. Sept. 15, 
1863; William P.. Davis, Aug. 18. 1862; 
Michael Doyle, Aug. 9, 1862. mustered out 
June 7, 1863; Z. C. Burdick. Aug. 12. 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865. 

CorporaLs — William -Smith, Aug. 11, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; 
( )ren S. Rouse, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered out 
June 7. 1865. as sergeant; .A. Kittrick, Aug. 
14, 1862, mustered out June 7. 1865; John 
E. Bragg, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered out June 
7. 1865. 

Musician — Daxid Rea, Aug. 12, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 18C5. 

Wagoner — WilHam H. liorton, .\ug. 12, 
1862. 

Privates — Elijah .Andrews. Sept. 28, 1862; 
Elias Andrews, Sept. 28, 1862; ^L L. Bar- 
rett, Aug. 14, 1862, promoted principal mu- 
sician ; Charles Barrett, Sept. 14, 1862, died 
at Young's Point Feb. 22, 1863 ; William 
Brooks, Aug. 12, 1862; Jo.seph C. Baird, 
Aug. 12, 1862, discharged .March 31, 1863; 
'I'homas Cotterell, .\ug. 12, 1862. mustered 
out June 7, 1865; William E. Crissey, Aug. 

12, 1862, promoted commissar)* sergeant; 
William W. Dickey, Aug. 15, 1862, killed at 
Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864; D. .A. Dickey, 
Sept. 9. 1862, corporal, killed at Atlanta, 
July 22, 1864; William Fry, Sept. 9, 1862; 
Lafayette Fuller. Aug. 29, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out; Jacksbn Grant, Sept. 11, 
1862, died at Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 10, 1863; 
John T. Higgins. -Aug. 14, 1862, detached 
at mustering out of regiment ; Brice Howell, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Go 



Aug. 12, 1862; Lewis Howell, Aug. 15. 1862; 
Alexander Hoots, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865, as corporal : John S. Helm, 
Aug. 18, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
C. R. Harper, Aug. 11, 1862, died Jan. 12, 
1865, wounds; William C. Hooker, Aug. 15, 
1862, died at JMemphis, Tenn., March 30, 
1863; Servantus Huston, Aug. 13, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865 ; C. E. Hunsley, Aug. 

14, 1862 ; mustered out June 7, 1865 ; J. Hen- 
son, Aug. 20, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; Duham Hanks, Aug. 12, 1862; Isaac 
Kemp, Aug. 12, 1862; Philip Kemp, Aug. 

15, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as ser- 
geant : ^^'illiam Lyons, Aug. 12, 1862, ab- 
sent, sick at mustering out ; G. \V. Lickliter, 
Aug. 29, 1862, died at Memphis May i, 
1863; John Lukins. Aug. 14, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865, wounded; Henry Latham, 
Aug. 2, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
David Moore, Aug. 20, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865 ; William Moore, Aug. 15, 1862; 
H. Alahannah, Aug. 11, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; George W. Mott, Sept. 11, 
1862, discharged Feb. 18, 1865, as sergeant, 
wounded; S. W. Rosa, Aug. 12, 1862; 
William H. Rhodes, Sept. 18, 1862, dis- 
charged ^larch II, 1863; A. L. Smith, Aug. 

12, 1862, discharged' Sept. 18, 1862; William 
C. Smith, .\ug. 21, 1862; died at Young's 
Point Jan. 27, 1863 ; Samuel Shupp, Aug. 26, 
1862, first sergeant, absent, sick at muster- 
ing out ; William E. Shastid, Aug. 14, 1862, 
died at Young's Point Feb. 20, 1863: T. W. 
Smith, Aug. 11, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865; L. Startsman, Aug. 18, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865; William Secrist, 
Aug. 12, 1862, died at Mound City, 111., Aug. 
I, 1863; John W. Smith, Sept. 18, 1862, dis- 
charged Sept. 12, 1863 ; M. Schmitz, Sept. 

13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; William 
Spear, Aug. 14, 1862, discharged Alarch 3, 
1863 ; John A. Troxell, Aug. 14, 1862, trans- 
ferred to V. R. C. June 15, 1863: James L. 
W'illett. Aug. 12, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865, as corporal ; L. A. ^\'illiams, -Vug. 17, 



1862, transferred to V. R. C. Dec. 15, 1863; 
Wesley Wheeler, Aug. 12, 1862, discharged 
June 6, 1863. 

Company H. 

Captain.s— J. L. Dobson, Sept. 30, 1862, 
resigned June 13, 1863; John P. Lamb, June 
13, 1863, resigned Dec. 22, 1864; Charles P. 
Essick, April 20, 186=;. mustered out June 
7, 1865. 

First Lieutenants — Isom Simmons, April 
28, 1863, killed Dec. 22, 1864; James Good- 
win, April 20, 1865. mustered out June 7, 
1865. 

Second Lieutenants — Theodore Short, 
Sept. 20, 1862, died Feb. 6, 1863; William 
W. \\inn, June 7, 1865, mustered out June 
7, 1865. 

Musician — James Robinson, Sept. 18, 
1862, transferred to In v. Corps Dec 17 
1863. 

Private — Charles Sollers, Sept. 10, 1862. 

Recruit — George ^\'. Uacon, Feb. 24, 1864, 
transferred to Co. F, 35th Illinois Infantry. 

Company I. 

Captains — Uriah P. Forbes, Sept. 30, 1862, 
resigned April 25. 1863; John F. Bishof, 
.■\pril 25, 1863, resigned March 30, 1864, was 
first lieutenant; Isaac N. Martin, March 13, 
1864, mustered out June 7, 1865, was first 
lieutenant. 

First Lieutenant — Fred Schwab, March 
13, 1864, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — Irwin Miller, Sept. 
30, 1862, discharged Dec. 19, 1865; Joshua 
K. Carr, June 7, 1865, mustered out June 7, 
1865. 

Sergeant.? — F. M. Sheppard, Aug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, was first ser- 
geant and second lieutenant ; E. Workhiser, 
Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
W. H. Phillips. Aug. 22, 1862, detached at 
mustering out. 

Corporals — M. \^ermillion, Aug. 14, 1862, 
died at Larkinsville, Ala., Feb. 4. 1864; J. 
E. Carter, Aug. 8, 1864, mustered out June 



66 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



7, 1865 ; George Martin, Aug. 12, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; J. H. 
Hammond, Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 18G5; Peter Scliut, .\ug. 13, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Asa Kingsbury, 
Aug. 8, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out; 
John Scott, Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; G. W. Mendenhall, Aug. 8, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, prisoner. 

Musician. — Henry W'heelan, Aug. 22, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Private-s — Joseph .A.rt, Aug. 12, 1862, died 
on liospital boat Marcli 15. iS()^; Jacob 
Barth, Aug. 22, 1862, (bed on hospital 
boat March 15, 1863; Jacob Bratz, .\ug. 14. 
1862, died at Young's Piiint, La., Feb. 22, 
1863; G. C. Bailey, Aug. 18, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865; Samuel Barnett, Sept. 22, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; M. C. Con- 
nolly, Aug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865 ; E. R. Collins, Aug. 8, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865, as corporal ; Henry Cline, 
Aug. 15, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, 
as sergeant; Cors. Corthen, Aug. 14, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865; George W. 
Church, -Aug. 11, 1862, transferred to Co. A, 
55th Illinois Infantry; Joseph Drain, Aug. 
22, 1862, discharged May 5, 1865, disability ; 
John Q. Enkie, Aug. 14, 1862, discharged 
April 8, 1863, disability; Henry Ebert, Aug. 
14, 1862, sergeant, sick at mustering out; 
Michael Fry, Aug. 8, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865, as corporal ; J. J. Flaherty, 
Aug. 3, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; 
Henry Fulk, Aug. 16, 1862, absent, sick at 
mustering out ; John W. Fulk, Aug. 22, 
1862, died at Young's Point Jan. 29, 1863 ; 
John Fory, Aug. 22, 1862, transferred to Co. 
A, 55th Illinois Infantry ; David Guthrie, 
Aug. 14, 1862, -mustered out June 7, 1865; 
William S. Guthrie, Aug. 14, 1862, died at 
Young's Point Feb. 9, 1863; Fred Gehr, 
Aug. 21, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out ; 
Daniel H. Garver, Sept. 19, 1862; Michael 
Gloden, Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865. as corporal; J. Goodpasture, Aug. 9, 



1862, discharged Oct. 9, 1862; T. R. Ham- 
mond, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865, as sergeant; Michael HofF, .-^ug. 9, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, as corporal; 
Harvey Harris, Aug. 22, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865 ; Andrew Heinold, Aug. 12, 
1862, died Quincy, 111., March 25, 1865; O. 
Herrindeen, Sept. 27, 1862, died on hospital 
boat March 13, 1863; S. T. Jenkins, Sept. 
10, 1862, discharged Jan. 24, 1863, disability; 
.Mathias Keller, Aug. 9, 1S62, died at Quincy, 
111.. Oct. 25, 1863; J. B. Kitchen, Aug. 12, 
1862, discharged March 27, 1863, disability; 
Ernest Koehler, Aug. 12, 1862, died at Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn., Feb. ig, 1864; J. Latch, Jr., 
.\ug. 8, 1862 ; George B. Latch, Aug. 8, 
1862; Theodore R. Latch, .Aug. 8, 1862; J. 
Morganthall, .\ng. 8, 1862, absent, sick at 
■ mustering out; John Martin, Aug. 14, 1862; 
Alexaniler IMiller, Aug. 9, 1862, killed at 
Resaca, Ga., May 14, 1864; Samuel ]\Iiles, 
.Vug. 13, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; 
John .\Iang, .Sept. 20, 1862, discharged Sept. 
2, 1863, disability; Henry S. Miller, Aug. 9, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Andrew 
Morrel, -Aug. 14, 1862, killed at Arkansas 
Post Jan. II, 1863; H. Mendenhall, Aug. 
20, 1862, discharged March 6, 1863, dis- 
ability; Fred Nier, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865; William Odle, Aug. 12, 
1862, discharged March 11, 1863, disability; 
S. V. Reynolds, Aug. 13, 1862, died at De- 
catur Oct. 8, 1862 ; Valentine Smith, Aug. 
14, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; M. A. 
Smoot, Aug. 14, 1862, died on steamer 
Planet Feb. 18, 1863 ; Joseph Strickland, 
Aug. 15, 1862, died at Evansville Jan. 10, 
1865 ; H. Shinnaman, Aug. 19, 1862, died at 
St. Louis March 4, 1863 ; John StumpfT, Aug. 
19, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; Fred 
Smith, Aug. 22, 1862; E. Smith, Sept. 13. 
1862, as corporal; George Tool, Aug. 22, 
1862; Philip A. "Vogle, Aug. 14, 1862, trans- 
ferred to V. R. C. May i, 1864; David Veail, 
Aug. 13, 1865, discharged May 25, 1863, dis- 
ability ; Michael Witt, mustered out June 7, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



67 



1865; H. W'esterhaver, Aug. 8, 1862, wag- 
oner, sick at mustering out ; Josiah Younger, 
Aug. 12, 1862, corporal, killed at Vicksburg, 
July 2, 1863; J. Q. Younger, Aug. 14, 1862, 
discharged March 28, 1863, disability ; Will- 
iam Young, Aug. 12, 1862, corporal, sick 
at mustering out. 

Recruit — William H. Miller, Aug. 12, 
1862, transferred to Co. A, Illinois Infantry. 

Company K. 

Captains — John E. Maddox, Sept. 30, 
1862, promoted lieutenant colonel; James 
H. Glore, June 15, 1864, mustered out June 
7, 1865, was first and second lieutenant. 

First Lieutenants — John S. Windsor, 
Sept. 30, 1862, promoted Captain Co. E ; 
Joseph D. Mackey, June 15, 1864, mustered 
out June 7, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants — N. W. Wheeler, 
Sept. 30, 1862, killed March 19, 1863, siege 
of Vicksburg; H. G. Eppler, June 7, 1865, 
mustered out June 7, 1865. 

Sergeants — ^G. W. Green, July 17, 1862, 
absent, sick at mustering out ; Thomas Mc- 
Cann, died at IMillikin's Bend, La., May 8, 
1863; James Dermot, July 9, 1862, dis- 
charged March 20, 1864. 

Corporals — William L. Tedroe, July 26, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865, was pris- 
oner; John Stackhouse, Aug. 6, 1862, mus- 
tered out June 7, 1865 ; John Ruthrofif, July 
29, 1862, died at Mount City Sept. 7, 1863; 
J. J. H. Young, July 14, 1862, discharged 
April II, 1863; M. V. Harbour, Aug. 14, 
1862, sergeant, sick at mustering out; Will- 
iam Thompson, Aug. 14, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out ; John Herrin, Aug. 14, 
1862, died at Young's Point May 24, 1863; 
William T. Griffin, Aug. 6, 1862. 

Musicians — Daniel Mclntyre, Aug. 15, 
1862, discharged July 3, 1864; B. C. Bar- 
rackman, Aug. 19, 1862. 

Wagoner — -William Young, Aug. 6, 1862, 
absent, sick at mustering out. 



Privates— George Ater, Aug. 7, 1862, 
transferred to Inv. Corps Sept. i, 1863; J. 
\\'. Ashberry, Aug. 24, 1862, corporal, died 
at Rome, Ga., Sept. 9, 1864; William J. 
Brewer, Aug. 14, 1862, mustered out June 
7, 1865; G. W. Burt, Aug. 15, 1862, trans- 
ferred to Inv. Corps Jan. 17, 1864; C. M. 
Baird, July 25, 1862, died at Young's Point 
Feb. 23, 1863; James Badger, July 22, 1862, 
absent, sick at mustering out; Jasper 
Brooks, Aug. 24, 1862, died at Young's Point 
Feb. 3, 1863; R. K. Brooks, Aug. 24, 1862, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; 
James Chafin, Aug. 15, 1862; Adam Cole- 
man, Aug. 15, 1862, died at Memphis March 
23, 1863; Michael Clark, Aug. 28, 1862, died 
at Memphis Jan. 31, 1863; Clark Carr, Aug. 
22, 1862; William Clay, Aug. 2, 1862; Na- 
man Collins, Aug. 8, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865, as sergeant; N. T. Cook, July 
r5, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865 ; Hugh 
Clark, July 22, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865; Jerome Cox, Aug. 8, 1862, discharged 
July I, 1863; Joseph Chafin, Aug. 25, 1862; 
George Deboy, Aug. 13, 1862, died at At- 
lanta, Ga., July 25, 1864, wounded; Benja- 
min Devore, Aug. 9, 1862, died at Decatur 
Nov. 18, 1863; B. Eldridge, Aug. 19, 1862, 
absent, sick at mustering out ; Hiram Epler, 
mustered out June 7, 1865, as sergeant; 
Levi Follis, Aug. 11, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; Alexander Follis, Aug. 11, 
1862, died on hospital boat 'May 23, 1863; 
Jesse Fry, Aug. 7, 1862, discharged Jan. 8, 
1865; Andrew Gingle, Aug. 6, 1862, missing 
since May 31, 1865, supposed insane; J. S. 
Hunter, Aug. 15, 1862, discharged May 6, 
1865, as corporal ; Richard Hix, Aug. 27, 
1862, died on hospital boat Jan. 31, 1863; 
William Hamsher, Aug. 22, 1862, absent, 
sick at mustering out; J. A. Herrold, Aug. 
22, 1862, transferred to Inv. Corps Sept. 30, 
1863; H. Hager, Aug. 28, 1862, died at Big 
Shanty June 23, 1864; John Heck, Aug. 2, 



«8 



PAST AM) ! 'RESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



1862, mustered out Jiiiic 7, 1865; William 
Holder. Aug. I, 1862, died at Chattanooga 
June 14, 1864; Jacob James, Aug. 11, 1862. 
killed at Atlanta, ("la., July 22. 1864; David 
James, Aug. 11, 1862, died at St. Louis July 
20, 1863; John Johnson, Aug. 25, 1862, died 
at Decatur Nov. 25. 1862; J. Jones, Aug. 2, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865: J. .\. Kim- 
herland. .\ug. 15. 1862. mustered out June 

7, 1865: William Luster, Aug. 11. 1862; 
mustered out June 7. 1865: G. W. Leigh, 
.\ug. 2. 1862. died at Memphis Nov. 26, 
1862: Malcy Matto.x, .Aug. 14. 1862,, cor- 
poral, died at Young's Point Feb. i, 1863; 
M. McCJlaughlin, Aug. 6, 1862, mustered out 
June 7, 1865; Patrick Murphy, Aug. 20, 
1862, discharged Dec. 4, 1863; Owen Mc- 
Cantus. Aug. 22, 1862; Jacob Maples, Aug. 
15, 1862, absent, sick at mustering out; 
William McCune, Aug. 22, 1862, absent, sick 
at mustering out : S. Royner, Aug. 16, 1862, 
died at Pana, 111., June 20, 1864; David 
P.urkey, Aug. 7, 1862, transferred to Inv. 
Corps Sci)t. 1, 1863; James Ryan, Aug. 15, 
1862, sergeant, died at Big Shanty, Ga., 
July 17, 1864. wounded: J. \V. Reed, Aug. 

8, 1862, died at Keokuk, Iowa, Oct. 5, 1863; 
T. J. T\ei'(l. Aug. 22, 1862; died at Young's 
Point Feb. 11, 1863; Daniel Staines, Aug. 
15, 1862. died at Young's Point Feb. 7, 1863; 
John Shichls, Aug. 15. 1862, mustered out 
June 7, .1865; David Shoemaker, Aug. 8, 
1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; Henr}' 
Shaw, July 15, i862v discharged April 15, 
1863: C. R. Smith, July 25, 1862, mustered 
out June 7, 1865 ; William See, Aug. 27, 
1862, discharged April 10, 1863; David B. 
Terril, Aug. 9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 
1865, as corporal; Tolliver West, July 17, 
1862, commissioned in second Mississippi 
Colored Infantry; James W'. Warnell, Aug. 

9, 1862, mustered out June 7, 1865; David, 
Wallace, Aug. 12, 1862, mustered mit June 
7. 1865; James W.Wood, Aug. 1, i8f)2, died 
at Young's Point Jan. 1, 1863. 



VILLAGES OF MACON COUNTY. 
Blue Mound. 

.\fter the completion, in 1886, of the East 
.^t. Louis Railroad, now the Wabash, this 
town was established. The town was platted 
through the influence of Doctor Goltra, who 
owned the land upon which the town is lo- 
cated. It lakes its name from two large 
mounds lying west of it. There are in the 
town four grocery stores, two bakeries and 
restaurants, one hardware store, one furni- 
ture and implement store, two elevators, 
three hotels, two blacksmith shops, two 
drug stores, two clothing and shoe stores, 
one shoe store, one general store, two dry 
goods stores, one harness shop, two meat 
markets, three barber shops, one tailor shop, 
one photograijh gallery, one implement 
house, two millinery stores, one paper, the 
Blue Mound Leader, also five doctors and 
one dentist. There is a ])ublic system of 
water works, the water coming from deep 
wells ; also a private electric light plant. 

The town was incorporated in 1876; the 
population is about 800. The following 
churches are located within its boundaries: 
Methodist. Christian. Cumberland Presby- 
terian, and in addition to this there is a good 
four-room school house. It is situated about 
ten miles southwest of Decatur, in Pleas- 
ant V'iew township, one of the great corn 
producing localities of Alacon county ; it 
is a thriving town and is. making a steady, 
substantial growth. Lodges : L O. O. F., 
A. F. & A. M., K. of P., M. W. 

Oreana. 
Oreana was platted in 1872 on land owned 
by H. C. Bower. Two general stores, two 
elevators, a blacksmith shop and a substan- 
tial modern school house are located in the 
\illage. A Christian church, a I'.aptist 
church, a Modern W^oodmen lodge and a 
Knights of Pythias lodge arc here located. 
The population is about 150. But one doc- 
tor, C. A. Mallorv. It is situated about seven 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



69 



miles northeast of Decatur in the midst of 
fine productive rolling prairie lands. 

Oakley. 

Oakley was ])latted in 1856 on land owned 
by \\'illiam Rea. Twogeneral stores, two 
elevators, and one blacksmith shop consti- 
tute the business of the village. A Modern 
Woodmen lodge, a United Brethren church 
and a modern school house are located here. 
The population is 200. It is situated five 
miles east of Decatur on the Wabash Rail- 
road. 

Elwin. 

Elwin, originally Wheatland, changed to 
its present name on account of a Wheatland 
in W'ill county, was platted in 1859' on land 
owned by William JMartin and Daniel H. 
Elvvood. The village has a general store, 
an elevator, a blacksmith shop, one doctor, 
Joseph Leslie, a Methodist church and a 
well arranged school house ; population 
about 100. It is located five miles south of 
Decatur on the Illinois Central Railroad 
in South Wheatland township in a very fer- 
tile prairie corn and oats producing spot. 

Boody. 

Boody is on the St. Louis branch of the 
Wabash Railroad about four miles south- 
west of Decatur in Blue Mound township, 
in a fine corn and wheat ])roducing locality. 
It was platted in 1870 on land owned by 
Frederick Neintker, who entered it from 
the government in 1856. It has two gen- 
eral stores, one elevator, one blacksmith 
shop, one shoe store, one United Brethren 
church, one town hall, a two-room school 
house ; two doctors. The secret societies 
are : The Fraternal Army, The Modern 
Woodmen and The Home Circle. Popula- 
tion 300. 

Macon. 

Macon was platted in 1856 on land ovv'ued 
by the Illinois Central Railroad ; it was in- 
corporated April 19, 1869. The first store 



room was built in 1859 by Charles Williams 
and Charles Seamens. The first dwelling 
house was erected by A. J. Harris in 1859, 
he beginning the work on Sunday. 

There are at present two general stores, 
two hardware stores, one furniture store, one 
drug store, two shoe stores, one millinery 
store, two banks, two implement houses, 
one lumber yard, two elevators, two barber 
shops, one meat market, three restaurants, 
one bakery, two blacksmith shops, two liv- 
ery stables, one sale stable, two hotels, two 
veterinary surgeons, two doctors, one in- 
surance office, one newspaper. The Macon 
Record, a Catholic church, a Presbyterian 
church and a Methodist church. 

In lodges they have : A Masonic, an Odd 
Fellows, and a Supreme Court of Honor. 
It also has a six-room school, one of the 
best frame houses in the county, which 
occupies a central location. The population 
is 800. It is about nine miles south of De- 
catur in South Macon township in a fine 
farming community. It has a system of 
public water works, the water coming from 
a deep well. 

Forsyth. 

This village was platted in 1864 on land 
owned by .Edward O. Smith, and named 
after Robert Forsyth, the general freight 
agent of the Illinois Central Railroad. It 
contains at present two general stocks of 
goods, one blacksmith shop, one elevator, 
one Methodist church, a one-room school 
house, a Modern Woodmen lodge, a Knights 
of Pythias lodge and an Odd Fellows lodge. 
The population is 200. It is located six 
miles north of Decatur in a very productive 
community. 

Hervey City. 

Hervey City was platted in 1872 on land 
owned by P. S. Outten, located four miles 
southeast of Mt. Zion, in Mt. Zion township. 
The postoffice at this place is known by the 
government as Outten Postoffice. The vil- 



ro 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



lage contains one store and two elevators. 
The population is about sixty-five. The 
surrounding country is typical Macon coun- 
ty land. 

Hight. 
In 1900 an elevator was erected about 
three-fourths of a mile southeast of Hervey 
City on the Jesse Vowel land ; C. A. Hight 
of Dalton City being one of the owners of 
the elevator gave the station the name of 
Hight. The place now has an excellent 
school house and a dwelling house, also a 
small depot. 

Mt. Zion. 

This village was platted on land owned 
by S. K. Smith between 1825 and 1830. It 
was called Wilson Postofficc, but in 1830 a 
Cumberland Presbyterian church was erect- 
ed there and named Mt. Zion church ; the 
name of the town was at once changed to 
^It. Zion. The first house in town was built 
by Andrew Wilson near the present site of 
John Scott's house. 

The village contains three general stores, 
one implement house, one harness shop, one 
lumber yard, one blacksmith shop, one bar- 
ber shop, one elevator, two doctors, a Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church, a Methodist 
church and a two-room school house. The 
school house was built for a college and 
was used for that purpose until the school 
was removed to Lincoln, Illinois. The popu- 
lation is about 300. It is situated about five 
miles southeast of Decatur in Mt. Zion 
township. 

Harristown. 

This village was platted on land owned 
by J. II. Burkey. It was named Summit, 
because it is the highest point between Indi- 
anapolis and Springfield, but when the rail- 
road was coiupleted it was changed to Har- 
ristown in honor of a railroad official in 
Springfield. It contains a general store, a 
blacksmith shop, an elevator, a restaurant, 
a Methodist church, a Church of Christ, 



and a two-room school house. It has a 
population of 150. It is situated about eight 
miles west of Decatur in Harristown town- 
ship; the surrounding country is beauti- 
fully undulating and very fertile. 

Maroa. 

This city was platted in 1854 on land 
owned b}' the "Associated Land Company" 
and the Illinois Central Railroad Company. 
It was incorporated as a city in 1867. The 
first house was built by G. J. Schenk in 
1855. The "Prairie Hotel" was built by 
William Greer in 1858; in the same year 
the first school house was built, and Robert 
Collins was the first teacher. 

The city contains two dry goods stores, 
four grocery stores, two drug stores, three 
blacksmith shops, two implement houses, 
one furniture store, two hardware stores, 
three restaurants, two barber shops, two 
millinery stores, two hotels, two meat shops, 
two lumber yards, two banks, three saloons, 
one harness shop, one livery stable, two ele- 
vators, a Alethodist church, a Christian 
church, a Presbyterian church, two school 
houses, one of two and the other of six 
rooms. Lodges: Masonic, Odd Fellows, 
Knights of Pythias, and Modern Woodmen, 
Rcbckah, Rathbone Sisters and Eastern 
.Star. One lawyer and three doctors are lo- 
cated there. Population, 2,000. It has a 
system of water works owned by the city; 
its water supply coming from a deep well. 
There is also a private electric light plant 
which supplies the city both as to city and 
private use. 

Warrensburg. 

This village was platted in 1872 on land 
owned by J. K. Warren ; town assumed his 
name. There are in the village three gen- 
eral stores, one drug store, two restaurants, 
two hotels, one lumber yard, two elevators, 
one harness shop, two livery barns, one bar- 
ber shop, one paper, "The Warrensburg 
Times," a Methodist church, a Congrega- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



71 



tional church, a Church of God, also a four- 
room school house. The population is 600. 
The village is located eight miles north- 
west of Decatur on a ridge overlooking the 
country to the north and northwest for 
many miles. For a picturesque site there 
is none in the county its equal. The village 
supports two doctors. 

Argenta. 

The village of Argenta was platted on 
land owned by Russell B. Rogers in 1873, 
when the Decatur, Monticello & Champaign 
Railroad, now a branch of the Illinois Cen- 
tral, was constructed. The fortieth parallel 
passes through this place dividing it almost 
equally. 

The first house was built by George M. 
George in the northeast part of town. The 
first store room was built by William Ellis ; 
it was destroyed by fire, then replaced by 
the one now owned by William Kidder. 
The village contains two general stores, two 
hardware stores, one furniture store, two 
barber shops, one harness shop, two res- 
taurants, one hotel, one meat market, two 
elevators, one bank, one lumber yard, one 
livery barn, one paper, "The Argenta 
Hustler," a Methodist church, a Cumber- 
land Presbyterian church, a United Breth- 
ren church, and a Christian church, also a 
four-room school house ; two doctors and 
one dentist are located there. 

Niantic. 

This village was platted about 1853 on 
land owned by Jesse Lockhart. Originally 
the inhabitants named the place Long Point, 
the railroad called it Prairie City and the 
postal department knew it as Lockhart. 
Later these three elements united in nam- 
ing it Niantic in honor of some town in 
Connecticut bearing the name of some In- 
dian tribe. 

George Wree built the first house in Nian- 
tic, now occupied by Dr. A. Hall as an of- 



fice. The business is as follows : Three 
general stores, one drug store, five grocery 
stores, one meat market, one shoe store, two 
restaurants, two bakeries, three barber 
shops, two confectioneries, one harness 
shop, three blacksmith shops, one real estate 
firm, two hotels, one coal shaft, three grain 
dealers and implement houses, one lumber 
yard, one hardware store, one bank, two 
doctors, a Roman Catholic church, a Chris- 
tian church, a Methodist church. Lodges : 
Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Modern 
Woodmen, Ancient Order of United Work- 
men, Fraternal Crystal Light, Royal Circle, 
Fraternal .\rmy. Yeomen of America ; also 
a modern four-room school house as good as 
any you will find in a village of its size. 

Bearsdale was established when the P., 
D. & E. Railway was built, and is located 
in the west part of Hickory Point township, 
taking the name of the original settlers, 
Bear. It has two grain elevators, two 
stores, a blacksmith shop and a postofiice. 

Prairie Hall was established soon after 
the Vandalia was built; it lies in the east 
part of Mt. Zion township. A general store, 
two grain elevators and a postoffice are lo- 
cated there. 

Heman. formerly Bullardsville, was estab- 
lished on the P., D. & E. Railway a few 
miles west of Warrensburg, some tkne after 
the building of the railroad. It has an ele- 
vator, a store and a postofiice. 

Walker, located in the south part of South 
Macon township, was established soon after 
the building of the Illinois Central Railway. 
It has two elevators, a store and a post- 
office. 

Emery, located in the south part of Maroa 
township, was established soon after the 
construction of the Illinois Central Rail- 
road. It has two grain elevators, a store 
and a postoffice. 

Sangamon, located in the west part of 
Sangamon township, was established soon 
after the building of the Wabash Railroad. 



72 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY 



Jt lias two stores, a grain elevator, a black- 
smith siiop and a postoffice. 

W ykles, about three miles west of Deca- 
tur was established but a few years ago. 
It contains an elevator and a postoffice. 

The Lost Towns of Macon County. 

Jn 1836 John and Thomas Moffett platted 
the town of Madison where the Aladison 
school house now stands. The town grew 
for a while but was finally abandoned. 

The town of Murphreysboro was platted 
in 1839 on what is known as the N'olgamot 
farm south of Newburg in Friends Creek 
township. It was for a time a rival of De- 
catur, but eventually lost its prestige. 

The town of West Danville, better known 
as 'T^antown," just cast of Newburg. was 
platted by Daniel Conklin about 1838. It 
grew for a number of years making quite a 
conspicuous village, but finally succumbed 
to decay; nothing remains but one residence 
and the old distillery to tell of its halcyon 
days. 

The Schools. 

The educational facilities of Macon coun- 
ty have kept apace with those of anv of the 
adjacent counties. 

Durnig its first decatle the bouses were 
few and far between ; these houses were 
built by donations of material and labor, 
and the teacher was dependent upon the 
parents for his pay, which was sometimes 
as low as ten dollars per month ; he boarded 
around, day or week about, thus securing 
his board free. Wood was furnished by the 
parents and chopped by the large boys ; the 
house was swept once a day by the large 
girls. 

During this formative period the teachers 
were divided into the following classes : 
The school teacher who taught the school ; 
the school master who mastered the school, 
and the school keeper who kept others from 
getting the school. There were, however, 
some excellent teachers in those davs, who 



were conscientious and well prepared. This 
class, in consequence of the meager stipend 
could not long remain in the profession, 
thus necessitating constant recruits,, who 
were, not infrequently, penniless adven- 
turers exploring the west, trying to turn a 
dollar by teaching. The pioneer teacher 
being examined by the board of directors, 
needed really but two (pialifications— a 
rugged physique and an ajitness in the fun- 
damentals of arithmetic, as the following 
question put at a prospecti\e teacher who 
taught the school in the (jarver settlement 
demonstrates. Question: What will be the 
cost of sixty bu.shels of wheat at a dollar per 
bushel? The teacher's ready answer 
promptly closed the examination and se- 
cured to him the authority to take charge 
of the school. It is true, nevertheless, that 
the teacher was plied with all kinds of 
knotty probleius, which did not in any event 
involve very intricate manipulations in their 
solutions, yet they were so considered by 
the patrons, and woe unto the teacher who 
could not solve them as by magic. 

The teacher by the did of the board of 
directors usually formulated a set of rules 
which were tacked upon the wall and re- 
viewed every morning as part of the day's 
task. The government was administered 
by the rod or intimidation, and by courting 
the favor of the older boys and girls. There 
was an unwritten law, nut included in the 
directors" rules, permitting the pupils to 
bar out the teacher in order to compel him 
to treat ; the teacher was often subjected 
to \ery rough and unwarranted treatment 
on these occasions. This custom, we are 
glad to say, is now obsolete. 

The methods of teaching were quite dif- 
ferent from those of the present. The 
books in use did not follow the lines of 
least resistance, as cpur psychologists advo- 
cate, but on the contrar\', seemed to follow 
the lines presenting most friction. A care- 
ful inspection of the following list of books 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



73 



will enable you to decide this for yourself: 
Reader, all grades, New Testament ; speller, 
Webster's Elementary : arithmetic, Smily. 
This practically completed the list. W'eb- 
ster's Elementary Speller, which was cer- 
tainly very comprehensive and edifying to 
the beginner, was used in the first five years 
of the child's school life to the exclusion of 
ever3'thing else. 

The single rule of three or single propor- 
tion, was the climax in arithmetical attain- 
ment. The methods of recitation in all the 
branches were purely mechanical, no 
thought work being attempted. 

It was customary to study aloud ; one un- 
accustomed to it could not distinguish the 
study from the recitation. If the singing 
of the chip is an index to the ability of the 
chopper how gratifying to the teacher must 
this tingling and tintinnabulating, rising and 
ebbing of the voices have been. 

The school houses were, likewise, worthy 
of mention ; they were almost invariably of 
logs, and were chinked and daubed. 

Some of them had no floors, and those 
that did have were floored with puncheon 
hewed out upon one side, smoothed by the 
children sliding back ' and forth on them. 
The school hoiise was heated by a large 
fire-place located at one end of the room. 
These fire-places were very large, being a 
receptacle for sticks of wood cut into cord 
lengths. The chimneys were made of wood 
and clay. As you would naturally suppose, 
most of the heat from the fire-place went up 
the huge chimney; instead of warming the 
room it warmed the outside. The windows 
were usually made by cutting out a log 
upon one side of the house, making the 
windows rather wide but not \'ery high. No 
supply of glass being accessible for these 
first houses, these openings in the wall that 
have been described were covered over with 
greased paper; the object in greasing the 
paper as a glazing process was to make it 
more transparent and also tougher so as to 



withstand the storms of wind and rain. It 
must have been an esthetic light that was 
admitted through these tallow dipped win- 
dow panes ; whatever the result may have 
been, it was the only make-shift until glass 
could be secured. 

The seats in those old school-houses 
would prove a nightmare to this generation. 
They, too, were made of slabs, hewn 
upon one side, with no lazy-back attach- 
ment. The little fellows were placed side 
l)v side on these rough-hewn benches, six, 
eight or ten in a row, scarcely any of them 
able to reach the floor with their feet. Legs 
were driven into these slabs from the lower 
side. These were not always of the same 
length, so that at times the benches would 
rock from side to side, greatly to the an- 
noyance of the children perched upon them. 
"The writing desks were made of split logs, 
and at a later date of planks, which were 
arranged around the sides of the room, 
usually under the windows ; pins were 
driven into the walls and the slabs or planks 
laid upon them ; they were not of that gilt- 
edged and varnished type of to-day, but 
were qtiite substantial. These are the desks 
that the boys took such a vicious delight in 
defacing with their jack-knives; they cut 
upon them all sorts of hierogl3'phical char- 
acters, checkerboards and representations 
of human beings and otherwise." 

The first school-house in the county was 
built in 1823 on the i.ild Widick farm, now. 
owned by the I'. M. W'ikoflf estate, located 
three and a half miles southwest of De- 
catur. The second was built in 1828 on the 
W. C. Smith land. Abraham Lincoln at- 
tended singing and spelling school in this 
house. 

The modern school is the outgrowth of 
the free-school law passed by the Illinois 
legislature in 1855. Like all laws it has un- 
dergone many changes since its enactment, 
most of which have resulted in good. 

We are, at present, in need of changes 



74 



PAST AND PRESENT OF iMACON COUNTY. 



in order to place the school law on a par 
with the advanced condition of our present 
schools. 

The result of the school law has been a 
better and a more imiform system of work 
throughout the county and state. The coun- 
try schools of this county have forged 
ahead of other counties of the state by 
adopting and following "The State Course 
of Stud)-," which originated in Macon 
county and has here, practically, been de- 
veloped to its present state of efficiency. 
It has ushered in the alternation of work, 
whereby the school carries the even num- 
bered grades: one, two, four, six, eight and 
ten one year and the odd numbered grades : 
one, two, three, five, seven and nine the 
next year. This reduces the number of 
classes and gives, in addition, two years 
of high school work. The high school work, 
also music and drawing, have for the last 
six years been \ery creditably done. The 
above work has in a large measure been 
responsible for better scholarship in the 
teacher. 

Another result of this law is a careful sys- 
tem of taxation for the support of the 
schools, which gives a longer term, now an 
average of eight months each year, and a 
more professional trend to the teacher; one 
who has prepared especially for the work, 
by attending a good normal school after 
completing from two to four years of high 
school work; the compensation is so much 
better that teachers are justified in pre- 
paring for and in entering teaching for a 
life work. 

The school-house has in a sense kept in 
touch with the private residence as to mod- 
ern appearances and conveniences. Outside 
of Decatur there arc twenty-three brick 
and one hundred and nine frame houses; 
many of these are modern in the manner 
of arrangement, light, heat and furniture — 
numbers of them are heated by furnaces. 

The board of directors, teachers, pupils 



and patrons have united with the county 
superintendent of schools to make the 
school surroundings, out of doors as well 
as in, attractive and habitable. Most school 
yards are fenced and contain shade trees ; 
the houses are painted inside and out, the 
walls are decorated with pictures and neatly 
papered. The schools in most districts are 
supplied with numerous reference books in 
addition to a librarj' for general reading — 
maps, globes, charts and other needed ap- 
paratus are in evidence. 

The teachers employed in the county 
during the year numbered about two hun- 
dred and seventy-five, a large majority be- 
ing ladies. The average salary is between 
fifty and fifty-five dollars per month. 

The average number of pupils in a dis- 
trict in the county schools is about twent- 
five, making the cost per pupil about two 
dollars per month. 

Outside of the \illage the school tax in 
some districts is as low as one and a half 
per cent, in the village it reaches two and 
a half per cent, which is the limit for gen- 
eral school purposes. 

Some of the schools, especially where the 
farms are large, as in Milam township, are 
smaller, thus making the rate per capita 
much higher. In these communities it 
would be much cheaper if the schools were 
consolidated and a house large enough to 
accommodate all built in the center of the 
township. 

In addition to the librar)- books already 
mentioned, the country schools of this 
county have quite a large circulating 
library, belonging to the schools individu- 
ally, in sets of ten volumes each. 

The plan of which is this : Each school 
that buys a set becomes a member of the 
library association. After the owner of 
the library has read it then it is exchanged, 
through the county superintendent's office, 
for one brought in by some other school. 
There being about thirty-five original sets 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



containing no dnplicate books the schools 
will have fresh reading material for some 
years. In order to supply all the schools 
wanting libraries it became necessary to 
duplicate all of these libraries. It is believed 
that these libraries have been the source 
of more real development and genuine good 
than any one thing done for the children. 

A large number of reading books of the 
various grades are loaned to the teachers 
through the county superintendent's office, 
these are used for supplementing the read- 
ers owned by the pupils. This has also 
proven very satisfactory to both teacher 
and pupil. 

The teachers also have a county library, 
which contains, in the main, professional 
works. 

School Lands. 

When the state of Illinois was admitted 
to the Union it was decided that section 
number sixteen of each township should 
be set aside for the use of the public schools 
of that township. 

There being no law at the time permitting 
the trustees or any one in authority to lease 
or rent the same most of these lands were 
sold at from twenty-five cents to twelve 
and a half dollars per acre. By the way, 
there is but one section in Macon county 
that it not sold — this belongs to township 
eighteen, range one, east, which is the polit- 
ical township of Austin in the northwest 
part of the county. The land is not for 
sale, but is valued at one hundred dollars 
per acre. It is divided into three farms, 
two of one hundred and sixty acres each 
and one of three hundred and twenty acres. 
Each farm has a good set of buildings 
which, including the fences, are kept in 
good repair. The rentals aggregate three 
thousand dollars per year, paying nearly the 
entire expense of maintaining the schools 
of the township. There are three reasons 
why this section of land was never sold : 
The first is that it was under water until 



September of each year ; the second is that 
after it emerged from the water so as to 
be visible the greater part of. the year land 
in that locality was still very cheap, it be- 
ing classed as swamp land, but notwith- 
standing, some of the inhabitants of that 
township thought the time ripe for the dis- 
posal of the land, and accordingly circulated 
a petition to that effect, securing a majority 
of the legal voters in the township. Now 
the third reason appears : James Parker, 
who owned land in the east part of the 
township, refused to sign the petition, and 
at once circulated a counter petition oppos- 
ing the sale of the land and, at the same 
time, agreeing to go to the legislature to 
urge the passage of a bill permitting the 
leasing of school lands by the board of trus- 
tees. He was successful in securing the 
requisite number of signatures to his peti- 
tion and later in getting a law for renting 
school lands, thereby retaining the land for 
the use of future posterity. 

Thus the foresight of one man has given 
Austin township a permanent net income, 
since school property is not taxable, of not 
less than three thousand dollars per year, 
which practically defrays the school ex- 
penses of the entire township. 

Had every township of Macon county 
foreseen this condition the schools outside 
of the city and villages would be self-sup- 
porting. 

In 1900 Austin township leased, for a 
term of ninety-nine years, from the school 
trustees, one acre for a town-hall site. 

The laws of Illinois place the manage- 
ment of a school district in control of a 
board of three directors, one to be selected 
each year. This board has absolute control 
of the affairs of the district. The teacher 
is employed by them, the expenses of the 
school are computed by them and the levy, 
which cannot exceed two and one-half per 
cent for general school purposes and "two 
and one-half per cent for building, is re- 



76 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



ported to tlie county clerk, who extends the 
same on the ])roperty Aakiation of the dis- 
trict. 

The nionc}- raised for scliool purposes 
comes, ]3rinci])ally, from direct taxation, 
fines and forfeitures in state cases, interest 
on the i)erinanent township and county 
funds, the interest on the state school fund 
and a portion of the seven per cent dividend 
from the gross earnings of the Illinois Cen- 
tral Kailroad. 

From 1854 to 1902 the Illinois Central 
has paid into the state treasury over twenty 
million dcjllars. Last year il paid about 
eight hundred thousand dollars to the state. 

The distriliution from the state and 
county, made by the county superintendent 
of schools, is about ten thousand dollars 
per year. 

THE ]\IACON COUNTY SONG. 

Decatur, Illinois, Aug. 15, 1902. 
Since we have a state song. "Illinois," 
and a national anthem, "America," it seems 
to me vvc are entitled to the county song, 
"Macon," which I hereh\' submit and take 
pleasure in dedicating to the children of 
Macon county. J( )I1.\' G. KELLER, 

County .'superintendent of Schools. 

Macon. 

Air: .\ly < )wn Native Land. 
John (i. Keller. 

1. ( )h the prairies of Macon. 

How dear to our heart, 
\\'here once gleamed the watch-fires 
alone. 
Where our fathers kept guard o"er the 
dear ones they loved 
\\'hile thev liiiildec] the pioneer home.- 

Chorus. 
Home, home, home, hapjiy home ; 
Wc love our Macon home. 

2. In the cabins of Macon 

Knelt mothers in prayer, 



They jjrayed and they worked and they 

wept ; 
The grasses have grown long ago o'er 

their graves, 
But the homes that they made we have 

kept. 

3. When the brave sons of Macon 

Heard Lincoln's first call. 
They answered so loyal and true. 

They followed the flag and they of- 
fered their lives 
\\ hile they fought for their homes and 
ior you. 

4. In the rich tields of .Macon 

Wave harvests of gold ; 
There's plenty for all and to spare, 

Prosperity reigns and sweet peace once 
again 
Fills the homes of our Macon so fair. 

5. How we love our dear ]\Iacon 

On Sangamon's shore. 
God grant that it ever may be 

The birth-place of heroes, the good 
and the great. 
Kurn in homes that are luqipy and free. 

Parochial Schools. 

In 1S73 llie members of .^t. Patrick's 
Roman Catholic church established St. 
Theresa's .Academy in a three-story brick 
building on East Eldorado street, where all 
the English branches included in a collegi- 
ate course are taught, besides l)ook-keep- 
ing, vocal and instrumental music. 

l'"or some time a boys' school and a girls' 
school were carried on, but of late years 
both boys and girls arc admitted to the 
same class. 

At present the schi)ol is incorporated and 
is in charge of the iTsulinc Sisters. About 
four hundred pupils are in attendance. 

The St. James German Catholic school 
on East Clay street is domiciled in a good 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



frame building, containing three schuul 
rooms, "a large auditorium and a club room. 
The building is modern throughout, con- 
taining its own lighting and heating plant. 

Rev. Father Lammert and Rev. Father 
Teppe were instrumental in revising the 
school system of the parish and making it 
possible to reap the present beneficial re- 
sults. About one hundred and fifty pupils 
are now in attendance. 

St. Paul's Evangelical German I^utheran 
school, on East Prairie street, was estab- 
lished in 1870. 

All the branches taught in the ward 
schools are taught in both English and Ger- 
man, in addition to this the children are 
instructed in the Lutheran Catechism and 
biblical history. 

About seventy-five children are in attend- 
ance in this school. 

St. Johannes' German Lutheran school, 
on the corner of Orchard and Lowber 
streets, founded in 1888, is domiciled in a 
three-story brick house of six rooms. 

This building was erected in' 1898 at an 
expense of -$6,000. The course of study is 
practically the same as that of the ward 
schools, while in addition, reading, writing, 
the Lutheran Catechism and biblical history 
are taught in German. 

Brown's Decattir Business College, lo- 
cated in the Columbia Block, on North 
Water street, is the only business college in 
the city and does as effective work as any 
in the state. Its enrollment is constantly 
on the increase and its reputation is spread- 
ing over a very large territory. 

Martyn H. Owen is the principal of the 
school. 

The James Millikin University. 
This university, located in the west part 
of the city, occupying the Oakland Park 
site, is destined to do more for the city 
than any other institution yet promoted in 
imparting to it a literary status. It will af- 



ford opportunities for the young people to 
pursue courses in jiractical training in in- 
dustrial lines that will prepare them for 
active business ; an opportunity that cer- 
tainly adds much to Decatur's educational 
facilities. 

It has been James Alillikin's desire for a 
number of years to establish for Decatur 
an industrial school whereby young people 
who are inclined toward the industrial 
rather than the literary could receive a spe- 
cial education. 

About two years ago he offered the citi- 
zens of Decatur a donation of $200,000 and 
Oakland Park, worth $25,000, toward erect- 
ing a college building, provided that the cit- 
izens raise $100,000. 

Later it was suggested that Lincoln Uni- 
versity, of Lincoln, 111., be consolidated 
with the Decatur school, thereby benefiting 
both schools, Lincoln working under a 
charter of a kind that cannot be granted 
now. 

The Lincoln University being managed 
.by the Cumberland Presbyterian church it 
was proposed that if the union could be 
made the church should raise $100,000 for 
the common fund. 

Mr. Millikin accepted this proposition 
and further offered the Lincoln University 
$50,000 on condition that the people of that 
community raise $25,000. Later he pro- 
posed that in the event that all of the money 
be raised and the two schools consolidated 
and established as planned, to transfer to 
the college commission of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, property that would 
yield in the neighborhood of $20,000 a year 
perpetually. 

In addition to the foregoing Mr. Millikin 
has endowed the university with $150,000, 
with the provision that the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church add $50,000 to this. 

He has furthermore assured the college 
$20,000 annually of his income during his 
lifetime, and after his death the entire in- 



78 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



come of his estate shall be at the disposal 
of the school. 

The college building is an up-to-date 
structure, elaborate in its architecture, 
grounds, arrangements and furnishings; 
sufficiently large to accommodate several 
thousand students. 

The university was dedicated June 4, 
1903, by Theodore Roosevelt, president of 
the United States. The ceremonies were 
very largely attended and graced by num- 
bers of persons who stand high in the 
church, city, state and in the nation. The 
school, without doubt, has an auspicious 
future before it, and it is to be hoped that 
it will be permitted to maintain the unusu- 
ally high standard with which it is ushered 
into its field of usefulness. 

The school opened September, 1903, with 
President A. R. Taylor in charge. 

The Church. 

The history of nations demonstrates the 
fact that none are thoroughly civilized until, 
in the fullest sense, christianized. 

The efficacy of our flag is constantly eulo- 
gized, and it well deserves it, but its in- 
debtedness to the christian influence which 
enshrines it must not be overlooked. 

While there arc many denominations of 
the church it does not follow that any one 
of these is the church. Each advocates a 
different dogma, yet all are engaged in the 
same laudable work — that of developing the 
moral side of human nature. 

The pioneer is not to be classed with the 
idolater who has not even the remotest idea 
of Christianity; those inhabitating benighted 
countries do not possess an educated con- 
science, while on the contrary, the settlers 
of a new country have decided religious pro- 
clivities formed in childhood. Many de- 
nominations are represented, requiring only 
the organizing ability of capable ministers 
to bring into existence the various churches. 

The pioneer preacher was, of necessity. 



a man who could readily adjust himself to 
his environment. If it became necessary, 
which it frequently did, that he should, 
through his own efforts, add to his salary, 
he could lay hands on anything that pre- 
sented Itself. When it required a more 
forcible argument than that given by word 
of mouth, he was usually ready with an 
alternative. The country at that time was 
not blessed with stained glass and cushion 
pew churches ; private houses seated the 
worshipers. The ministers held service on 
any day in the week, the announcements 
being made days, and even weeks, ahead. 
The neighbors for miles around looked for- 
ward to those ■ meetings with the greatest 
expectancy ; everybody who was able to at- 
tend was present on these occasions. 

These sermons were not of the thirty- 
minute palatable variety, but were of sev- 
eral hours' duration, filled with the vigor 
and the zeal of pioneer interpretations, of 
eternal pleasure or everlasting punishment. 
As civilization and the general development 
of the country progressed the environments 
brought about a revolution in tlu- demands 
of the ministry which evcntuall_\- did away 
with the emergency minister, placing in his 
stead a cultured, college-bred man, who is 
in sympathy with the prevailing customs, 
ministering to his flock by virtue of the 
orthodox system of faith worked out by 
modern theological institutions. This 
change brought with it our modern church- 
house, which is a model of neatness, com- 
fort and adaptability. 

Decatur, for its size, has as many good 
church buidings as any city in the state. A 
few years ago a period of rebuilding and 
remodeling came in vogue, which has made 
the churches convenient, modern and beau- 
tiful. 

A meager statement regarding the organ- 
ization and prnnuilgation of the churches 
and their work, including church buildings, 
seems advisable at this place. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



79 



The First Presbyterian church was organ- 
ized in the house of Samuel Powers, on the 
1st of May, 1S52. by Rev. Robert H. Lilly. 
David Hopkins was installed first ruling 
elder ; Rev. Augustus F. Pratt preached 
for them one year ; Rev. David Manford, 
D. D., took the charge until 1854, and Rev. 
Erastus ^^^ Thayer succeeded him, holding 
the work until 1857. The congregation first 
worshipped in the old court house, then in 
the old academy, and in several other build- 
ings prcxious to erecting the church edi- 
fice on the corner of Church street and 
Prairie avenue. This building is of gray 
stone, costing about $85,000. The capacity 
of the auditorium is 800, and by throwing 
the Sabbath-school room open 1,200 may 
be accommodated. Its membership is nearly 
900. Dr. \y. H. Penhallegan is pastor. He 
has served the church very satisfactorily 
for a number of years. 

The St. John's Episcopal church was or- 
ganized in 1856. The first rector was Rev. 
S. R. Childs. This congregation occupies 
a church building at the corner of Church 
and Eldorado streets, which is antique in 
architecture and symmetrical in outline. It 
is constructed of gray hewn stone, costing 
$60,000. Its appointments are not sur- 
passed by any, and the seating capacity is 
spacious, accommodating nearly 500. Its 
rector is Rev. C. R. Birnbach. 

The Congregational church is located just 
across the street west of St. John's. It is 
built of red, pressed brick, laid upon a foun- 
dation of cobble stones. The tower is also 
of cobble stones. It was erected in 1890, 
through the untiring efforts of Rev. W. C. 
Miller, at a cost of $20,000. Its capacity 
has been increased by half by an addition 
which, including the pipe organ, has neces- 
sitated an outlay of $18,000. Rev. Horace 
L. Strain, the present pastor, was instru- 
mental in bringing about this improvement. 

The Salem church, five miles southwest of 
Decatur, was organized in 1846. The ceme- 



tery at this church, the oldest in the county, 
was established in 1829. Mr. Mangrin and 
liis wife were the first buried there, being 
the first deaths of the county. 

The first sermon preached for the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church was by Rev. 
John Berry, in an old log school-house, 
three and a half miles southwest of De- 
catur, on the P. M. Wikofif farm. 

The Mt. Zion C. P. church, the oldest 
church organization of any denomination 
in the county, was established April 24, 
1830, at the house of Rev. David Foster, 
who was its first pastor. The first Sabbath 
school in the county was organized by Rev. 
David Foster, at this place, in 1831. The 
first superintendent was James Scott ; his 
assistant was Andrew Wilson. This con- 
gregation has recently erected the finest 
and most commodious church in the county 
outside of Decatur. 

The North Fork C. P. church was organ- 
ized in April, 1855, by Rev. John C. Smith, 
at the Emerson school-house, now the Ex- 
celsior. 

The first Sabbath school in the neighbor- 
hood was organized by Charlotte Emerson, 
sister of the late Judge Emerson, she be- 
ing its first superintendent. The organi- 
zation was effected in her father's yard in 
the year 1840. 

The Bethlehem church was organized in 
1850 by Rev. John C. Smith. 

The Madison church was organized in 
1854 by Rev. John C. Smith. 

The First C. P. church of Decatur, at the 
corner of Monroe and West Eldorado 
streets, erected in 1897, through the 
efforts of the late Rev. A. W. Hawkins, at 
a cost of $20,000, is one of the most modern 
church houses in the city. It is constructed 
of red pressed brick' and trimmed in gray 
stone. Its capacity is about 1,000; its mem- 
bership is 300. Rev. J. W. McDonald is its 
pastor. 

There is also a C. P. church at Argenta, 



80 



PAST AXIJ rRESEXT Ul' .MACOX COUNTY. 



which was organized in the early forties, 
which now has a modern church building, 
erected upon a lot donated by the late Dr. 
R. F. Carr. This was the first church or- 
ganized in l*"riends Creek township. 

The Baptist church of Decatur was organ- 
ized .Sept. 14, 1843, ^t Xo. 442 Xorth Water 
street, known as the J. C. Lake property. 
This was the first two-story frame dwelling 
house built in Macon county. At the time 
of organization this was the home of David 
L. .Mien, one of the chief movers in the 
organization of the church. Rev. II. W. 
Dodge was moderator during the organiz- 
ing of the church. The first officials were: 
Lemuel .\ilen, deacon; Thomas H. Read. 
M. D., treasurer; S. C. Allen, clerk; D. L. 
Allen. David Brett, Thomas H. Read, M. 
D., ICdward !.. Maddock and S. C". Allen, 
trustees. 

Services were held at the home of David 
L. Allen, the court house, then a frame 
buikling, tni the j)resent site of the Wo- 
man's Club. From 1843 to 1848 they used 
this building. .\t the latter date they bought 
the atljoining room for $350. In 1853 the 
building was sold for $1,000. A tempor- 
ary house was now built and occupied until 
1856. A building was then erected at the 
corner of Xorth Water and East Williams 
streets, which was occujjied until 1876. when 
the present churcli building at the corner 
of North Water and East North streets 
was dedicated. The dedicatory sermon was 
preached by Rev. C. J. Johnson. The 
church property in its ])resent condition is 
valued at $65,000. 

March 21, 1856, thirteen members were 
dismissed to form a church in the Carver 
settlement. May 30, 1862, a church was 
organized at Harristown; Argenta also has 
a strong church. 

In 1890 the East Park Chapel was built 
by the Ladies' Aid Society. .\ Sabbath 
school was organized at about the same 
time that the church was organized, which 



has grown to very large proportions. Among 
the workers in the school appear the "names 
of -M. Y. Givler, David C. Allen. G. F. Wes- 
sel, (). N. Bramble, 1-. \\'. Anderson, J. E. 
Saxton, W. J. Wayne and E. A. Gastman. 

The present home of the congregation 
is l)uilt lit red pressed t)rick, trimmed in 
stone. The auditorium is spacious and 
furnished with opera chairs ; its appoint- 
ments throughout are modern. Its music 
is sup])lied by one of the most expensive 
])ipe organs in the city. Its membership 
is 800. The present ])astor is Rev. S. II. 
Beyer. 

.St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church was 
organized in 1854. The present church 
building was erected in 1863, which at that 
time was the most expensive church house 
in the comity. This church, located on 
East North street, was thoroughly over- 
hauled, refurnished and ])rovided with a 
new bell. Its membershij) is about 3,000. 
The first dean was Rev. Father llickey; 
the i)rcsent dean is Rev. Father Murph)-. 

The St. James German Catholic church, 
on East Clay street, is an up-to-date build- 
ing which, in connection with the adjacent 
school, has its own heating and lighting 
plant; the congregation com])rises about 
300; its seating capacity is ample for the 
membershi]). This church was organized 
by Rev. l-ather Lammcrt, in 1877. Rev. 
b'athcr A. Tep])e is in charge and his work 
has resulted in much good. 

St. Paul's German Lutheran church, cor- 
ner of \^'est Wood and Edward streets, is 
a good brick building, whicli has just been 
thoroughly remodeled and newly ]iainted 
on the inside : the seating capacity is about 
300; its mendjership is about the same*. 'l"he 
])resent pastor is Rev. M. .\. \\'agoner. 

In 1891 the congregation of St. Paul's 
church was divided. The members living 
in the northeast part of town built the St. 
Jolianncs' German church on East ( )rchard 
street. This is a handsome brick, with a 



PAST AND PRESENT OF IMACON COUNTY. 



81 



seating capacity of 850. 'Jlie pastor is Rev. 
William Heyne. 

The First Evangelical Lutheran church, 
at the corner of Main and William streets, 
is a good, well constructed brick building, 
with a seating capacity of 500. This build- 
ing cost $25,000; the membership is about 
200. Rev. H. Peters is the pastor. 

The Christian church was organized in 
1830, by Elder Joseph Hostetler. The place 
of organization was the old log court house, 
wdiich stood in the west side of the old 
square ; it may now be seen in the southwest 
corner of Fairlawn Park. The pastor was 
Joseph Hostetler. Its Sunday school was 
organized in 1855, by E. M. Nabb, who was 
its first superintendent. Among its list of 
superintendents may be found the names of 
W. E. Nelson and W. L. Hammer, both 
ex-county judges of Macon county. The 
Edward Street Christian church is among 
the oldest churches in the city. It is in an 
excellent residence section and is on a sound 
financial basis. The pastor is Rev. F. A\'. 
Burnham. 

The Tabernacle Christian church, on 
North Church street, was built through the 
eiiforts of Rev. George W. Hall. It is a 
large frame building, recently remodeled at 
a cost of $4,000; its seating capacity is 
1,800. The pastor is Rev. F.,B. Jones. 

The Edward Street chtirch was vacated 
after the completion of the Tabernacle ; 
soon after, however, the congregation was 
divided and one of the organizations ac- 
cupied the Edward Street church. 

The first sermon preaclied in this county 
by a United Brethren minister was delivered 
by Rev. James Parks, in the spring of 1848, 
at the house of Rev. M. T. Chew, five miles 
southwest of Decatur. The first class con- 
sisted of Mrs. and Rev. 'M. T. Chew. The 
first church in Decatur was organized in 
1856, in the old Masonic hall, by Rev. M. 
Ambrose. In 1857 a church was built on 
the isomer of Cerro Gordo and North Main 



streets. In 1873 the church bought lots 
at a cost of $2,350 on the corner of North 
Broadway and East Eldorado streets, upon 
which was erected a neat frame building. 
This is known as the Centenary United 
Brethren church ; it has a large membership 
and a flourishing Sabbath school. 

The Church of God was organized in 
May, 1857, by Elder A. J.. Fenton, with 
eleven members. The Church of God 
Bethel, at 565 North Water street, is one 
of the old churches of the city ; it is a well 
preserved frame building of fair size and 
presenting a good appearance. The pastor 
is Rev. J. Bernard. 

The Universalist church was organized 
in 1854 by Rev. D. P. Bunn. The early 
members were Joseph Spangler, Jr. ; Joseph 
Spangler, Sr. ; Jacob Spangler, J. B. Hanks 
and wife, John Ricketts and wife, John 
Capps and wife. The first minister. Rev. 
D. P. Bunn, served fourteen years. 

Other churches are: Edward Street 
chapel, 405 East Leafland avenue; East 
Park chapel, corner Third and Prairie ave- 
nue; Ail Augels Episcopal church, 1256 
East Eldorado street; Universalist church, 
141 East Prairie street ; United Brethren 
Mission, 904 South Colfax street ; Antioch 
Baptist, colored, 610 Spring avenue; Broad- 
way Baptist, colored, 414 South Broadway ; 
St. Peter's African Methodist Episcopal, 
530 Spring avenue ; German Baptist, corner 
Pugh and North Main streets ; Sergeant 
Chapel, M. E., 892 South Broadway: Wes- 
ley Chapel, M. E., 1807 North Church 
street : College Street Presbyterian Chapel, 
a neat structure just completed, 1075 North 
College street ; W'estminster Chapel, corner 
Macon street and Haworth avenue. In ad- 
dition, the city has the Christian Science 
organization ; the Railway Y. M. C. A. 
organization, which owns an elegant build- 
ing on the Wabash right of way, near the 
depots ; the Central Y. M. C. A. organiza- 
tion ; the W^ C. T. U. organization. 



82 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



CITY OF DECATUR. 

The following is a list of presidents and 
clerks of the city of Decatur during its 
government by a board of trustees: 

1836-8, R. J. Oglesby, president; .Andrew 
Love, clerk. 1838-9, Joseph W'illianis and 
Henry Snyder, presidents; Edmislon Mc- 
Clelland, clerk. 1839-40, Kirby Benedict, 
president; H. M. Gorin, clerk. 1840-I, 
Joseph King, president; H. M. (.jorin, clerk. 
1841-46, Thomas P. Rodgers, president ; J. 
P. Post, clerk ; 1846-7, D. Krone, president ; 
Nathaniel P. West, clerk . 1847-8, J. H. El- 
liot, president ; N. P. West, clerk . 1848-50, 
Joseph Kaufman, president ; X. P. West, 
clerk. 1850-51, Berr}- H. Cassell, clerk; 
1851-2, J. H. Elliott, president; Berry H. 
Cassell, clerk . 1852-3, W. T. Stamper, presi- 
dent ; Berry H. Cassell, clerk. 1853-4, W. 
Prather, president ; Berry H. Cassell, clerk, 
1854-6, Thomas H. Wingate, president ; 
Berry H. Cassell, clerk. 

Presidents and clerks of Decatur during 
its government by city council : 

1856-7, John P. Post, mayor; C. C. Post, 
clerk. 1857-8, William A. Barnes, mayor; 
J. P. Boyd, clerk and attorney; 1858-9. 
James Shoaf, mayor ; S. S. Goode, clerk and 
attorney. 1859-60, A. T. Hill, mayor; S. S. 
Goode, clerk and attorney; 1860-1, Sheridan 
Wait, mayor ; J. R. Gorin, clerk and attor- 
ney; 1861-2, E. O. Smith, mayor; J. R. Gor- 
in, clerk and attorney. 1862-3, Thomas O. 
Smith, mayor : J. R. Gorin, clerk and attor- 
ney. 1863-4, J. J. Peddecord, mayor; J. R. 
Gorin, clerk and attorney. 1864-5. J. J. 
Peddecord, mayor ; K. H. Roby, clerk and 
attorney. 1865-6. Franklin Priest, mayor; 
K. 11. Roby, clerk and attornex'. 1866-7, 
l-'ranklin Priest, mayor ; .\. B. Warren, 
clerk and attorney. 1867-8, John K. War- 
ren, mayor ; C. H. Fuller, registrar. 1868-9, 
I. C. Pugh, mayor; C. H. Fuller, registrar. 
1869-70, William L. Hammer, mayor; C. 
H. Fuller, registrar. 1870-1, Franklin 
Priest, mayor ; C. H. Fuller, registrar. 



1871-2, E. .M. Misner, mayor; C. H. Fuller, 
registrar. 1872-3. 1). S. Shellabarger, 
mayor; George P. Hardy, registrar. 1873-4, 
^larlin Forstmeyer, mayor ; George P. Har- 
dy, registrar. 1874-5, Franklin Priest, 
mayor; George P. Hardy, registrar. 1875-6, 
R. H. Merriweather, mayor; George P. 
Hardy, registrar. 1876-8, W. B. Chambers, 
mayor; George P. Hardy, registrar. 1875-6, 
Franklin Priest, mayor; George P. Hardy, 
registrar. 1879-80, L. L. Haworth, mayor; 
George P. Hardy, registrar. 1880-3, H. W. 
\\'aggoner, mayor ; George P. Hardy, clerk. 
188375, W. B. Chambers, ma3'or; C. M. 
Durfee, clerk. 1885-91, M. F. Kanan, 
mayor; F. C. Betzer, clerk. 1891-3, W. B. 
Chambers, mayor ; L. F. Skelley, clerk. 
1893-5, David C. Aloffitt, mayor; L. F. Skel- 
ley, clerk. 1895-7, D. H. Conklin, mayor; 

F. L. Hayes, clerk. 1897-9, ^- 2- Taylor, 
mayor; John A. Reeve, clerk. 1899-1901, 
George A. Stadler, mayor; Mont E. Peni- 
w-ell, clerk. 1901-3, C. F. Shilling, mayor; 
Mont E. Peniwell, clerk. 

The Free Public Library. 

The history of the library really begins 
with the presentation to the city council 
of a petition, signed by the ladies of the 
Ladies' Library Association and the De- 
catur Reading Room Association, asking 
for the establishment of a free public li- 
brary. The petition being granted the 
librar}- was established Aug. 10, 1875. 

The first library board consisted of Joseph 
Mills, president; J. L. Peak, William A. 
Barnes, Mrs. C. A. Ewing, Mrs. Judge 
Greer, Mrs. B. F. Sibley, W. H. Funis, W. 
W. Foster and W . L. Ilanmier 

Richard L. Evans was appointed first 
librarian and held that position until his 
death, Nov. 17, 1881. His wife. Alice 

G. Evans, was appointed his successor, and 
still continues to hold the position. 

The library remained on the second floor 
of the .Schroeder building, on East Prairie 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



83 



street, where it was when turned over to 
the city, Oct. 5, 1881. It was next housed 
in the Orlando Powers building, over 
the Linn & Scruggs store. In 1889 it was 
moved to its new quarters, in the build- 
ing erected by Roberts and Greene, known 
as the Library Block, on North ]\Iain 
street. Feb. 2, 1892, the building was 
destroyed by fire and 4,300 books, together 
with all of the furniture and fixtures, also 
the records of the Ladies" Library and the 
Decatur Reading Room associations. 

Temporarjr quarters were secured in the 
old Presbyterian church until October of 
the same year, when the library was moved 
into the old quarters in the Library Block. 
On the nth of May, 1898, it was moved 
into the fifth story of the Orlando Powers 
block, where it remained until May, 1903, 
when it was transferred to its present home 
in the Carnegie Library Building. This 
structure was erected at an expense of $60,- 
000, donated, in 1901, to the city of De- 
catur, by Andrew Carnegie, on the condi- 
tions that the city agrees to appropriate a 
stipulated sum of money, each year, to the 
support of the library. 

The building is a neat, modern, light 
stone, admirably equipped with all the latest 
facilities for handling an up-to-date library. 
Its location is on North Main street, op- 
posite the Public building used for the De- 
catur postofific°. 

About twenty-five thousand volumes are 
in the library at present, and each year 
about two thousand volumes are added. 
Over six thousand persons have cards as 
patrons of the library. The total number 
of visitors during the past year was over 
twenty-five thousand ; these people bor- 
rowed over ninety-seven thousand books. 

Our library is alive to the best interests 
of its patrons as to management and as to 
the acquisition of all the latest books when 
first placed upon the market. 

The librarian attends all the meetings of 



the National Library Association in order 
to keep abreast of^ the times in adjusting 
the library to the public needs. This, judg- 
ing from the patronage, the management 
has certainly accomplished. No pains are 
spared in rendering assistance to individ- 
uals, clubs or societies pursuing some spe- 
cial subject; on request, lists of books or 
magazine articles are gladly classified and 
prepared. 

It is the aim, in the selection of new 
books, to cover as wide a field as possible 
with the money at the disposal of the 
board, each year, and at the same time not 
to overlook any of the various subjects.' 

Much new fiction is placed in the library 
to satisfy the popular taste, yet constant 
watch is kept for new treatises on science, 
history, literature and art that may become 
classic, thereby giving permanence to the 
reference department. 

The reading room is the most widely used 
part of the library; one hundred and thirty- 
five publications are on file. One hundred 
and thirty thousand persons visited this 
room during the past year. 

The papers consist of the leading daily 
and weekly papers adapted to this locality 
and about seventy-five monthlies. 

The money for the support of the library 
is raised by a taxation of two mills on the 
dollar, which last year amounted to $7,449. 

The surplus above the runnings expenses 
is used in the purchase of new books. 

The Woman's Club. 

The Woman's Club of Decatur has as 
large a membership as any outside of Chi- 
cago. It was organized seventeen years ago 
and has a membership of three hundred. 
The club house on the corner of North Park 
and Franklin streets is owned by a stock 
company composed entirely of club women, 
and was one of the first club houses in the 
state built for women. 

The members of the club pursue a varied 



>4 



PAST AXl) PRKSEXT OP MACUX CUUXTY. 



line of work, wliich is delineated by the 
following: Music, Art, Sorosis, Psalemas, 
Literature, Sbakcspeare and Child Stud}- 
divisions. In addition to these the club con- 
siders many other subjects: educational, 
]5hilanthro])ical, municipal, legal and social. 
The .\rt Class is the (jldesl division, hav- 
ing organized twenty years ago. 

Powers' Grand Opera House. 

The Powers' ( irand ( ii)cra I louse, built 
in i88y, by Orlando Powers, and now 
owned by his heirs, is the only opera house 
in the city. Until its destruction by fire 
.Nov. 4, 1895, it was very successfully 
managed by Prank W. Haines. In less 
than tiu-ee months after its destruction the 
building was again ready for use and 
was re-opened Peb. 10, 1896, under the 
management of J. I', (iiven, who is still 
in charge. The opera house, in the 100 
block on South Water street, has its 
main entrance on this street. It contains 
a large lobby and reception hall, a par- 
quet and dress circle on the first floor; a 
balcony and a gallery above ; in all seating 
about sixteen hundred people. 

There are twelve dressing rooms, artisti- 
cally furnished for the actors. The house 
is heated with steam and lighted through- 
out with gas and electricity. Very few 
houses, outside of Chicago, surpass it in 
beauty and harmony of decoration, attrac- 
tiveness of appointments and convenience 
of arrangement. 

The Anna B. Millikin Home. 

The Anna Li. Millikin Home for old 
ladies and children is located just across 
the street east of the James xMillikin L'ui- 
versity in a beautiful grove of forest trees. 
This is an outgrowth of the original home 
in the east part of the city, given to the city 
by Mr. and Mrs. Millikin. By and by the 
building became too small and so crowded 



that .\lr. Millikin ga\e them three acres 
of land, where the new building now stands, 
and agreed to gi\-c $10,000 if the directors 
of the home succeeded in securing $10,000 
more. The directors raised the money and 
the result is a fine modern structure of red 
brick, trimmed with white stone. 

The basement contains the kitchen, pan- 
try. ])lay room, boiler room, fuel room, 
laundry and drying rooms; on the first floor 
are dining hall, assembly room, library, ma- 
tron's room and a number of bed rooms. On 
the second floor is a large girls' dormitory 
and sixteen bed rooms : on the third floor 
are the boys' dormiti:)ry and bed rooms. 
There are large open fire-places on both 
floors ; the stairways and hallways are spa- 
cious and the entire building is well ventil- 
ated. The building is lighted and heated 
by up-to-date apparatus and will accommo- 
date one hun<lred inmates. 

Tlie home is an asylum for babies, boys 
under eight years, girls to the age of twenty 
and old ladies ; those who have money for 
their support are expected to pay what they 
can aflford, while those who have no means 
are maintained b}' the home. W^ho would 
cherish a monument other than this: "By 
Our Acts Shall We lie Judged." 

St. Mary's Hospital. 

St. .Mar\ 's Hospital, at the corner of East 
Wood and South Webster streets, was es- 
tablished over twenty years ago. It is a 
fine stone building, with a frontage of 
eighty feet on Webster street and one hun- 
dred and twenty feet on East W' ood street ; 
three stories high. It is modern in all its 
ap])ointments. There are over forty rooms 
for the sick, several operating rooms, bath 
rooms and a chapel. 

Sisters who are experienced nurses are in 
charge of the patients. The institution is 
in the entire charge of the Roman Catholic; 
church, but ])ersons of all denominations 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



are cared for ; those who are able financially 
are charged, while charity is extended to 
the poor. 

The hospital is becoming more and more 
popular among those who can pay to have 
their friends cared for at a hospital, and 
the great majority of the physicians highly 
recommend it. 

The Wabash Hospital. 

The ^^^abash hospital, in the Waggoner 
Block, on \Yarren street, built by the em- 
ployes of the \\'abash Railroad, is one of 
the finest buildings in the city. It i.*; built 
of stone to the first floor, then of yellow 
terra cotta trimmed with stone : it is three 
stories high, and with its beautifully laid 
out grounds occupies half of the block. 

The management of the building is in the 
hands of the Wabash ofificials and is devoted 
to the use of their employes. The building 
is perfectly modern in all its appointments, 
heated by steam and lighted by gas and 
electricity. The money for the construction 
of the building was given by the employes 
of the Wabash Railroad ; raised by a small 
monthly assessment upon each one con- 
nected with the road : the running expenses 
will largely be kept tip by the same method. 
This entitles each and every emplo3'e of 
the road to free medical services. 

Goodman's Band. 

The Goodman Band, organized in 1857, 
at once ingratiated itself into the hearts of 
the people and has constantly grown in 
favor, not only with the Decatur people, 
but with every one wlio has been privileged 
to hear it. 

It is one of the best bands in the state, 
both as to the excellent musical education 
of its members and the rare ability of mas- 
tering everything new, either popular or 
classical, as fast as presented by the musical 
world. The most intricate classical music 
is rendered with skillful and pleasing eflfect. 



This class of music has been largely re- 
sponsible for its popularity ; no band out- 
side of a concert band can claim jjre-emi- 
nence. 

Robert Walter, the leader and instructor, 
is not surpassed as a band master by any- 
one. Through his efforts the band has ac- 
quired a very high grade of proficiency. 
The aggregation is constantly strengthened 
by adding expert musicians to the various 
parts : about forty members are in active 
service at the present time. It is always 
the favorite at the numerous band tourna- 
ments held by groups of bands through 
Indiana and Illinois. Recently it has been 
taken into military service as the Fourth 
Regiment Band. 

The Decatur Club. 

The Decatur Club, one of the oldest social 
organizations in the city, was instituted 
May 22, 1883. The membership is made 
up of our leading business and professional 
men, numbering about one hundred and 
fifty. The club rooms, located in the Ha- 
worth Block, on North Water street, are 
among the finest in the state. The apart- 
ments of the club consist of card rooms, 
reading rooms, billiard and pool rooms, of- 
fice, dining room and kitchen. 

The Country Club of Decatur. 
The Country Club of Decatur, organized 
in 181^9 with a membership of about sixty, 
is located southeast of the city, adjoining 
Riverside park. The grounds contain one 
hundred and twenty acres of land jutting up 
against the .Sangamon river. Finely located 
golf links are connected with it. The build- 
ings were erected and the grounds im- 
proved at a cost of about eight thousand 
dollars. The house contains a reading 
room, a reception room, a dining room, a 
smoking and card room, a dance hall and a 
kitchen. The grounds are well laid out, 
fenced and kept in elegant condition. 



S6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Fairlawn Park. 

This park, consisting of forty acres, lies 
a mile and a half west of the city. Some 
years ago when the county fair was an 
annual attraction the county, through the 
board of supervisors, purchased this tract 
for a fair ground. Not only the county 
fair, hut also the state fair graced these 
grounds. 

Later the fairs were abandoned and the 
park leased to the city for a period of thirty 
years. The terms of the lease were as fol- 
lows : One hundred dollars per year for 
the first ten years, two hundred dollars per 
years for the next ten years, and three 
hundred dollars per year for the next ten 
years. This lease took effect in 1890, and 
in 1903, seventeen years before the termin- 
ation of the contract, the board of super- 
visors voted it to the city, the county receiv- 
ing therefor the sum of eight thousand 
dollars. 

The tract is square, the center Ijcing level, 
is surrounded by low, heavily timbered hills, 
giving it the appearance of an amphitheater. 
A commodious pavilion, of pressed brick, 
occupies the center of the park, while two 
large, bristling siege guns guard its gate- 
ways. This is one of the beauty spots of 
Decatur, and is not surpassed by any for 
natural scenery. 

By grading, laying out drives and walks, 
arranging flower beds, clusters of shrub- 
bery, walling the springs, building bridges 
and carrying water to all parts, much of 
an artistic nature as well as con\enience 
has lieen added. 

The traction company has extended its 
line, practicalh' uniting the park with the 
city, thus enhancing its value as a pleasure 
resort many fold. 

Central Park. 
Central Park is a large block in the bus- 
iness part of the city, filled with well kept 
forest trees, and covered with velvet lawn : 



with a fountain in the center spraying in 
glittering sheen the mirri)ring pool below, 
r.ordering the pool is a circular, cement 
walk, which directs its rays to all the 
cardinal and intermediate points of the com- 
I)ass. .Artistic flower beds plf^ase the eye; 
ornamental, refrigerated drinking foun- 
tains (|Ufnch ilie thirst ; arc lights guide 
your footsteps and two mortars, presented 
by the government, protect you during your 
sojourn within its enchanting environments. 

Riverside Park. 

The Ri\erside Park, while the private 
property of D. A. Maffitt and \V. li. Starr, 
has been for a number of years a very popu- 
lar resort. 

It is a tract of about thirty acres, lying 
south of the city, along the banks of the 
Sangamon river; is sparsely covered with 
forest trees and sufficiently rolling to make 
it picturesque; a site for a park that for 
natural rugged scenery is seldom sur- 
passed. 

The traction company has leased this 
])ark antl erected a pavilion for summer 
theaters and amusements of various kinds. 

It contains a natatorium ; also a boat- 
house on the landing is supplied with a 
number of boats for those who enjoy row- 
ing. 

The Decatur Trotting Park. 

The trotting park is owned by the De- 
catur Trotting Association, organized in 
iSgo. It lies northeast of the city along 
the I. C. railroad tracks, and contains about 
fifty acres. It has an oval mile track, said 
to be the fastest in the west. 

There is an amphitheater that will seat 
4,300 people, and a barn that will stable 200 
horses, on the west side of the tracks. 

This iiark is not only used for the race 
meets, held once a year, but is fast be- 
coming ])opular as an athletic field. Tnter- 
scholastic contests, foot ball, base ball and 



PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 



bicycle races are given to large and appre- 
ciative audiences. 

The annual band festival, given by the 
Goodman band and its neighboring bands, 
can find no other place so well adapted to 
its needs. 

The Police Department. 

The city of Decatur boasts of a police 
force, metropolitan in system, well officered 
and effective in administration. The total 
number of men on the force, including mer- 
chant police, is twenty-four. 

The headquarters are in the court house 
and the cit}' prison is in the basement of 
the building; Short street also has a station 
for emergency calls. There is a night and 
a day shift, thus giving the city a constant 
service. A fine patrol wagon is in readiness 
day and night for use in case of accident or 
arrest. A burglar alarm at headquarters is 
connected with the banks and many other 
leading business houses of the city. A 
rogue's gallery and a complete record of all 
arrests and accidents is kept by the depart- 
ment for future reference. 

The Fire Department. 

Decatur is justly proud of her splendidly 
equipped and well manned fire department ; 
it has a fire-fighting record that no city need 
be ashamed of. 

There are three hose houses, one located 
on \\'est Main in the loo block, one on 
North Morgan street near the manufactur- 
ing district, and one, recently erected, in the 
1400 block on North Main street. 

There are two steam engines, two chem- 
icals, four hose wagons, one hook and ladder 
truck and one chief's wagon ; about eighteen 
trained horses and 5,000 feet of hose ; about 
twenty-five men are employed. W. C. De- 
vore is chief; he has been in the department 
since 1878 'and its chief since 1884. 

Recently a system of fire alarms has been 
instituted with stations in all parts of the 
■city. 



The Water Works. 

The water works plant is in keeping with 
that of most cities the size of Decatur. The 
supply of water has always been equal to the 
demand, even in the greatest emergencies. 
Four pumps are installed in the plant, two 
doing the work, except in case of fire, when 
it sometimes becomes necessary to use 
more. 

The capacity is about 10,000,000 gallons, 
2,000,000 gallons being the average daily 
consumption. The filter plant alone cost 
$40,000. The entire expenditure will ap- 
proximate $400,000. 

There are two principal water mains, a 
twelve-inch main extends north on South 
Main street to Lincoln Square where it con- 
nects with a sixteen-inch main that extends 
to the north part of the city ; the other, a 
sixteen-inch main, extends on Broadway to 
Orchard street ; smaller ramifications from 
these supply the entire city. 

The water is pumped from the river ; pass- 
ing through a filter it reaches the reservoir, 
from which it is pumped into the mains. 

About a dozen men are employed ; these 
are subject to the directions of the chief 
engineer. 

Greenwood Cemetery. 

This cemetery is located south of the city, 
on the bluff skirting the river, and for nat- 
ural adaptation, it is as pretty a burying 
ground as can be found anywhere. The 
plat, originally small, now contains about 
forty acres. It is almost impossible to buy 
a lot near the entrance, the few that are left 
are very high in price. 

The Cemetery Association was organized 
March 3, 1857. All persons who own lots 
in the cemetery are entitled to vote in the 
election of officers, which consist of a presi- 
dent, a secretary, a treasurer and a board 
o{ directors, all of which serve but one year 
each. The receipts of the association last 
year were $4,844 : the expenditures were 



88 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .MACON COUNTY 



$4,141. The balance at the end of each year 
is jjlaced in a fund whicli is used to buy 
more land and to improve the cemetery. 

J. E. liendiirc is now entering upon his 
tvventy-fiftl; }ear as custodian. During the 
quarter of a century in which he has had 
charge he has seldom failed to be present 
when duty called. ( )ver 10,000 bodies re- 
pose here, almost half as many as there are 
inhabitants in the city of Decatur. 

Things for Which Decatur is Noted. 

The first (J. .\. R. lodge was organized in 
Decatur. 

The tirst slot machine, "The l-airest 
\\'heel," was made in Decatur. 

The first cereal mill was built in Decatur. 

The first corn oil mill was built in De- 
catur. 

The first hog ring was made in Hecatur. 

The first check-rower was made in De- 
catur. 

The first wire mat was made in Decatur. 

The first three-row corn planter was made 
in Decatur. 

Tile first burial slipper was made in De- 
catur. 

'J'he first cattle dehorner was made in 
Decatur. 

The first ])atent "fly killer" was made in 
Decatur. 

Masonic. 

Macon Lodge No. 8, .\. F. & A. M., was 
chartered ( )ctol)cr 5, 1841, by the Grand 
Lodge of the state of Illinois. Its charter 
members were: (leorge .\. Patterson, Jo- 
sei)h King. William Laforgee, Henry 
Prather, Elijah League, Leonard ,\shton, 
ancl James Ashton. 

The officers were: George .\. Patterson, 
W. M.; j.iseph King. S. W. : William La- 
forgee. J. W. This lodge owns the building 
in which it is domiciled. Its membershi]5 
is very large. 

Ionic Lodge No. 312, .A. V. & A. .M., w-as 
chartered October. 1859, by the Grand 



Lodge of the state of Illinois. Its charter 
members were: .\. 1'.. P.unn. George R. 
.Moflfett, \V. C. Hardy, S. S. Good, Jo- 
sejjh Lowenstein, J. M. Lowrej', and George 
Goodman. This lodge has quarters in the 
Loeb Time Block on N.orth Water street; 
it also has a verj' large membership. 

Macon Chajner No. 21 was organized 
September 29, 1855, by the Grand Chapter 
of the state of Illinois. Its officers were: 
D. P. Bunii, II. 1'. ; J. R. (iorin, king; Henry 
Prather, scribe; Josiah Hunt, C. LI. : W. W'. 
Oglesby, P. S. ; Joseph King, R. A. C. : J. C. 
W'eaver, M. 3rd \'. ; J. J. Peddecord. M. 2nd 
\'. ; W'. 1 1. Ennis. .m'. 1st \'. 

Peaumanoir Commaniler)- No. 9. K. T., 
was organized November 3, 1859, by the 
(jrand Commander}- of the state of Illinois. 
The charter members were : Robert (.ireen, 
S. T. Greer, I. C. Pugh, C. H. Fuller, John 
N. Fuller, George W'. liright. J. R. Gorin, 
Henry Hummel, William Dewees, W'illiam 
Marlui. 'i'he officers were: A. A. Murry, 
I''. C. : D. P. Elwood. generalissimo; W. .M. 
Camp. C. G. : J. H. P.abbitt. S. W. : J. N. 
Baker. J. \V.; W . L. Hammer, T. ; J. S. 
Hand, recorder; J. T. Barnett, standard 
bearer ; W'. J Wayne, sword bearer ; C. M. 
Imboden, warden ; William Towling, C. 
of G. 

Decatur Council No. 16, R. & S. M., is 
also a Masonic organization. 

Decatur Chapter No. 1 11, ( ). E. S.. is the 
ladies Masonic organization. 

Decatur Lodge Xo. 17, .\. F. & .\. M. 

.St. Francis C'oiu't No. 11. 

Odd Fellows. 

Decatur Lodge No. 65, 1. O. of O. F., was 
organized July. 1850, by the Grand Lodge of 
the state of Illinois. The charter members 
were: S. K. Thompson. II. Hummel. J. R. 
Turner. P., l-". { )glesby and John Koehler. 

Celestial Lodge No. 186, I. O. of O. F., 
was organized ( )ctober 12, 1855, by the 
(Irand Lodge of the state of Illinois. The 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



89 



charu-r niL-nibcrs were: W. W. Oglesby, 
P. D. Cline, S. K. Thompson, Henry P. 
Elliott, R. F. Jones, Joseph King. James 
Shoaff, J. L. Peak, A. J. Wolf, C. H. Fuller, 
George \V. Baker, B. H. Cassell, and John 
J. Ballentine. 

Decatur Encampment No. t,/, I. O. of O. 
F., was organized December, 1856, by the 
authority of the State Encampment. The 
charter members were : G. A. Smith, H. 
Kain, B. F. :\IcCoy, William T. Peak, Ste- 
phen (_;rimes. Peter Terrell, and Alonzo 
Pierce. 

There is also Canton No. 19. I. O. of O. F., 
located in Decatur. 

Progress Lodge No. 141, D. of R. is the 
women's adjunct of the Odd Fellow's organ- 
ization. 

Knights of Pythias. 

Coeur de Leon Lodge No. 17, K. of P. 

Chevalier Bayard Lodge No. 189, K. of P. 

En Ami Lodge No. 593, K. of P. 

Myrtle Temple No. 2, Rathbone Sisters. 

Fern Leaf Temple No. 18, Rathbone Sis- 
ters. 

Decatur Division No. 36, U. R. K. of P. 

Ladies' Assembly No. i, Decatur Divi- 
sion, U. R., K. of P. 

Section 184, E. R., K. of P. 

Section 2028, E. R., K. of P. 

Other Secret Societies of Decatur. 

Ancient Order of P3-ramids, Decatur 
Council No. loi. 

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, 
Decatur Lodge No. 401. 

Court of Honor, Decatur District Court 
No. 39. 

Fraternal Crystal Light. Hoyland Lodge 
No. 108. 

Fraternal Tribe, Home Tribe No. 13. 

Grand Army of the Republic, Dunham 
Post No. 141. 

Woman's Relief Corps No. 4. 

Sons of ^'eterans, Col. L C. Pugh Camp 
No. 14. 



Ladies' Aid Society, Auxiliary to Sons of 
Veterans. 

Home Forum Benefit Order, Forum No. 
270. 

Indepenrlent Order of Foresters, Decatur 
Court No. 3168. 

Independent Order of Good Templars, 
Decatur Lodge No. 364. 

Faithful Lodge No. 419, Junior Templars 
No. 180. 

Independent Order of Mutual Aid, Cen- 
tral Lodge No. 8. 

Royal Templars of Temperance, Decatur 
Council No. 12, Haworth Council No. 56. 

Knights of Honor, Decatur Lodge No. 
687. 

Knights of the Maccabees, Decatur Tent 
No. 130. 

Fraternal Army of America, Post No. 6; 
R. B. Clary Post No. 142. 

Modern Woodmen, Decatur Camp No. 
144, Easterly Camp No. 1626; W. C. Rowe 
Camp No. 7201 ; Royal Neighbors of Amer- 
ica, Bay Leaf Camp No. 29, Golden Crown 
Camp No. 129, Olive Branch Camp No. 
218. 

National Union, W. T. Sherman Council 
No. 472. 

Patriotic Sons of America, Washington 
Camp No. 57. 

Princes of the Orient, Lucullus Council 
No. I. 

Royal Circle, Decatur Circle No. 17. 

Royal League, Decatur Council No. 92. 

Tribe of Ben Hur, Triumph Court No. 17. 

.■\ncient Order of Hibernians, Divisfon 
No. I. 

Catholic Knights of America, No. 464. 

American Home Circle, Decatur Circle 
No. 49. 

Independent t )rder of Red Men, Sanga- 
mon Tribe No. 145. 

Knights of Columbus Decatur Council 
No. 577. 

Knights of Friendship, Lodge No. i. 



90 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Ladies of tlie Maccabees, Decatur Hi\e 
No. 172. 

Knights of the Modern .Maccabees, Lin- 
cohi Tent No. 1039. 

Loyal Americans, Decatur Lodge No. 8. 

Modern .American Fraternal Order. Deca- 
tur Lodge No. 48. 

Mutual Protective League, Decatur Coun- 
cil No. 465. 

Mystic \\'orkers of the Work!. Decatur 
Lodge No. 443. 

Order of the White Cross, J. L. Deck- 
Council No. 28. 

Royal Arcanum No. 1432. 

Ro\-al League, Decatur Council No. 92. 

Washington League, Decatur Council. 

Yeomen of America, Decatur Council No. 
121. 

Catholic Order of l-'orcsters No. 27. 

Citizens' National Bank. 

Tiiis bank was incorpurated in 1891 ; capi- 
talized for $100,000. The surplus is $31,000. 
The officers are : President, Harry Shlaud- 
eman ; vice-president, W. H. Starr; cashier, 
Milton Johnson ; assistant cashier, J. N. 
Baker. Including the above officers with 
the following named gentlemen we have the 
board of directors: J. D. Good, j. 1!. Bul- 
lard, G. J. Danzeisen, and F. M. Gaddis. 

The domicile of this bank is a fine modern 
three-story brick building on the corner 
of Merchant and Prairie streets. Its busi- 
ness has made very rapid increase in the last 
few years ; in fact its per cent of increase has 
been larger tlian that of any other bank in 
the city. 

The Millikin National Bank. 

The private banking firm of j. Millikin 
& Co. was founded by James Millikin in 
i860, and has established the reputation of 
being one of the strongest banks in the 
state outside of Chicago. The .Millikin Na- 
tional Bank, incorporated in 1897, is the suc- 
cessor of the above named bank or firm ; its 



capital is $200,000. Its surplus and un- 
divided profits aggregate $290,000; the de- 
posits at present foot up $3,000,000. 

This bank occupies the lower floor of the 
.Millikin Building, corner East Main and 
Water streets ; this building is seven stories 
high and is one of the most handsome, con- 
venient and modern in the city. The offi- 
cers are: James Millikin, president; O. B. 
Gorin, vice-president ; J. M. Brownback, 
cashier; S. F. Walker, assistant cashier. 

The National Bank of Decatur. 

The bank occupies the Ulricli Block at the 
corner of North \\'ater and East Prairie 
streets. A substantial, three-story brick 
building. Recently this bank has made a 
complete change in the interior appoint- 
ments, giving it furnishings entirely modern 
in ever}' department of its business. Its 
capitalization is $100,000; the undivided 
I)rofits and surplus are $125,000. Its de- 
posits are very heavy. The officers are K. 
H. Rob)% president ; D. S. Shellabarger, 
vice-president; B. O. McReynolds, cashier; 
George W'. Bright, assistant cashier. 

L. Burrows & Co. Bank. 
In 1852, when Peddccord & Burrows were 
conducting a general store in Decatur, they 
had a safe, the only one in town, in which 
the farmers deposited their money in sacks. 
The firm being custodian of much of the 
money of the community, quite an extensive 
exchange business was carried on through 
it. This finally resulted in the establish- 
ment of a bank under the firm name of Ped- 
decord & Burrows. In July, 1899, at the 
death of Mr. Peddecord, the name of the 
bank was changed to L. Burrows & Co. 
it is one of the oldest enterprises in the 
city, yet has lost none of its original pres- 
tige. The officers are: L. Burrows, presi- 
dent ; L. L. Burrows, cashier. This bank 
occupies the first floor of the three-story 
brick building at the corner of South Park 
and North \\'atcr streets. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



!»1 



The Decatur Traction & Electric Company. 

The first street railways in Decatur were 
equipped with small cars with benches for 
passengers along the side. Horses or mules, 
equipped with warning bells, furnished the 
motive power. The management, however, 
becoming too progressive for these condi- 
tions, was the first in the state to adopt 
electricity as its motor. 

The people doubted the feasibility of the 
plan and when the initiatory trial was made, 
at the old square, a large crowd assembled 
to witness the start. The trial was success- 
ful, but some thought there was danger of 
receiving shocks, others that the motorman 
would lose control, and still others that the 
current would stop the watches of the pas- 
sengers. But soon these illusions were dis- 
pelled and everybody rode. The manage- 
ment deserves unstinted praise for the pres- 
ent efficiency of the road. 

While the name of the company has not 
always been the same, yet it has never 
really been out of the hands of the original 
promoters until July, 1903, when it was sold 
to the Interurban Company. The company 
has recently been incorporated for $225,000, 
the greater portion being used in laying the 
tracks and erecting and equipping a new 
power plant. 

The company now has about fifteen miles 
of track, thirty cars, a first-class power 
house, a spacious, well equipped car barn 
and a handsome transfer station. The cars 
are of the latest patterns with electric heat- 
ers, electric lights, electric signal bells, illu- 
minated signs, cross seats and vestibules. 
Each car is propelled by a twenty-five horse 
power motor. 

The power station, costing $40,000, is a 
large substantial brick building, modern in 
all its appointments. It contains two three 
hundred and fifty horse power Bates Corliss 
engines, two two hundred and fifty Kilowatt 
general electric generators, two three hun- 
dred and fifty Sterling water-tube boilers, 



and sufficient space in the building to dupli- 
cate its equipments. 

The transfer station, located on Lincoln 
Square, the center of the original town of 
Decatur, is a feature of the system that is 
not found in any other city of the state. In 
surveying the crossing of the two main 
streets, a square was cut out of the corner 
of each of the four adjacent blocks, forming 
quite a large sqi\are ; this in early times was 
used by the farmers for a hitching place for 
teams, also for a show groimd and a general 
loafing or gathering place ; it finally de- 
veloped into a nuisance, which was event- 
ually supplanted by an octagonal stone 
structure, fashioned after a Chinese pagoda. 
The first floor contains a waiting room and 
the company's office, over this is a band 
room ; the roof extends sufficiently to pro- 
tect the passengers from the sun and rain ; 
surrounding the building is a wide, circular 
walk of granitoid. 

All in all you will find no better system 
in any town the size of Decatur, and it is 
doubtful whether any in the state surpass it. 

MANUFACTORIES AND INCORPO- 
RATIONS. 
The Decatur Coffin Company, corner 
North and JMorgan streets, was established 
in 1872, being one of the oldest com- 
panies in the city carried on continuously 
under the same management. This com- 
pany was incorporated in 1882. It has con- 
stantly lived up to its reputation of careful, 
successful, honorable, businesslike dealing. 
The company makes burial caskets, burial 
robes and wholesale undertakers' supplies. 
Its salesmen visit and sell goods in all the 
leading cities of the United States. It takes 
the lead in burial garments, and is consid- 
ered the most important of its kind in the 
country. It made some new departures in 
this line recently, which changed the mate- 
rial and manner of making burial garments, 
thtis giving the company a place at the head 



92 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



of tlie counlry's trade. A large number of 
skilled mechanics and experienced dress- 
makers constitute the working force. The 
ofificcrs are: O. Z. Greene, president; 
George ii.. Moeller, vice-president ; T. T. 
Roberts, secretary and treasurer. 

The F. B. Tait Manufacturing Company, 
located on East Cerro Gordo street, occu- 
pies an entire block of ground 260 by 150 
feet. It fronts Cerro Gordo street and also 
skirts the Wabash right-of-way which af- 
fords excellent transfer facilities. The main 
l)uilding, containing offices, sample rooms 
and warehouse, has four stories and a base- 
ment ; this was opened in March, 1902, and 
is one of the most handsome business 
houses in central Illinois. The machine 
shop, foundry and blacksmith shop are of 
brick and well equipped with all the neces- 
sary machinery. 

From eighty to one hundred men are em- 
l)loyed by this company, eight traveling 
men are constantly in the field. They man- 
ufacture the Decatur corn planter, the three 
row corn ])lanter, land rollers, steel-frame 
lever harrows and gate seeders, shoveling 
boards, surface cultivators, the New Deca- 
tur and Easy corn sheller, Tait check row- 
ers. Buckeye harrow and pulverizer, stalk 
rakes, wagon seats and single-tongue sweep 
rakes. They also handle buggies, carriages, 
wagons, general farm implements and gas- 
oline engines. 

The F. B. Tait Com])any has a capital 
stock of $100,000, and was organized in 
1897 to succeed F. 1'.. Tait & Company, 
which firm was organized in 1S82. The 
officers are : F. B. Tait, president and 
treasurer: 1). 1'.. Tait. xice-jiresident ; E. C. 
Bassey, secretary. 

The plant of the Decatur Lundjer and 
Manufacturing Company, on North Water 
street, occupies eight lots of space skirting 
the Wabash Railroad. They manufacture 
all kinds of interior finish for stores, resi- 
dences and office-fittings, sash, doors, 



moulding and stair work in all kinds of 
wood, including mahogany, walnut, cherry, 
quarter-sawed oak and cypress. In bank 
and store fixtures they both make and fit, 
employing first-class workmen in that line 
of work. The factory and planing mill is 
a four-story brick building 60 by 80 feet, 
equipped with all of the latest and best 
machinery. This company handles a full 
line of lumber in all of the woods tisually 
found in a first-class lumber yard, also lath 
and shingles. The company started in 
business in 1880 with a capital of $50,000, 
and in 1892 increased the stock to $100,000. 
The officers are : Thomas V. Jones, presi- 
dent ; J. B. Good, vice-president ; H. M. 
Prescott, treasurer; .A. S. Knouff, secre- 
tary. 

The Haworth and Sons Manufacturing 
Company is the oldest plant of its kind in 
Decatur, having had its origin in 1870, then 
known as Haworth & Sons. The present 
management was inaugurated two years 
ago. They make corn planters, check row- 
ers, grain drills and scoop-boards, and also 
do a jobbing business in buggies and 
wagons. They own the patents on most of 
the machinery which they make. The check 
rower is the only cross-wire rower made, 
it being the inxention of George D. Haw- 
orth, and the first ever patented. This 
jilant was built in 1872, and is located at 
the corner of l-^asl Cerro Gordo and Eldo- 
rado streets, extending back to the Wabash 
tracks covering a block of ground, making 
a large railroad frontage which affords fine 
shipping facilities. The building contains 
three stories and a basement and is mod- 
ern in all its furnishings. The number of 
men employed is from seventy-five to one 
hundred, a number of traveling men are 
always on the road. 

The Decatur .Monument Company, or- 
ganized by John H. Culver, was, in 1896, 
changed to the firm of Brown & Son, now 
located in the 400 block on Xorth Main 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



93 



street. This firm keeps in stock a full line 
of monuments both in style and quality. 
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Massa- 
chusetts and Scotch granites, as well as the 
leading varieties of marble are carried. The 
territory covered by their sales includes 
Decatur and its adjacent country. N. F. 
Brown, the senior partner of the firm, is an 
old resident of this county, having settled 
near Boody in 1859. 

The Palace of Sweets, located in the Fretl 
Wilson building in the 300 block on North 
Main street, was established by J. \V. 
Keckley in August, 1902. It was capital- 
ized for $2,500; for the purpose of manufac- 
turing a general line of confectionery and 
ice cream, including a jobbing business in 
the same. 

The Union Iron Works was instituted in 
1864 by James Millikin and C. C. Burrows. 
It was devoted largely to building engines 
up to 1880. Engines and mill machinery 
were its entire products until 1875. The 
company was incorporated in 1882, the 
stock being held by James Millikin, A. R. 
Montgomery and Mrs. A. R. Montgomery. 
The management is principally in the hands 
of A. R. Montgomery, who has shown 
marked business ability in establishing its 
enviable reputation. The trade grew from 
milling machinery to elevator supplies, this 
led to the corn sheller, which proved a for- 
tune to the firm. They have furnished the 
major part of the shelling machinery of 
the United States ; this firm has more shel- 
lers in operation in warehouses than all 
other makes combined ; in 1875 everything 
but elevator supplies was abandoned. Dur- 
ing the last decade they have won a repu- 
tation on their portable corn sheller that 
has made them leaders in that line ; their 
territory not only covers the United States, 
but reaches over into Mexico and Canada. 
A general machine shop and foundry is also 
profitably carried on. Over a hundred men 
find employment here the year round, and 



e\-ery branch requires skilled labor for 
which high prices are paid. The plant 
burned August 5, 1895 ; twenty-four days 
later the factory was rebuilt, larger and bet- 
ter than before, taking on an increased num- 
ber of workmen. Since then a large addi- 
tion has been built, making it the largest 
foundry in the city. James Millikin is pres- 
ident and A. R. Alontgomery is secretary, 
treasurer and general manager. 

The plant of the Satley Manufacturing 
Company, located on the Wabash Railroad 
between Jasper and North Lowber streets, 
is the foundry department of the above 
named company which is in Springfield. 
The business of the plant is to make the 
gray and malleable iron castings used by 
the Springfield company, and to do a gen- 
eral line of job work. From the time the 
foundry was open for business it was 
crowded with orders. The majority of the 
manufactories in the city, especially those 
making implements, found it convenient 
and profitable to have their malleable iron 
castings made by this firm ; many orders 
from the outside are constantly coming in. 
At the start but fifty men were needed, 
while at present over two hundred are em- 
ployed during the busy season. Its capac- 
ity has been increased at short intervals 
during the last three years by building 
more annealing ovens, placing larger en- 
gines, building additional rooms and by 
numerous other improvements. It has 
done much good for Decatur by reestab- 
lishing business in an abandoned locality 
and furnishing labor for a large number of 
idle men. G. A. Hackett is the local man- 
ager. 

The Decatur Coal Company is one of the 
largest employers of labor in the city ; the 
company has two shafts, known as the old 
and the new. The mine, at first, was oper- 
ated by private parties and had but the old 
shaft. In 1882 the Decatur Coal Company 
was incorporated, and a new shaft opened. 



9i 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



The old shall is uii the Wabash, and the 
new is on the Central ; the mines are con- 
nected under groinid. An excellent quality 
of bituminous coal is produced, which is 
not only sold in the local market, but at 
numerous points outside. Over three hun- 
dred men are employed ; the mines have a 
capacity of about 1,200 tons per day of eight 
hours each. This company also owns a 
mine in Niantic, in which machinery for 
mining coal is used. The officers of the 
company are: IT. W. Hill, president; O. B. 
Gorin, secretar}- and treasurer ; W. C. Arm- 
strong, general manager. 

The John A. Keck Company, corner West 
Wood and South Church street, manufac- 
tures cigar a;id paper boxes. The firm was 
established in 1881. It is managed and 
principally owned by John A. Keck. Its 
saws, planes and presses are kept in con- 
tinual use by its employes, who number 
about seventeen the year round. Paper 
boxes for the local trade and cigar boxes 
for both local and outside manufacturers 
are made. This establishment has been 
very successful in securing and maintain- 
ing a lucrative business. 

The Chambers, Bering & Quinlan Com- 
pany, among the oldest manufactories in 
the city, located on Jasper street and front- 
ing the Wabash Railroad, makes corn 
planters, check rowers, hay loaders, side 
delivery rakes and other farm machinery. 
The firm sprung into existence in 1876 by 
the partnership entered into on the part of 
William B. Chambers, J. E. Bering and 
William J. Quinlan. A few years ago W. 
B. Chambers retired and Wilson M. Bering 
took his place. This company manufac- 
tured the first wire check rower, which has 
proven an entire success, both as a mechan- 
ical device and as a money maker. A short 
time ago the plant was destroyed by fire, 
but out of the ashes sprung a building of 
newer design with all the modern conven- 
iences and the latest and best machinery. 



From seventy-five to one hundred men find 
work here. The officers are : J. E. Ber- 
ing, president; William M. Bering, vice- 
president; William J. Quinlan, secretary, 
and treasurer. 

The F. ri. Bushway Flavoring Extract 
Company, located at 949-51 North Water 
street, was incorporated in 1893. The 
plant occupies three floors and manufac- 
tures all kinds of flavoring extracts. The 
firm also handles teas and coffees on a l-arge 
scale. They employ sixteen workmen the 
year round. The members of the firm are 
J. O. Henry and J. B. Henry. Their goods 
are reliable and are shipped to many outside 
points. 

The firm of \\'. H. Grindol & Son, corner 
of East Main and Franklin streets, was es- 
tablished in 1865 by W. H. Grindol. In 
1890 John Grindol became a member of the 
firm. The work turned out at present is 
made, by machinery, consisting of a pol- 
isher, a cutter, a pneumatic hammer and 
other accessory tools. All light carving, 
cutting and engraving is executed with a 
pneumatic hammer. The granite is all 
worked from the rough and is received in 
car-load lots. Ten men are continuously 
employed. The firm owns the buildings 
and grounds occupied by the plant. 

The Frank Curtis Company is the oldest 
firm in the state that manufactures, whole- 
sales and retails jewelry. The firm was es- 
tablished thirty years ago as Otto E. Cur- 
tis & Company, and was later known as 
Otto E. Curtis & Brother. At the death of 
Otto E. Curtis the business was managed 
by Frank Curtis. In 1899 a corporation 
was formed known as the Frank Curtis 
Company. The stockholders are Frank 
Curtis, Mrs. A. T. Curtis, Mrs. J. T. Dur- 
fee and Miss Mabel Durfee. The incorpo- 
rate stock is $30,000. This business has 
been carried on in the same rooms since it 
was organized. They do a wholesale as 
well as a retail business in diamonds. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



95 



watches, clocks and all kinds of jewelry. 
The ground floor at 156 East Alain street is 
devoted entirely to the jewelry business, 
the second floor is used for the china ware, 
the basement is used for storage and the 
third floor is tised for manufacturing and 
repairing" work. They employ twelve per- 
sons and do all their own repairing and 
difficult job work which most jewelers send 
to the large cities. The officers are: Frank 
Curtis, president; Miss Mabel A. Durfee, 
secretary and treasurer. 
' The C. J. Hartley Company, located at 
the corner of Franklin and Decatur streets 
on the Illinois Central Railroad, was known 
as the Warren & Durfee Company from 
1885 to 1897, when it was transferred to C. 
J. Hartley and his son Arthur Hartley. The 
main building is 30 by 60 feet and is two 
stories high ; the wiilg to this is 40 by 100 
feet ; the warehouse 30 by 60 feet. This 
firm manufactures wagon and buggy jacks, 
also the C. J. Hartley grain-weigher, on 
which the firm owns the patents. General 
contract work is done, and in the machine 
shop repairing and rebuilding engines is 
made a specialty. This company was in- 
corporated March 17, 1902, for $8,000. The 
officers are : Joseph Stocks, president ; C. 
J. Hartley, secretary and treasurer; Arthur 
Hartley, superintendent. 

The \Vayne Sulkyette Company, located 
at the corner of East Prairie and North 
Franklin streets, has done much to adver- 
tise Decatur abroad. The company manti- 
factures high grade fire apparatus, police 
patrol wagons, hose wagons, chemical en- 
gines, combined chemical and hose wagons, 
hook and ladder trucks, and rubber tired 
vehicle's of all kinds, including racing carts, 
road wagons, buggies and pony carts and 
wagons. This company was awarded a 
medal at the World's Columbian Exposi- 
tion for the finest police patrol wagons and 
other vehicles. The hook and ladder trucl* 
and hose wagons of the Decatur fire depart- 



ment were built by this companj', as was 
also the police patrol wagon. The officers 
are : D. W. Brennaman, president ; W. J. 
Wayne, vice-president and general man- 
ager; VV. P. Shade, secretary and treasurer. 

The Decatur Cornice and Roofing 
Works, located on North Main street, just 
south of the Wabash Railroad, was estab- 
lished by W. H Stewart in 1882. The steady 
growth of the business has enabled the 
firm to gain a foothold in most of the lead- 
ing cities of the country. "Perfect" is the 
trade mark under which all the leading 
specialties are manufactured. All the job- 
bing houses carry, regularly, on their cata- 
logues the "Perfect" radiator and register 
shield. Among the specialties made by 
them are copper and zinc caskets, slate and 
steel roofing, furnaces, sheet metal statu- 
ary, sky-lights, tar, gravel and asphalt roof- 
ing. Tiiey also do general contract work 
on metal work, roofing and cornice. The 
sheet-metal, slate and tile roofing and cop- 
per work on the new Wabash depot was 
done by them. 

The Decatur Novelty Works, located at 
the corner of Morgan and William streets, 
owned and managed by William L. Oakes, 
manufactures steam engines, gas engines, 
oil engines, steam boilers, steam pumps 
and feed-water heaters. A large stock of 
general supplies for steam users is carried 
by the firm. The trade is principally local. 
Thirty-five persons are furnished employ- 
ment. The business was established in 
1878. 

The Decatur Brewing Company is one of 
the earliest established institutions of the 
city ; it was started by John Gaus, in the 
latter part of the fifties, who was succeeded 
in the business by B. B. Richards, Mark 
Simpson and Nicholas Weber, who in turn 
sold the brewery to E. Harpstrite and H. 
Shlaudeman in 1862, by whom it was con- 
ducted for twenty-two years. In 1884 H. 
Shlaudeman bought his partner's interest 



96 



PAST AND l"RKSi:.\T OF MACON COUNTY. 



and, with the co-operation of his sons, has 
successfully carried on the business since 
then. The plant is located at 604 Kast Cen- 
tral street. The main building is 100 by 
135 feet; part of it is three stories and part 
is five stories. There is a malting capacity 
of 15,000 barrels of beer annually. In the 
manufacture of beer the best Minnesota 
barley and New York and Pacific Coast 
hops only, are used. The cellars are cooled 
with a consolidated Ice Company machine, 
the capacity of which is ten tons per day, 
and a W'cstinghous'e machine, having a 
capacity of twenty-five tons. The build- 
ings are lighted by the company's electric 
light plant. Glass-enameled steel casks are 
used in the vacuum process of aging and 
ripening the beer. A number of deep wells 
have been sunk, afifording an abundance of 
pure water for brewing. The plant is 
€quii)]jed throughout with the newest and 
best appurtenances. This firm sells beer 
all over the slate, and seven-eighths of the 
beer used in Decatur is of this company's 
make. The bottling works, which is a part 
of the ]ilant, is a two-story brick structure 
25 by 75 feet. Twenty-one men are em- 
ployed in the brewery and twelve in the 
bottling works. The officers are : Henry 
Shlaudeman, i)resident ; Frank Shlaudeman, 
vice-president; Harry Shlaudeman, secre- 
tary and treasurer. 

The Stuart Dry Goods Company was or- 
ganized in 1897. This store is located in 
the two hundred block on North Water 
street, in an elegant three-story brick build- 
ing, by Mr. Fenton, adapted to the especial 
needs of this company. Besides handling a 
regular dry goods business, dress making, 
cloak making and remodeling of fur gar- 
ments is also carried on. All the members 
of this firm are experienced dry goods men, 
having come up from clerkships; the suc- 
cess of the business reflects the ability of 
its promoters. About forty persons are 
employed in this store. An extensive stock 



of well selected millinery has also been car- 
ried in store b_\ the firm for the last few 
years. 

The Decaliu- Lime and Cement Coni- 
l)any, at the old David .Martin stand, 600 
North ^lorgan street, the oldest luue house 
in central Illinois, is now owned and man- 
aged by Dan Macnet. He carries lime, ce- 
ment, flue-linings, wall-copings, fire-brick, 
fire-clay, sewer-pipe, hard and soft coal. 
The trade is about equally divided between 
local and outside territory, reaching fifty 
miles in e\ery direction from Decatur. 

The Electric Supply and Fi.xture Com- 
pany was incorporated May 31, 1898, cap- 
ital stock, $2,500. This company does 
general contracting work; jobbing in dyna- 
mos, motors, watchmen's time detectors, 
and manufactures electrical specialties. 
The offices are in the Powers' building. The 
ofticcrs are: E. E. Gibson, president and 
treasurer; E. T. Coleman, vice-president; 
.\l. M. Holmes, secretary. 

The Standard Manufacturing Company, 
located in the Columbia Building, on North 
-Main street, was inctirporatcd in July, 1901; 
capitalized for $12,000. It manufactures 
and wholesales flavoring extracts, perfumes 
and toilet preparations. The officers are: 
F. A. Bushway, ])resident ; C. M. Goltra, 
vice-president; J. M. I'.aton, secretar}' ; C. 
W. Hastings, treasurer and manager. 

The J. L. Drake Hardware store, the 
former site of the Ciriswold store, at the 
corner of SotUh Water and East Main 
streets, the oldest hardware stand in De- 
catur, carries a general line of hardware, 
paints and sporting goods. He manufac- 
tures special lines of metal work. 

The F. H. Cole Shoe Company is located 
in the 100 block on East Main street. They 
carrv a full line of men's, ladies' and chil- 
dren's shoes, also a complete line of rub- 
ber goods usually carried with a well se- 
lected stock of this magnitude. Their stock 
has thus far assured them a remunerative 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



business. The officers are : Joseph Lap- 
ham, president; L. E. Lapham, vice-presi- 
dent; Charles E. Martin, secretary; Charles 
D. Jones, treasurer. 

J. P. Eckles & Company, located at 222 
North Main street, carries hardware, tin- 
ware, paints and oils and manufactures spe- 
cialties in sheet metals. 

C. J. Furgeson, located at 654-658, car- 
ries a general line of hardware and furni- 
ture, and also manufactures tinner's sup- 
plies. 

B. M. Dennis, located at 611 North Water 
street, carries on a general hardware busi- 
ness, and manufactures sheet metal sup- 
plies. 

A. F. Gebhart, located at 1135-1139 North 
Water street, does a general hardware bus- 
iness, and manufactures special supplies for 
the trade. 

Alichael Fahay, located at 1102-1106 East 
Eldorado, does a general hardware busi- 
ness, and manufactures his supplemental 
supplies. 

The Decatur Cias and Electric Company 
supplies the citizens of Decatur with elec-> 
trie and gas light, also electric power and 
fuel gas. The first plant was instituted in 
1868; it was originally known as the Deca- 
tur Gas, I-ight and Coke Company, and 
later as the Decatur Light, Heat and Power 
Company. When purchased by ]\Iessrs. 
Danforth and McCoy and united with the 
Culver Electric Light Plant, it assumed its 
present cognomen, and was incorporated 
for $400,000. In 1899 an eastern syndicate 
bought the plant. The officers of the com- 
pany are : J. Manchester Haynes, of Au- 
gusta, Maine, president ; George E. INlacom- 
ber, of Augusta, Maine, treasurer; W. A. 
Bixby, manager. Since going into the 
hands of these parties many thousands of 
dollars have been expended in its better- 
ment. The lower water gas system has 
been introduced, and the plant on East 
Wood street has been increased to the 



capacity of 400,000 cubic feet of gas. About 
twenty-five miles of gas mains are in use. 
A storage capacity of 300,000 cubic feet and 
a daily manufacturing capacit}- of 400,000 
cubic feet. 

The electric plant at the corner of West 
Cerro Gordo and North Edward streets, is 
practically new and entirely modern in 
every respect. Most of this plant is in 
duplicate and protected against accidents 
of all kinds. The firm has about forty per- 
sons in its employ regularly, besides the 
force on construction and repair work. 

William Hold's machine shop, located on 
State street, is three stories high and covers 
a space 120 by 70 feet. All kinds of spe- 
cial machinery, hydraulic elevators, boilers 
and steam pumps are handled ; repair work 
is also done. Six men are employed con- 
tinually. William Bold, who has been in 
the business for eighteen years, is the sole 
owner and manager of the plant. 

The firm of George S. Lyon & Sons, lo- 
cated at 546 East Cerro Gordo street, was 
started by George S. Lyon on the same 
corner about twenty years ago. He had 
the first planing mill in the city, and the 
otlier lumber yards brought him their lum- 
ber to dress. A few years ago the building 
was destroyed by fire. Not daunted, how- 
ever, the firm erected a large two story 
brick building, 286 by 134 feet, extending 
to the Wabash Railroad, facing both North 
Broadway and East Cerro Gordo streets ; 
since that time the entire yard has been en- 
closed by a brick wall the height of one 
story. The firm does a general lumber and 
planing business, manufacturing sashes, 
doors, door and window-casings, and fur- 
nishings for stores and public buildings ; 
all kinds of finishing lumber known to 
the trade are kept in stock. The plant is 
equipped with the latest make of machinery 
throughout, and employs fifty men nearly 
all the year ; five wagons are continually 
in use. The officers are : Clyde R. Lyon, 



98 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



presideni; James C. Sullivan, secretary; J. 
B. Robertson, treasurer. 

The lumber firm of Colby Brothers, at 
419 W'abash avenue, was organized in 1891 
on the same site occupied by a lumber yard 
for the past thirty years. They do an out 
and out lumber business ; handling all kinds 
of wood usually kept in stock for this mar- 
ket. They also manufacture doors, sashes, 
window and door casings, furnishings for 
stores and jniblic buildings ; all kinds of 
finishing lumber carried. The plant is ad- 
mirably equipped for their varied work. 
They employ from si.x to ten men. The 
firm is composed of C. L. Colby, 11. U. Col- 
by and L. S. Colby. 

The Mills Lmnber Company, located at 
763 East Eldorado street, is one of the old 
lumber yards of the city. This company 
carries all grades and all woods in the gen- 
eral market such as white pine, yellow pine, 
chestnut, cypress, sycamore, walnut, cherry 
and quarter-sawed oak. They turn out mill 
work of all kinds ; doors, sashes exterior 
and interior finishings, office fixtures, stairs 
and furnishings for public buildings. Jo- 
sei)h Mills, the founder oi the enterprise, 
has been in the lumber business over fifty 
years ; more than twenty years of this 
time has been devoted to the interests of 
this company. The officers arc: Joseph 
Mills, president; Edgar Shellabarger, sec- 
retary and treasurer. 

Irwin, Kirkland & Company, manufac- 
turing pharmacists, located at 128-32 West 
William street, occupy two entire build- 
ings, giving a frontage on both William 
and Main streets; both buildings are well 
built attractive brick; the one facing Main 
street has just recently been completed. 
This business, established in 1886 by Smith, 
Hubbard & Company, was purchased by 
the present owners in 1892. They manu- 
facture non-secret preparations, fluid ex- 
tracts, elixirs, medicated syrups and com- 
pressed tablets. They have their own heat- 



ing plant, do their own grinding and print- 
ing, giving employment to eighteen per- 
sons in the laboratories. From five to eight 
])eople are on the road, and they cover ter- 
ritory from ^linneapolis to New Orleans, 
west as far as Denver and east as far as 
eastern Indiana. 

V. H. Park & Son, on North Main street, 
next to the Wabash Railroad, occupy a half 
block at this point. V. H. Park has prob- 
ably been in active business in Decatur 
longer than any other man; in 1852 he en- 
gaged in the livery business, next in the 
implement business until 1887, ^^ then pur- 
chased his present business. They are en- 
gaged more extensively in the lime busi- 
eess than any other firm in central Illinois. 
They handle limes, cements, sewer-pipes, 
fire-clay goods, as well as operating an ex- 
tensive plant for the manufacture of this 
product. They have this year erected a 
commodious brick building for the storage 
of hard plaster. They purchased, a few 
years ago, the transfer and storage business 
of another firm, which has brought them an 
extensive storage business ; they are well 
equipped for this line, ha\ing four large 
warehouses. Thc}' are also distributors for 
a half dozen manufacturers of agricultural 
implements; these are sent, by car-load lots, 
to all points within a radius of seventy 
miles of Decatur. 

The Neisler-Burwcll Drug Company, at 
the corner of North Main and William 
streets, does a wliolesale and retail drug 
business. The firm carries a complete line 
of drugs, chemicals and physicians' sup- 
plies, surgical instruments, also a fine line 
of photographers' supplies; extra jiharma- 
ccutical preparations are also manufac- 
tured. Their traveling men make all the 
leading towns in northern and central Illi- 
nois. The company consists of W. F. Neis- 
Icr and Dr. E. .'\. Burwell. 

The Globe Cornice Works, at 224-26 
West Wood street, occupies two rooms. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



99 



The firm has done mucli of the tin and gal- 
vanized iron work on the buildings of the 
city since its organization some years ago. 
They manufacture galvanized iron corn- 
ices, skylights, metal ceilings ; put on 
slate, tin and gravel roofing; sell and set 
hot air furnaces. Quite an extensive busi- 
ness has been built up outside of the city. 

The Decatur Brick Company was organ- 
ized in February, 1898, by combining the 
several brick companies then in existence ; 
thus involving a capital of $125,000. The 
brick industry has grown to very large pro- 
portions in this place. The brick for all the 
street paving and for nearly all the walks 
are of home make, and a very large per 
cent of the brick used in the construction 
of Decatur's brick buildings also comes from 
home manufacture. Since its organization 
much improvement in both paving and 
building brick has been made. The com- 
pany has five plants, two west and three 
east of the city, with a capacity of 25,000,- 
000 brick per annum ; with only part of the 
plants in use, the company furnishes work 
for about 120 skilled workmen, with a pay- 
roll of about $1,000 per week. A very re- 
munerative trade has been built up outside 
of the city, even outside the state. They 
make a specialty of re-pressed paving brick, 
glazed side-walk brick, side-cut building- 
brick; also end-cut building brick. The 
officers are : J. F. Mattes, president ; Harry 
A. Shlaudeman, vice-president; S. A. Tut- 
tle, secretary and treasurer ; E. D. Mattes, 
general superintendent. 

The Decatur bakery of the National Bis- 
cuit Company, was organized about a dozen 
years ago, and has done a paj'ing business 
from the start. It uses fpur floors on the 
east side of the Library block; it runs day 
and night the year round, furnishing em- 
ployment for forty men. A full line of 
crackers and fine buscuits are turned out, 
110 different kinds of goods are made at 
this bakery. The bread is baked at night. 



while the cakes and sweet goods are baked 
in the daytime. Shipments are made to 
325 towns in Illinois and to about twenty- 
five in Indiana and at the same time a very 
large local trade is supplied. The plant has 
at all times since its origin been kept run- 
ning to its full capacity. Its business 
reaches the surprising sum of $200,000 per 
year. A. W. Conklin is its manager. 

The United States Wire Mat Company 
is one of the unique institutions of the city. 
Its goods have attracted the attention of the 
civilized world. The factory, located at 
341-43 Wabash avenue, was incorporated in 
1892 with a capital stock of $20,000. The 
capacity of the plant is 500 feet. of matting 
per day. The United States government is 
an extensive patron of this firm ; with the 
exception of the recently constructed boats, 
every man-of-war in the navy is fitted out 
with wire matting from this factory. The 
battle ship Texas has $1,000 worth of this 
matting lying upon her decks. The pro- 
duct of this factory goes to South America, 
South Africa, Australia, Russia, England 
and the continent. The officers are : C. M. 
Hurst, secretary; P. P. Wells, treasurer; J. 
L. Bennett, manager. 

The Whitmer heating plant covers seven 
blocks of the city; has 15,000 feet of mains 
and 50,000 feet of radiators. Seven boilers, 
with a total capacity of 740 horse-power, 
are used. Ordinarily, only five boilers are 
in use, two being held in reserve for emer- 
gencies. There are two Oakes 100 horse- 
power fire-tube boilers and two Babcock 
and Wilcox water-tube boilers of 150 horse- 
power each ; the average pressure carried is 
from 100 to 115 pounds. The plant was es- 
tablished in 1892 with a 60 horse-power 
boiler. The business developed so rapidly 
that in 1894 the two large boilers were put 
in. It requires the use of four large pumps 
to supply the boilers with water; two teams 
are constantly hauling coal, the plant using 
thirty tons per day. A double system is 



100 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



usc'il so in case any part of the plant is in 
need of repairs tlie other can be brought 
into use; there are four regular firemen and 
one extra eniplo3ed. The boilers are four- 
teen feet below the street grade line. !■". II. 
Whitmer is the manager. 

The R. S. Uohon Company was incoriio- 
rated about six years ago with a capital 
stock of $25,000. The firm is located at the 
corner ol North Broadway and East Eldo- 
rado streets, in one of the best arranged 
three story business blocks in IJecatur. 
Three rooms, a large basement and a bal- 
cony are used for their stock, which in- 
cludes clothing, dry goods, notions, hats, 
caps and car])ets. The officers are: R. S. 
Bohon, president ; S. C. Bohon, vice-presi- 
dent ; F. i\ Roach, secretary and treasurer ; 
R. S. Bohon, manager. 

The Race Clothing Manufacttiring Com- 
pany, established in 1856, located over the 
Race clothing store, makes farmers' and 
mechanics' shirts, overalls, jackets, duck 
coats and covert coats. Over one hundred 
power machines are constantly miming in 
this factory and o\er (.)ne hundred i)ersons 
are employed ; seven salesmen are kept on 
the road. They not only supply the home 
demand, l)ui ship goods to Colorado, Ne- 
braska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, In- 
dian Territory, as far east as Indiana and as 
far north as Michigan. The officers are : 
J. W. Race, president and treasurer ; Frank 
Elwood, secretar^^ Directors, L. L. Race, 
Frank Elwood and James W. Race. 

The Decatur Extract Company, located 
at 243-47 South vV^ater street, manufactures 
flavoring extracts, baking powder, perfume 
and toilet articles. The products are sold 
directly to the customers through local 
agents. The company was established 
over six years ago at 725 North Water 
street, but in 1898, on account of the grow- 
ing business, they moved to larger quarters 
and better shipping facilities. The btisi- 
ness has shown such a flattering increase 



that a few years ago they were compelled 
to build a large two storj- brick structure in 
addition to the spacious one already occu- 
pied. The officers are: C. W. Hastings, 
president : C. .\I. (joltra. secretary and 
treasurer. Capitalization, $10,000. 

The Decatur Packing & Provision Com- 
])any. formerly the Levy Packing Com- 
])any, was incorporated in June, 1900. They 
have a modern slaughter and packing house 
located south of the city. They carry 
dressed meats, lard, tallow and other meat 
])roducts and manufacture sausages, and 
deal in hides. The company- is incorporated 
for $10,000. The officers are: A. Wait, 
president ; M.. Levy, vice-president ; C. A. 
Wait, secretary and treasurer. The board 
of directors are: A. Wait, M. Levy, C. A. 
Wait, Arthur Wait, and Felix Levy, 

The Decatur Refrigerator and Manufac- 
turing Company occupies a block of ground 
bounded by the Wabash Railroad. Morgan 
street. Wabash avenue and North Broad- 
way. This company was organized in 
iQOi ; it manufactures butchers' coolers, 
blocks, racks, show cases and fixtures. In 
the latter they make all kinds of store and 
bank fixtures. Their goods are .shipped in 
car-load lots to the jobbers, covering a very 
large territory. The officers are: Robert 
Farics. president : \\\ E. Surface, vice-pres- 
ident : E. P. Irving, secretary and treas- 
urer ; John ."^chwcinbold, manager and 
superintendent. 

The Akers ancl ^^'ilson Furniture Com- 
pany, consisting of a system of stores, lo- 
cated in the following towns: Decatur, 
Clinton. Lincoln, Bloomington, Streator, 
Pontiac, Canton. Champaign, and Mattoon, 
has been in business during the past twelve 
years. The Decatur store is located in the 
300 block on North Main street and carries 
a complete stock of house furnishing 
goods. From one store, judiciously man- 
aged, has sprung this vast volume of busi- 
ness. From the time the first outside store 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



101 



was started, the firm has practically added 
a store each year. The officers are : C. E. 
Akers and A. G. Wilson, who are the sole 
owners and general managers of the entire 
system of stores. 

The Bradley Brothers' Dry Goods Store 
is among the largest stores in the city in 
this line of business. Two floors and the 
basement of the two-story brick building 
at the corner of William and North Water 
streets, known as the Fenton building, are 
occupied by this stock of goods. In addi- 
tion to a general stock of dry goods they 
carry on a very elaborate dressmaking de- 
partment, also as large and fine an assort- 
ment of millinery stock as you will find in 
the city. The domestic goods department 
is in the basement, the main sales room is 
on the first floor and the dressmaking de- 
partment on the second floor. The build- 
ing is equipped with all the latest furnish- 
ings, and contains toilet rooms and rest 
rooms for ladies and employes. The firm 
has a large mail order business; three de- 
livery wagons are kept busy early and late 
and ninety people are employed all the 
year. Bernard Bradley and Dennis Brad- 
ley are the proprietors. 

William CJushard & Company have one 
of the most enterprising dry goods stores 
in the city ; it is located at 207 North 
^^'ater street. It was established in 1895 
when it was thought that the competition 
in that line was too strong to admit of an- 
other stock of dry goods ; yet this business 
was a success from the start. The firm, 
practically occupies the entire building; a 
general line of dry goods with a well-as- 
sorted line of millinery and domestic goods 
is carried ; also a well-equipped dressmak- 
ing department is maintained. It now en- 
joys a very large city trade besides a large 
patronage from the surrounding country 
and nearby towns and villages. 

The Charles T. Johnston Dry Goods 
Store on North Water street is thoroughly 



modern in all its departments. The busi- 
ness occupies two floors and comprises the 
manufacture of ladies" cloaks, suits and fur 
garments in connection with a general 
stock of dry goods. Dressmaking is also 
extensively carried on as well as a finely 
equipped, up-to-date millinery establish- 
ment. Thisi store soon outgrew its original 
quarters and it became necessary to seek 
more commodious apartments, which were 
furnished by remodeling the Ennis build- 
ing of three floors, making as fine quarters 
as that of any of its size in Decatur. Forty- 
five people are in the employ of this firm 
from one year's end to the other. 

The Decatur Milling Company, on the 
corner of East Main and South Broadway, 
was incorporated in 1888. For a number 
of years previous to this it was known as 
the Hatfield mill, at which time the late 
David Carver, one of the pioneers of Ma- 
con county, was largely interested. It is a 
large brick building fully equipped with 
modern machinery adapted to the manu- 
facture of flour, meal and brewers' grits. 
The mill consumes one thousand bushels 
of wheat and about two thousand bushels 
of corn per day. The products of the mill 
are sold in the general markets as well as 
to the home trade. About twenty men are 
continuously employed. The officers are: 
Frank Shlaudeman, president ; O. B. 
Gorin, vice-president ; J. W. Carter, secre- 
tary ; W. C. Armstrong, treasurer and 
manager. 

The Danzeisen Packing Company, lo- 
cated on the Illinois Central Railroad on 
South Alain street, in one of the most ex- 
tensive brick houses in the city adapted to 
that purpose; it is modern in every detail. 
This company does a general pork and 
beef packing business, besides a wholesale 
and retail line. In addition they manufac- 
ture and sell ice. This company was or- 
ganized in May, IQ03. The capitalization 
is $50,000, of which the following persons 



102 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



hold: George J. Danzeisen, $37,000; Wil- 
liam Danzcisen, $5,000; Oscar J. Danzei- 
sen, $5,000; Alfred J. Danzeisen, $3,000. 
These four gentlemen are named as the 
directors of the company. 

The Linn and Scruggs Dry Goods and 
Carpet Company, occupying three floors in 
a half block of the Orlando Powers build- 
ing, is the largest and best equipped store 
in the state outside of Chicago. The city 
of Decatur may well feel proud of the ele- 
gance and vastness of the stock and the 
completeness and convenience of its ap- 
pointments. While Chicago has much 
larger stocks of goods, it has few stores 
that surpass it in the equipments, number 
of dc])artmcnts, cash carriers and modern 
facilities for displaying goods nor in the 
adaptation of its varied stock to the wants 
of the trade. William H. Linn and Wil- 
liam R. Scruggs founded the business in 
1869; it was prosperous from the start and 
has constantly increased until to-day any 
one of these great floors is ecjual in floor 
space to a half dozen ordinary stores. The 
store is metro])olitan in its management, 
being separated into thirty separate de- 
partments, each under a superintendent 
who is its sole manager. The management 
of each department is as vigorously prose- 
cuted as though it were an individual store. 
An electric passenger elevator, a Bostedo 
pneumatic tube cash carrier with twenty- 
one stations is installed in the store. They 
have retiring and rest rooms for the cus- 
tomers and employes, separate lockers for 
each employe, convenient workrooms for 
the mechanics and porters; large marking 
rooms for marking new goods, sam])le 
rooms for display of goods by traveling 
men, and numerous other conveniences for 
their employes and customers. Not less 
than 160 persons are on its pay rolls. 

The Moofehouse & Wells Company, at 
13.-1-40 on East Main street, was estab- 
lished by Messrs. Moorehouse and W^ells 



in 1859 on the present site of their build- 
ing, and is one of the oldest firms in the 
city. The present quarters consist of a 
six-story Ijuilding including a basement, 
built of brick with a brown stone front ; it 
contains all the modern appliances and 
conveniences necessary to accommodate 
their rapidly increasing business. This 
building was erected in 1896 at a cost of 
$80,000. They have in stock everything 
known to the modern hardware trade, and 
do an enormous wholesale as well as retail 
trade. Their business territory covers Il- 
linois and part of Indiana, Iowa, and Mis- 
souri. They handle house furnishing goods, 
glass, stoves, mantels, paints, varnishes, 
ammunition, sheet metals, tinplate, iron, 
mechanics' tools and builders' hardware. 
Twenty-five men are employed. 

Bixby, Pitner & Company organized in 
1895, Joseph. G. Bixby and Frank S. Pitner 
holding the majority of the stock ; at the 
death of Frank S. Pitner, which occurred 
in 1902 Thomas Pitner took his place in the 
firm. The company manufactures a patent 
burial slipper and the Dilt's patent Com- 
bination Shade Roller and Curtain Pole 
Fixture. The plant making the burial slip- 
per is on the second floor of the Stoner 
building; it employs about twenty-five 
men and girls. These goods are sold to the 
wholesale trade only ; their market extends 
even beyond the United States. The origi- 
nality of design and neatness of adjustment 
commends them to the trade. They also 
make a shade roller and curtain pole fix- 
ture ; the fixture is known to the trade as 
the " Itsa " Fixture. This article is in its 
infancy but seems to be growing very rap- 
idl}-. It is very simple compared with the 
ordinary fixtures used for this purpose, re- 
quiring no taking out of screws when re- 
moval is necessary. Its simplicity com- 
mends itself to the public. 

The Pratt Cereal Oil ^lill Company was 
organized in 1902, with a cajiital stock of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



103 



$450,000, for the purpose of extracting oil 
from corn. The plant consists of five large 
buildings, located in the east part of the 
city with a frontage of 450 feet on the 
Wabash Railroad ; next to the Millikin 
University it is the largest group of build- 
ings in, Decatur. This is the first and only 
mill of its kind in the world. The surface 
co\'ered by these buildings is equal to 
about two blocks in the city. One hundred 
cars of machinery were placed into the 
plant. Two miles of pipe and four hundred 
and fift}' valves were used. Storage room 
for 600,000 gallons of oil, and 100,000 gal- 
lons of naphtha is provided. The output 
daily is 25,000 gallons of oil and 300 tons of 
feed. The process with its accompanying 
result has required seven years for its per- 
fection. Mr. Pratt is largely responsible 
for its evolvement. The raw material used 
is the waste from the hominy mills ; the 
hominy chops and the germ of the grain. 
The hominy chop is about ten per cent oil 
and the germ is about twenty-four per cent 
oil. About 300 tons or ten carloads of raw 
material is consumed every twenty-four 
hours. The oil is extracted from the corn 
by first grinding it, then steeping it in a 
solvent that assimilates the corn oil ; then 
drawing the solution off at the bottom of 
the percolating tanks. The corn oil is then 
separated from the solution by distillation. 
The solvent is. condensed and stored for 
future use, while the corn oil is passed 
through filter presses to remove starch or 
any foreign substances that may remain 
after which it is ready for the market. This 
■oil is used for painting, for soapmaking, to 
give body to varnish, also in making salads. 
The officers are: F. M. Pratt, president, 
treasurer and manager ; C. Erisman, secre- 
tary ; R. E. Pratt, vice-president. 

The ]Macon County Telephone Company 
is owned and operated by local capital and 
is purely a home enterprise. It occupies 
the front half of the third floor of the Ar- 



cade building with its offices and exchange 
and shops; eight rooms are used. It has a 
switch board of nine hundred drops and 
stalls. Fourteen operators employed ; five 
men are given regular employment, while 
frequently a large number of extra men are 
used. The company has nine hundred sub- 
scribers ; two hundred and forty toll line 
connections, covering all the central part of 
the state. All the business part of the city 
from the Wabash to Wood street and from 
Church street to Broadway is being sup- 
plied with an underground system, at an 
expense of about $20,000. The company 
manufactures all its own telephones and 
controls a number of important patents. 
All its instruments and appliances of all 
kinds are of the latest approved patterns. 
This company connects with the business 
and professional men as well as the farmers 
throughout the localities which it traverses. 
This company was organized in 1894 and 
capitalized for $200,000. The officers are: 
C. S. Hankins, president; M. A. Hankins, 
secretary. The directors are : C. S. Han- 
kins, M. A. Hankins and W. P. Shade. 

The business of George R. Bacon & Com- 
pany was organized December, 1881, then 
known as the Bacon & Saxton Company, 
but later. Mr. Saxton dropped out of the 
firm and it assumed its present name. The 
present firm bought the land and erected 
the two-story l)rick litiilding, located at the 
corner of North Main and Eldorado streets, 
in which the business is now conducted. 
The}' carry a large stock of stationery, 
wrapping paper and bags, twines and a 
varied assortment of showcase articles such 
as are usually displayed in retail stores of 
all grades. A wholesale jobbing business 
with the general merchant is the work done 
by this firm. A printing establishment is 
conducted in conjunction with their other 
line. The territory covered by them prac- 
tically includes all of central Illinois, or it 
is the adjacent locality within a radius of 



104 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



a hundred miles of Decatur. When this 
business house was built it was the only 
business house on North Main street ex- 
cept the one on Prairie street, now used by 
the American Express Company. During 
the last ten years this kind of business has 
undergone a great change ; the qualities of 
paper have become so varied and numerous 
that it rcc|uires a very large stock to ac- 
commodate the custom. Ball twine only 
was then used; now ball, cone and tube 
must be in stock ; while in wrapping paper 
the colors in vogue necessitate carrying an 
extensive stock. 

The Leader Iron Works, incorporated by 
William C. I'ield, William A. Shorb and 
W. T. Delahunty in July, 1903, for .$40,000, 
succeeds the Leader Manufacturing Com- 
])any, which was organized in 1895. The 
]>lant. consisting of a substantial brick 
building covering an area of over 14,000 
feet of floor space, is located one mile west 
of Lincoln Square and adjacent to Fair 
\'iew Park. The firm makes a complete 
list of brick-making machinery and con- 
templates making and repairing of boilers 
and engines. Leader machiner}^ is well and 
favorably known throughout the United 
States and even in South and Central 
American countries. The mechanical con- 
struction of the machinery is under the 
supervision of IL j. \"otaw, who has been 
with the comjjany since its organization. 

The Suffern & Hunt Company was or- 
ganized under the laws of the state of Il- 
linois December, 1892; incorporators, W^il- 
liam PI. Suffern and Robert L Hunt; capi- 
tal stock, $50,000. They are exporters and 
manufacturers of kiln dried white corn 
goods, and jobbers and exporters of corn 
and oats. They operate one mill of 10,000 
bushels capacity in Decatur and one of 
4,000 bushels capacity in LafaNctte. Ind. 
Tlu-ir plants are thoroughly e(|uippe(l with 
the latest machinery known to the millers' 
trade. Anv innovation tendins: to better 



their product or economize time or labor 
finds a ready trial by them and, if success- 
ful, is immediately installed. Their excel- 
lent manufactured goods find a ready mar- 
ket in the United States, England, Scot- 
land, Ireland, Denmark, Holland, Norway, 
Sweden, and South Africa. They export 
large quantities of corn and oats to 
continental I-^urope, shipping principally 
through the port of New Orleans, and in 
all do an aggregate business of about 
$4,000,000 per year. They employ -seventy- 
fi\e people in their ])lants, forty-two being 
in the Decatur mill. The company has re- 
cently transformed the mill in this city 
from a frame to a complete brick structure, 
spending $20,000 in improvements, which 
increased its capacit}- from 7,000 to 10,000 
bushels per day. They are the largest in- 
dependent corn millers in the United 
States. The officers are : William H. Suf- 
fern, president ; Robert I. Hunt, secretary 
and treasurer. 

The H. H. Brown .Manufacturing Com- 
pan\-, located at 320-24 East Main street, 
dates from the 70s as " H. H. Brown & 
Co." In 1893 it was incorporated under its 
present name and cajMtalized at $20,000. 
The company manufactures a patent fas- 
tener for caskets and a cattle de-horner. 
The casket fastener is sold direct to all 
cofifin manufacturers in the country. The 
de-horner is sold throughout the United 
States, and all the cattle-growing sections 
of South .\merica. .\frica. .\ustralia. New 
Zealand, Mexico. Scotland, and Cuba. In 
the Ignited States the sales are made 
through jobbers; in the initside countries 
are sold through their New York corre- 
spondent. Their advertising catalogue 
reaches ever)- cattle country in the civilized 
world. The manager and principal owner 
of this company is C. IT. Brown ; the other 
stockholders are members of his family. 

J. G. Starr & Son (W. H. Starr, pro- 
prietor; C. A. Starr, manager). No. 113-117 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



105 



South ^lain street, Lincoln S(|uare. J. (1. 
Starr & Son Harness Company was in- 
corporated 1891. W. H. Starr, president: 
E. M. Starr, vice-president ; Baldwin Starr, 
secretary. Located No. 801-805 North 
Broadway, wholesale manufacturers of 
harness and saddlery. The largest mail 
order harness house (to dealers only) in 
the L'nited States. The Starr trademark 
is a synonym of excellence. This house 
was founded by Joseph G. Starr nearly 
fifty years ago, and has continuously 
occupied the same location. They carry a 
fully line of harness and vehicles. This 
firm is 'so well known in Macon and adjoin- 
ing counties that Starr"s harness leads them 
all. 

The -Asbury Extract Compan}', located 
on North Water street, just north of the 
Wabash railroad, was organized in 1898. 
The firm manufactures a full line of ex- 
tracts, pancake flours, shoe polish ; also 
crushed fruits for soda fountains. Its prod- 
ucts are wholesaled to the jobber and re- 
tailer throughout Illinois, Alissouri and In- 
diana. A. A. Hunter is sole owner and 
manager. 

The Hostetler Printing House was es- 
tablished November i, lyoo. It is located 
at 219 and 221 South Park street. W. J. 
Hostetler is its manager and proprietor. 
He does a line of commercial printing-, 
bookbinding, compiling of catalogues, and 
manufactures a general line of commercial 
blank books and office supplies. 

The Decatur Tent & Awning Company, 
located at 118 East William street, was or- 
ganized by W. D. Chamberlain in 1886, for 
the manufacture of tents, awnings and mat- 
tresses. The present company is composed 
of ■\^^ D. Chamberlain and H. W. Averett. 
Sales are made through traveling men 
throughout Illinois. 

Downey & Son, located at 344 North 
\^'ater street, established in business Octo- 
ber, 1901. They carry on a retail business 



in marble and granite monuments. Their 
trade is principally local. 

U-Neat Manufacturing Company was es- 
tablished July. 1901, for the manufacture of 
a skirt and waist holder. .Alice H. Barber 
is its manager. 

E. ^^'. Wood Manufacturing Pharmacy, 
located at 214 and 218 West Main street, 
was established February 10. 1896, by 
Faught & Flint ; on the loth of April, 1890, 
Mr. Faught sold his interest to E. W. 
Wood. They make bulk goods for physi- 
cians ; such as fluids, tablets, ointments, 
and powders. Bulk goods are also sold to 
smaller manufacturers. 

Osgood & Heiner Manufacturing Com- 
pany, located at 519 and 520 Powers build- 
ing, was established August, 1901, for the 
manufacture of ladies' petticoats and night 
dresses. Since its organization the busi- 
ness has more than doubled itself and is 
still increasing so that the company con- 
templates adding more room and machin- 
ery at once. Their goods are sold by trav- 
eling salesmen in the following territory : 
Illinois, Indiana. Missouri, North Dakota, 
Minnesota, and to some e.xtent in many 
other adjoining states. 

Herman Speis' Bookbindery, located at 
127 South A\'ater street, was established 
October. 1885. He does a large local busi- 
ness in bookbinding and in the manufac- 
ture of commercial blank books. 

The Beall Improvement Company, lo- 
cated at 616 and 618 Millikin building, was 
organized in 1900 for the purpose of manu- 
facturing corn and flour milling machinery. 
The factory is located at 316 East Decatur 
street. Their goods are sold through 
agents located at different points through- 
out the country ; an agent is maintained at 
Li^•erpool, England, one in Ontario, Can- 
ada, and others throughout the United 
States and in Mexico and South America. 
The officers are: G. D. \\'hite, secretary 
and manager : Hugh Crea. president. 



106 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY, 



The Decatur Trunk Factory, located at 
308 North Water street, was estabUshed in 
1890 as a stock company, but at the end of 
the first year was sold to J. R. Aloore, who 
has since conducted the business as a pri- 
vate enterprise. He manufactures trunks, 
suit cases, telescopes, sample cases, and 
other lines of smaller articles. His sales 
are to the local trade as well as the follow- 
ing outside territory: Illinois, Indiana, Mis- 
souri, Kansas, and in specialties much con- 
tiguous territory, worked by traveling 
salesmen. 

The Review Publishing Company, lo- 
cated at 365 Nortli Main street, was incor- 
porated September 28, 1887. Capital stock, 
at jirescnt, $100,000. Ofificers : Howard C. 
Schaub, president ; Inez J. Bender, vice- 
president ; Jerry Donahue, secretary; J. P. 
Drcnnan, treasurer and manager. This 
compan}- publishes the daily, weekly, and 
Sunday Review. 

The Review Printing and Stationery 
Company, located at 365 North Main street, 
was incorporated September 4, 1895. Of- 
ficers : Howard C. Schaub, president ; \'. 
\V. Henley, vice-president ; J. P. Drennan, 
treasurer ; E. A". Huston, secretary ; C. E. 
Uhler, manager. This compan}- does a 
general line of job printing and bookbind- 
ing and manufactures a staple line of com- 
mercial blank books and ofifice supplies. 

The Herald-Dispatch Compan}', located 
at 222 East Main street, was incorporated 
in March, 1890. It was capitalized for 
$26,000. Officers: W. F. Calhoun, presi- 
dent ; C. N. Wagenseller, vice-president ; 
B. K. Hamsher, secretary ; Owen Scott, 
treasurer and manager. This company 
publishes the Daily and Semi-Weekly 
Herald. 

The Herald Printing and Stationer}- 
Company, located at 222 East Main street, 
was incorporated November 20, 1899. ^^ 
was capitalized for $15,000. Officers: \\'. 
F. Calhoun, president ; Owen Scott, secre- 



tary and treasurer; B. K. Hamsher, vice- 
president and manager. This company 
does a general line of printing and book- 
binding and manufactures a full line of 
commercial blank books and office supplies. 

The Baker- Company, at 905 West Main 
street, was established in 1900. They man- 
ufacture Baker's Cascara Pepsin Tablets 
and Baker's Lotion. 

The Cerrodine Company, located at 141 
East Main street, established in 1890, man- 
ufactures the Cerrodine LaGrippe Cure, Ca- 
tarrh Cure, Headache Cure, and Taxation 
Tonic ; also a specialty for Albaugh Broth- 
ers, Dove & Company. These goods are 
made from formulas owned and controlled 
by S. H. Jameson. 

C. F. Savage, wholesale and jobbing, es- 
tablished in 1894, located at 258 North 
Park street. A general wholesale grocery 
business is carried on. 

The Mueller, Piatt & Wheeland Com- 
pany, located at 326 and 328 North Water 
street, was incorporated in August, 1896, 
cajMtalized for $70,000. E. M. Piatt, presi- 
dent ; C. E. Wheeland, vice-president; C. M. 
Luling, secretary and treasurer ; G. W. 
^lueller, manager. This company does a 
wholesale grocery and grocery fixture busi- 
ness, over a territory embracing a radius of 
about seventy-five miles. 

Bachman Bros. & i\Iartin Company, lo- 
cated at 359 and 363 North W'ater street, 
was incorporated in 1892. Capital stock, 
$20,000. Officers : W. G. Bachman, presi- 
dent; Charles I*". Bachnian, treasurer; 
Luther F. Martin, secretary. This com- 
pany handles a general line of furniture and 
house furnishing goods. Their territory 
covers a very large radius about Decatur. 

The Henry Bachrach Company, at 100 
and 104 Merchant street, was incorporated 
in March, 1902. Capital stock, $30,000. 
Henry Bachrach. |)rcsi(knt ; Albert Bach- 
rach, vice-president and secretary ; Mrs. 
Tillie Bachrach. treasurer. The firm car- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



107 



ries a full line of clothing and gentlemen's 
furnishing goods. 

The Central Malleable Iron Company, 
located at 665 North Lowber street, was 
incorporated in 1902. Capital stock, $60,- 
000. This company manufactures malle- 
able and gray iron castings. 

The Culver Electric Company, in the 
100 block on East North street, was incor- 
porated in January, 1893. Capital stock, 
$25,000. Officers : John H. Culver, presi- 
dent and treasurer; Florence H. Culver, 
secretary. This company does general con- 
tracting for electric light and water works 
plants. 

The Ehrman Laundry Company, located 
at 122 and 124 West Prairie street, was in- 
corporated in 1900. Capital stock, $3,500. 
Officers : I. W. Ehrman, president and 
manager; Harry F. Ehrman, secretary and 
treasurer. This company does a general 
laundry business. 

The Decatur Bridge Company, located at 
the corner of Eldorado and C. H. & D. Ry., 
was incorporated October, 1902. Capital 
stock, $30,000. Officers : Thomas L. Black- 
burn, president; George A. Caldwell, vice- 
president and superintendent ; William 
Melville Wood, treasurer and chief engi- 
neer ; Edgar B. Tyler, secretary and gen- 
eral manager. This company manufactures 
and contracts steel bridge supplies. 

The Decatur Elevator Company, located 
at 257 North Main street, was incorporated 
in February, 1903. Officers : D. S. Shella- 
barger, president ; B. G. Hudnut, vice-pres- 
ident ; Oscar N. East, treasurer ; Charles 
W. Cooper, secretary and general man- 
ager. This compan}' owns a line of ele- 
vators and carries on a general grain busi- 
ness. Their elevators are located in central 
Illinois. 

The Decatur Furniture Company, located 
at'the corner of Franklin and East William 
streets, was incorporated in 1882. Capital- 
ized at $100,000. Officers : J. Bering Bur- 



rows, vice-president ; John B. Priestley, 
secretary and treasurer. This company 
was organized for the purpose of manufac- 
turing a special line of furniture. 

The Decatur Harrow Works, located at 
1459 and 1461 East Eldorado street, was in- 
corporated in November, 1902. Capital 
stock, $12,000. C. A. Wilson, president; 
O. K. Oppen, vice-president ; C. P. Thatch- 
er, secretary and treasurer. This company 
was organized for the purpose of manufac- 
turing a patent harrow. 

The Decatur Alodel Laundry, located at 
147 South Water street, was incorporated 
in 1899. Capital stock, $2,500. E. C. Stein, 
president ; Lulu Whitmer, vice-president ; 
Frank H. Whitmer, secretary and treas- 
urer. This company does a general laun- 
dry business in and about Decatur. 

The Decatur Plumbing and Heating 
Company, located at 300 North Water 
street, was incorporated June 3, 1896. Cap- 
ital stock, $20,000. W. H. Elwood, presi- 
dent ; J. B. Bullard, vice-president; H. E. 
Kizer, secretary and treasurer ; W. E. 
Adam.s, general superintendent. This com- 
pany does a general line of contract and 
repair work and carries a full line of plumb- 
ers' goods. 

The Decatur, - Springfield and St. Louis 
Railway Company, Interurban, was incor- 
porated in May, 1903, for the purpose of 
constructing an interurban railway from 
Decatur to St. Louis. Officers : W. B. 
McKinley, presitlent ; W. A. Bixby, local 
manager. 

The Field & Shorb Company, located at 
213 North Main street, was incorporated 
April Z2, 1902. Capital stock, $25,000. 
William C Field, president ; W. T. Dila- 
hunty, vice-president; William A. Shorb, 
treasurer ; Wilbur R. Batchelder, secretary. 
This company does a general line of con- 
tracting and repair work and carries a full 
line of plumbers' goods. 

The Harrington-Monnett Company, g to 



108 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



12 Cohinibia l)l()ck. was incorporated in 
January, 1903. Capital stock, $60,000. 
W'alter Harrington, president; Jasper J. 
Monnetl, vice-])rcsident ; John C. F. Har- 
rington, secretary and business manager 
and treasurer. This conipan}- does a gen- 
eral line of manufacturing and wholesale 
jewelry. 

The Macon County Title and Trust 
Company, at 148 South Water street, was 
incorporated May 14, 1902, for the purpose 
of carrying on a general abstract business 
in Macon county. Capital stock, $50,000. 
W. C. Outtcn. president: John Crocker, 
vice-president; B. (). McReynolds, treas- 
urer ; Thomas B. Jack, secretary ; Charles 
T. Kellum, manager ; S. E. Kenney, assist- 
ant manager. 

The Manufacturers' and Consumers' Coal 
Company, office 248 North Water street, 
was incorporated igoi. Capital stock, 
$100,000. Ofificers: D. S. Shellabarger, 
president ; J. F. Mattes, vice-president ; 
Robert I. Hunt, secretary; B. O. McRey- 
nolds, treasurer; S. .\. Tuttlc, general man- 
ager. 

The J. M. Miller Broom Manufacturing 
Company, 213 Fast Marietta street, was in- 
corporated in February, 1903. Capital 
stock, $10,000. H. H. Crea, president; 
James M. Miller, vice-president and gen- 
eral manager; W. Frank Godwin, secretary 
and treasurer. This company does a large 
business in the manufacture of brooms and 
wholesaling and retailing the same. 

The Ryan Clothing Company. 239 North 
W^ater street, was incorporated in 1898 
with a caiiital stock of $7,500. M. Ryan, 
president; Jerome B. Longeni, secretary 
and treasurer. This company carries on a 
clothing and gentlemen's furnishing supply 
house. 

The Scovill Company, corner North Park 
and Water streets, was incorporated in 
1898. Capital stock, $15,000. George W. 
Scovill, president : Guy N. Scovill. vice- 



])resident ; J. J. Scovill, treasurer; E. A. 
Scovill-Car])enter, secretary. This company- 
carries on a general trade in furniture and 
house furnishing goods. 

The B. Stine Clothing Company, 102 
Fast Main street, was incorporated in 1890. 
Capital stock, $32,000. Officers: B. Stine, 
president; Leo G. IhiUnirn, secretary and 
treasurer. This company carries a general 
line of gent's furnishing goods and ready 
made clothing. 

B>. .'^. Tyler & Company, 108 East Wil- 
liam street, was incorporated in January, 
1897. Capital stock, $15,000. Officers: 
T. A. Bone, president and treasurer; Frank 
L. Evans, secretary and general manager. 
This company does a general grain busi- 
ness: they own a line of grain elevators in 
central Illinois. 

1). W. Brennenian & Company. 148 and 
152 North Franklin street, was established 
thirty years ago, and reorganized in 1892 
with 1). \\'. Brennenian, AI. G. Brenneman 
and W. P. Shade as owners. This company 
is engaged in the wholesaling of liquors 
tliroughout Illinois and Indiana. 

The .\mcrican Hominy Company, of 
whicli the .Shellabarger Mill and Elevator 
Company and The Pratt Cereal Mill Com- 
l)any form a part, was incorporated in May, 
1902. Capitalization, $3,500,000. The daily 
capacity of their combinecl plants is 85,000 
bushels of corn. The capacity of the two 
Decatur plants is 22,000 bushels. This 
company makes corn meal and flour, hom- 
iny, grits, cerealinc flakes, flaked hominy 
and corn oil. Their territory is .\merica, 
Europe, Africa. Australia, China and Japan. 

The Riddel). Stadler and McClelland 
Company, 140 and 146 North Franklin 
streets, was established in 1902. J. Sher- 
man McClelland is its manager. This com- 
pany does a wholesale grocery and grocers' 
fixtures business covering an adjacent ter- 
ritory of about 100 miles in radius. 

The Williams Manufacturing Company, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



109 



1901 North Main street, manufactures corn- 
planters and grain weighers ; also does a 
general repairing business. 

Tenney & Sikking, 147 and 163 South 
Main street, manufacture shoveling boards 
and handle farm implements. 

The Maris Candy Company manufac- 
tures the latest novelties in candies as well 
as the staple brands. John M. Maris is its 
manager. 

The Home Manufacturing Company, 901 
East Eldorado street, makes ladies' wrap- 
pers, sunbonnets, dressing sacques, and 
mittens. Charles M. Allison is the pro- 
prietor. 

The Decatur Mattress Factory, 629 East 
Eldorado street, confines itself to the man- 
ufacture of mattresses. 

The Maffitt & McGorrey Ice Company, 
200 and 204 North Broadway, manufac- 
tures artificial ice and handles natural ice. 

The Combination Fountain Company, 
702 East Division street, manufactures soda 
fountains and refrigerators. 

The Northwestern Feed Mill, 539 West 
Green street, manufactures and handles all 
kinds of mill feed. George S. Lyons is 
proprietor. 

The Decatur Hard Plaster Company, 341 
and 343 Wabash avenue, manufactures 
wall plaster, and deals in cement, lime, 
plaster paris, fire brick, and roofing gravel. 
John H. Oren, proprietor. 

Bruce S. Woodruff, 786 East Cantrell 
street, manufactures cigar boxes. 

Ammann & Company, composed of W'. 
G. Ammann, Martin Gahring and Fred 
Black, do a general line of brickmaking for 
the outside as well as the local trade. 

James H. Hall, 159 East Alain, carries 
on a general gent's furnishing and ready 
made clothing establishment. His line is 
complete and up-to-date. 

Aaron Kaufman, 245 to 249 North Water 
street, does a general line of business in 



the gent's furnishing and ready made cloth- 
ing. He carries a large stock. 

Ottenheimer & Company, 258 to 260 
North Water, carries a stock of clothing 
and gent's furnishing goods. His stock is 
large and select. 

Joseph C. Summerfield, 147 East Main, 
carries an assorted stock of gent's furnish- 
ing goods and clothing. 



THE BENCH AND BAR. 
The Bench. 

The first Circuit Court held in Decatur 
was in May, 1830, S. D. Lockwood of the 
Supreme Court presiding. In 1835 a law 
was passed by the State Legislature separ- 
ating the Circuit Court from the Supreme 
Court. 

Judge Lockwood came to Illinois in an 
early day and was quite a factor in its early 
history. He presided as Circuit Judge from 
1830 to 1835. In the same year the State 
Legislattire elected Stephen T. Logan of 
Springfield, Illinois, to succeed Mr. Lock- 
wood as Circuit Judge. This county then 
formed part of the First Judicial District. 
Judge Logan resigned his position in 1837 
and William Brown of Jacksonville was ap- 
pointed by Governor Duncan to fill the 
vacancy. He was followed by Jesse B. 
Thomas, who in a very short time was suc- 
ceeded by S. H. Treat, who held the office 
from 1839 to 1848. David Davis of Bloom- 
ington succeeded him and held the position 
from 1849 to 1853. In 1854 Charles Emer- 
son of Macon county became his successor, 
and held the position until 1867, when he 
was succeeded by Arthur J. Gallagher, who 
served until 1873. 

C. B. Smith was elected Circuit Judge in 
1873 to succeed A. J. Gallagher. He was re- 
elected in 1879, his term ending in 1889. 

In the meantime another judgeship was 
created in this judicial district, to which 



110 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



VV. E. Nelson was elected in 1877 and 
served two years in the position. 

E. P. Vail was elected as successor to 
C. B. Smith in 1889 and held the position 
until 1903. 

In 1903 W. C. Johns was elected to suc- 
ceed E. P. Vail. Mr. Johns is the present 
incumbent. 

The Bar. 

The following is a list of the lawyers who 
have at various times practiced law in Ma- 
con count}-, including the present members 
of the Macon County Bar: 

Sheridan Wait, member of the firm of 
Gallagher. Wait & Oglesby, came to De- 
catur in 1852. He was General Oglesby's 
adjutant general in the Civil war. 

Colonel Nathan W. Tupper of Washing- 
ton, New York, removed to Decatur in 1854 
for the purpose of practicing law. In 1862 
Mr. Tupper was commissioned as colonel 
of the ii6th regiment of Illinois Volunteers. 
Colonel Tupper died at Decatur, from ex- 
posure and hardships of army life, March 
10, 1864. 

George W. Powers was admitted to the 
bar in 1843 ^"d died in 1848. 

Kirby Benedict, from the state of Con- 
necticut, located in Decatur in 1836, he 
being the second resident lawyer in the 
county, Charles Emerson being the first. 

James B. Boyd, a native of Ohio, came to 
this county in 1855 and was shortly after 
elected county surveyor. In i860 he was 
elected prosecuting attorney, serving until 
1862, when he resigned to accept the posi- 
tion as lieutenant colonel of the ii6th 
regiment of Illinois Volunteers. He was 
woimded at the siege of Vicksburg, from 
the effects of which he died in 1869. 

The Hon. John R. Eden of Sullivan prac- 
ticed in Macon county a short time. 

Captain Joel S. Post was born in Wayne 
county April 27, 1816. In 1839 he removed 
to Decatur and the ne.xt vcar entered the 



office of Charles Emerson as a law student. 
Ik- was admitted to the bar in 1841. 

In 1846 he became a soldier in the Mexi- 
can war, a member of the 4th regiment of 
Illinois Volunteers, commanded by Col. 
E. D. Baker. In 1856 he was elected to the 
state Senate, serving two terms. While a 
legislator he championed the bill establish- 
ing the State Normal Universitj' at Normal, 
Illinois. 

John W. Smith was born in this county 
in February, 1843. He graduated at Al- 
bany Law School in New York, beginning 
the practice of law here as a member of the 
firm of Emerson & Smith. He is the author 
of a history of Macon county ; he now re- 
sides in Chicago. 

A. B. Bunn, a native of Ohio, settled at 
Mt. Pulaski in 1844. In July, 1850, he lo- 
cated in Decatur, entering the office of Joel 
S. Post, being admitted to the bar in 1851. 
He was elected to the state Legislature in 
1866. He held the office of assessor of in- 
ternal revenue and also served as city clerk 
and attorney of the city of Decatur. 

.S. G. ]\Ialone, a native of Ohio, was ad- 
mitted to the bar in Indiana in 1848. He 
came to Decatur in 1856, entering the firm 
of W. S. Freese and Judge Prather. 

Hon. Richard J. Oglesby was born in 
Kentucky in 1824. He came to Decatur 
with his uncle, Willis Oglesby, in 1836. In 
1844 he began the study of law in Spring- 
field and was admitted to practice in 1845. 
He opened an office in .Sulli\an and re- 
mained there until 1846. He then enlisted 
for the Mexican war, being commissioned 
first lieutenant of Company C, 4th regiment 
of Illinois Volunteers. On his return home 
he again took up his practice, locating at 
Decatur. In 1849 ^^ '^ook a trip to Cali- 
fornia as a result of the " gold fever." Re- 
turning in 1852 he again resumed his law 
practice. In 1856 he made a tour of Europe, 
Asia and .'\frica ; returning he entered the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Ill 



law firm of Gallagher, Wait & Oglesby. In 
i860 he was elected state senator. In 1861 
he was elected colonel of the 8th Illinois 
Infantry. At the battle of Fort Donelson 
he was in command of a brigade. At Cor- 
inth he was wounded. He had been pro- 
moted brigadier general in April. After 
partial recovery he was promoted to major 
general, for braver_v. His commission dated 
from November, 1862. Owing to inability, 
'on account of his wound to do field work, 
he tendered his resignation, which was not 
accepted, however, and he was detailed on 
court martial duty at Washington. In May, 
1864, on his return home, he was elected 
governor of Illinois. In 1872 he was re- 
elected to that office, but resigned to accept 
the United States senatorship in 1873. In 
1882 he was again elected governor of Il- 
linois, this being the last public position 
held by him. 

Samuel F. Greer, a native of Ohio, was 
elected county judge in 1861. He came to 
Decatur in 1854, being admitted to the bar 
in 1862. 

Thomas Lee, a native of County Limer- 
ick, Ireland, came to America in 1S55. He 
graduated from the Springfield high school, 
studied law in Decatur with S. F. ^lurphy, 
and in August, 1869, was admitted to the 
bar. 

Charles A. Emerson was born in Ken- 
tucky, but came to Illinois in 1850. He 
graduated from the Albany Law School in 
1869. The same year he began the practice 
of law in Decatur, being a member of the 
firm of Crea, Ewing & Walker. 

E. K. Eldridge, a native of Indiana, came 
to Tazewell county, Illinois, in 1856. Grad- 
uating from Eureka College in 1869, he re- 
moved to Decatur in May, 1870, and became 
a member of the Macon County Bar. 

I. D. Walker, a native of Ohio, came to 
Illinois in 1861. He graduated from the 
Bloomington Law School in 1875, this being 



its first graduating class. Coming to De- 
catur in 1876, he formed a partnership with 
Thomas Lee, later entering the firm of Crea, 
Ewing & Walker. 

Judge Anthony Thornton was born in 
Kentucky in 181 5. He graduated from the 
.Miami College in Ohio in 1835. He studied 
law at Paris. Kentucky, and was granted his 
license by the Court of Appeals in 1836. 

In 1837 he removed to Shelby County, 
Illinois. He was appointed a member of 
the Constitutional Convention of Illinois in 
1848. In 1850 he was elected to the state 
Legislature. In 1864 Mr. Thornton was 
elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress. In 
July, 1870, he was elected to the Supreme 
Court of this state and served until the 
first Monday in June, 1873, when he re- 
signed. He removed to Decatur in 1879. 

James T. Whitley, born in Macon county, 
Illinois, March 19, 1871. His primary edu- 
cation was acquired in the public schools of 
Nevada, Missouri. After completing the 
ward and high school curriculum at this 
place he completed a course at the Kansas 
State Normal College at Ft. Scott, grad- 
uating in 1889. He began reading law in 
1891 with Buckingham & Schroll, being ad- 
mitted to the bar in August, 1893. 

jNIarshall C. Grififin was born and reared 
in ArgentL'.. He finished the public school 
course in Argenta in 1888. Graduating 
from the Indiana State Normal School in 
1891, he taught school in Sangamon and 
in Oakley for several years during which 
time he pusued the study of law, being ad- 
mitted to the bar in November, 1897. In 
1898 he entered the office of Lee & Le- 
Forgee. Three years later he went into 
business for himself. 

James M. Gray was born in Fayette coun- 
ty June I, 1862. After finishing the coun- 
try school and high school course he grad- 
uated from the Indiana State Normal School 
at A^'alparaiso, receiving the degrees of B. S. 



112 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and E.L. B. In i8cjo he located in Decatur 
for the practice of law. He is now a mem- 
ber of the state Legislature, having been 
twice elected to that position from the 
Twenty-eighth senatorial district. 

W. E. Redmon was born on a farm in 
Jasper county, where he grew to manhood. 
He attended the country schools and later 
the Xormal L iii\ersity at Carbondale. Il- 
linois, lie taught school in Cumberland, 
Kicldand and Jasper counties, at the same 
time |)ursuing the study of law, being ad- 
mitted to the bar in .March, 1888. After 
practicing four years in Logan county he 
located in Decatur in 1893. He was elected 
to the states attorneyship in November, 
1900, which office he now holds. 

I. R. Mills was born September 5, 1853, 
and reared on a farm near Magnolia, Put- 
nam county, Illinois, accjuiring his prelim- 
inar)' education in the country schools. He 
graduated from the Lincoln University in 
1876. He went to Chicago and pursued the 
study of law three years, being admitted to 
the bar at Chicago in 1879, and during the 
same year he established a law office in 
Decatur. He served as city attorney from 
1886 to 1889, was appointed state attorney 
by the board of supervisors, to fill the unex- 
pired term of E. P. Vail, who was elected 
circuit judge in 1888. He served in this 
capacity until 1900. Tn .May, 1901, Mr. Mills 
was appointed internal revenue collector, 
which office he now fills. Mr. Mills is a 
member of the board of managers of the 
Millikin University. For eighteen years he 
has been in partnership with his brother, 
A. H. Mills, under the firm name of Mills 
Brothers. 

John A. .Montgomery is a native of Ohio 
and was educated in Philadelphia. He 
graduated from the law department of the 
Michigan University at Ann Arbor, in 1900. 
Since that time he has been engaged in the 
practice of law in Decatur. 

D. L. Rnnn is a native of McLean coun- 



ty. Illinois. In 1844 he, with his parents, 
removed to Macon county. His education 
was completed in Lombard College, Gales- 
burg. In 1855. on coming to Decatur, he 
secured a jjosition in the public schools of 
the city which he held until 1859. He read 
law with J. S. I'ost and was admitted to 
the liar in the fall of 1862. In the same year 
he was appointed states attorney by Rich- 
ard Yates, father of the present governor, 
serving under that appointment two years. 
In 1864 lie was elected state's attorney and 
served four years. At the beginning of the 
Civil war he was appointed collector of in- 
ternal revenue by Abraham Lincoln. 

Edwin Park, a native of New York, came 
to P.ellville in 1S56. He was admitted to 
the bar at IJellville the .same year he came 
to Illinois, but taught school several years 
before entering upon his practice. After 
coming to Decatur he was engaged as 
teacher in its public schools for four years 
and was then elected superintendent of the 
Macon county schools, filling that office 
from 1863 to 1869. In 1870 he took up the 
practice of law, continuing until 1876 when 
he formed a partnership with D. L. Hunn 
which still exists. 

O. W. Smith was born and grew to man- 
hood in Jasper county, Illinois. After com- 
pleting the country school course he took 
up the profession of teaching. During the 
intervals of his teaching he attended Mc- 
Kendree College at Lebanon, from which 
he graduated in June, 1891, in the law de- 
partment. He ])racticed law in Newton 
two years before coming to Decatur. He 
was elected county judge in 1902, which 
office he now holds. 

J. R. Fitzgerald was born in Moultrie 
county, Illinois. He received his early edu- 
cation in the schools of Bethany, from 
which he graduated in 1890, after which he 
attended Lincoln LTniversity and also the 
University of Illinois. He read law with 
W. G. Cochran, and completed his law 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



li: 



■course in the University of Michigan, grad- 
uating in 1895. He then came to Decatur 
and entered the law office of Mills Brothers, 
with whom he remained until May, 1896, 
after which he formed a partnership witli 
L. A. Mills. 

James J. Finn located in Decatur in 1871. 
Fifteen years ago he was appointed master 
in chancery, having just heen succeeded by 
W. H. Black. lie has recently formed a 
partnership with Alexander Mcintosh for 
the practice of law. 

John C. Lee is a native of Macon county. 
His early education was accjuired in the 
Macon county schools, later attending the 
Indiana State Normal School at \'alparaiso. 
He taught school a few years, after wdiich 
he read law with hinn, McDonald & Le- 
Forgee, being admitted to the bar in i8i)J. 
He formed a partnership with C. L. Le- 
Forgee which continued five years ; at the 
expiration of this time a partnership with 
David Hutchinson. Recently he has formed 
a partnership with his brother, Morris Lee. 

William C. Johns was born in Ohio, but 
when two years old his parents removed to 
Piatt county, and in 1853 located in the city 
of Decatur. He was educated in the De- 
catur schools and in the University of Mich- 
igan, from which he graduated in 1869 and 
from the Albany, New York, School of Law 
in 1870. He was admitted to the bar of New 
York in 1870, and to the bar of Illinois in 
September of the same year, at once enter- 
ing upon his chosen profession in this city. 
In 1880 he was elected states attorney; he 
also served as state senator from 1887 to 
1891. In 1903 he was elected circuit judge 
to succeed Judge E. P. Vail, which office he 
now holds. 

L. H. Shelley was born in Maroa town- 
ship of this county and educated in the 
schools of this city, graduating from the 
Decatur high school in 1883. He graduated 
from the law department of the University 
of Minnesota in 1894 and was admitted to 



the Ijar of Illinois in the same year. He is 
a member of the law firm of Shelley 
Brothers. 

^^'. \\'. Shelley was born in Alaroa town- 
ship and educated in this city, graduating 
from the Decatur high school in 1889. After 
reading law both in Decatur and in St. 
Louis he was admitted to the bar of Illinois 
in 1895. He is a member of the law firn: of 
Shelley Brothers. 

^^^ C. Outten was born in Cass county, 
Illinois. In 1863 his parents moved to 
Macon county. He attended the country 
schools, later the ^^'esleyan University at 
Bloomington and Ann Arbor, Michigan, 
graduating from the latter in 1875. In the 
same year Mr. ( )utten located in Decatur 
and began the practice of law. He is a 
member of the firm of Outten & Roby. 
I' rank C. Roby is a native of Decatur. 
After completing the curriculum of the De- 
catur schools he attended Harvard College 
from which he holds a degree. He prac- 
ticed several years in Chicago before locat- 
ing permanently in Decatur. He is a mem- 
ber of the firm of Outten & Roby. 

A. H. Mills was born in Putnam county, 
Illinois, October 5, 1851. In his boyhood he 
attended the country schools, later entering 
the Lincoln University, from wdiich he 
graduated in 1875, receiving the degree of 
A. B. Two years later at the termination 
of a post-graduate course he added the de- 
gree of A. M. For two years he remained 
as instructor in his alma mater. The next 
three years were spent as superintendent 
of the Waverl}- schools, in Alorgan count}-. 
During this time he also read law, being ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1881. In the same year 
he formed a partnership with his brother 
Isaac R. Mills, the firm name being Mills 
Brothers. From 1888 to 1900 he was assist- 
ant states attorney for Macon county. 

^^'illiam E. Nelson wJ.s born in White 
county, Tennessee. Juiie 4. 1824. Remain- 
ing in the countv of his birth until cominsf 



lU 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



to Decatur in 1857, his education was ac- 
quired in subscription schools. At the age 
of sixteen he began the study of law with, 
his father. In August, 1844, he was ad- 
mitted to the bar in his native state. In 
1857 he opened a law office in Decatur and 
has ever smce been an active practitioner. 
Jrle was appointed a member of the Consti- 
tutional Committee for the revision of the 
statutes ; was also elected a member of the 
Twenty-seventh General Assembly of Il- 
linois, which convened immediately after 
the adoption of the Constitution of 1870. 
He was elected circuit judge of the ^'our- 
teonlh circuit in June. 1877, filling the office 
one term. He was, in 1886, elected county 
judge, serving in that ca])acity during eight 
years. 

Felix B. Tait was born in Macon county 
November 29, 1830. He attended the dis- 
trict schools until niaturity, when he en- 
tered the Normal University at Normal, 
Illinois, from which he graduated in 1873. 
He was a teacher in Woodstock Seminary 
the year following his graduation. On his 
return to Decatur he took up the study of 
law with Smith & Clokey, being admitted 
to the bar in 1876. He was associated with 
John A. Brown for the practice of law but 
on account of failing health he abandoned 
the practice in i8R(X. turning his attention to 
the manufaoturc of check-rowers and corn- 
plantcrs. 

John A. Pirown was born July 32, 1843, ''^ 
Abington, Massachusetts. At an early age 
he removed with his parents to \'ermont, 
then to Ohio, where he remained until 1857. 
in that year he came to Hannibal, Missouri, 
where he completed his education in the 
jnihlic schools. He started out for himself 
at the age of sixteen. Later he was em- 
ployed as ticket agent for the Hannibal & 
St. Joseph Railway at Chillicothe, Missouri. 
He was thus employed when the war broke 
out. In 1861 he resigned his position and 
.vent to Jacksonville, Illinois, where for four 



years he engaged in teaching. In the spring 
of 1865 he drove a span of horses to De- 
catur, where he has since resided. For a 
number of years he was connected with the 
newspapers of Decatur. Being admitted to 
the bar in 1875 '^^ entered into a partner- 
ship with F. B. Tait for the practice of law. 
In 1875 li^ was appointed master in chan- 
cery of Macon county by Judge C. B. Smith. 
This position he held for fifteen years. 

Henry 1'. Page w-as a native of Massa- 
chusetts, spending the first thirteen years of 
his life in the state of his birth and in its 
])ublic schools, w'here he acquired his pri- 
mary education. After removing to Michi- 
gan he became a student at .\.nn Arbor in 
the University of Michigan, from which he 
graduated in 1883. Immediately afterward 
he came to Decatur and taught in the De- 
catur high school for four years. While 
teaching he pursued the study of law, being 
admitted to the bar in 1887. Mr. Page was 
a member of the law firm of Outten & Page. 

Josiah M. Clokey is a native of Ohio who 
in i860 came to Aledo. Mercer county, II- 
Imois. He read law in Springfield, Ohio, 
and attended law lectures at the University 
of Michigan, being admitted to the bar in 
March, 1868. In September, 1873, he be- 
came a member of the Macon County Bar. 

J. C. Hostetler is a native of Indiana, 
coming to Decatur in 1857. He graduated 
from Union College, New York, in the class 
of 1 87 1. He read law with Eden & Odor in 
this place and was admitted to the bar in 
1875. He formed a partnership with E. K. 
Eldridge for the practice of law. 

Albert (r. Webber is of German extrac- 
tion, being a native of Wurtemburg, and 
coming to America in 1863. He read law 
four years at Keokuk, Iowa, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1879. He has since 
practiced his profession in Decatur. 

D. C. Corley received his education at the 
Wesleyan University of Bloomington, Il- 
linois, from which lie holds a diploma of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



115 



graduation. For a time he read law in Shel- 
byville afterward completing his reading 
with A. B. Bunn of this place. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar in June, 1890, and has since 
practiced in Decatur. 

Harvey Pasco became a resident of De- 
catur in 1862. He is a graduate of the Uni- 
versity of Michigan, class of 1871. He was 
admitted to the bar on his diploma. Soon 
after he opened an office in Decatur and 
has since been a regular practitioner of this 
place. 

Charles M. Borcliers was born in Lock- 
ville, Fairfield county, Ohio, November 18, 
1869. After completing the schools of Ma- 
con county he took up the profession of 
teaching, which he pursued for eight years, 
while at the same time he at his leisure 
studiously applied himself to the study of 
law, being admitted to the bar in February, 
1897. The gi-eater part of the last year, pre- 
vious to his admittance to the bar, he read 
in the office of A. G. Webber. During the 
last six years he has practiced at the Macon 
county bar. 

Charles A. Ewing, Jr., was born in De- 
catur, April 18, 1878. He graduated at Lake 
Forest Academy at Lake Forest, then at- 
tended Princeton for a time, after which he 
entered the law department of the Wes- 
leyan LTniversity at Bloomington, Illinois, 
at the same time reading with James Ew- 
ing of Bloomington. He was admitted to 
the bar May 7, 1903. He is associated with 
William G. IMcCullough for the practice of 
law. 

William G. McCullough was born on a 
farm near Waynesville, DeWitt county, Il- 
linois, graduating from the Wesleyan Uni- 
versity in 1901 and from the law depart- 
ment in 1903. He was admitted to the bar 
May 7, 1903. In September he associated 
himself with Charles A. Ewing for the prac- 
tice of law. 

Maurice Lee, born August 23, 1865, in 
Sangamon county, Illinois, received his 



primary education in the country schools, 
after which he graduated from the Val- 
paraiso Normal of Indiana in 1890. He read 
law with Thomas Lee in Decatur and was 
admitted to the bar in 1890. He practiced 
law in Omaha and in Pender, Nebraska, for 
a time, but h?s recently formed a partner- 
ship with his brother, John C. Lee, in the 
practice of law. 

K. H. Roby was born in New Hampshire 
and came to Illinois in 1858, first locating 
at Salem, in Marion county, where he 
studied law with Bryon & Shaffer. Com- 
ing to Decatur in i860, he continued the 
study of law with Tupper & Nelson, being 
admitted to the bar in 1862. After Mr. 
Tupper's withdrawal from the firm Mr. 
Roby remained as a partner of Mr. Nel- 
son's. Mr. Roby is at present engaged in 
the banking business, being the president of 
the Decatur National Bank. 

Edward P. Vail was born in this state,, 
read law at Rushville in 1868-9, being ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1870. He practiced 
seven years in Rushville, during four years 
of which he was state's attorney of Schuy- 
ler county. In 1877 he located in Macon 
county, and in 1889 he was elected circuit 
judge, which place he held until 1903. After 
the close of his extended term of office- he 
removed to Chicago, where he is now pur- 
suing the practice of law. 

William H. Black was born in Chicago, 
Illinois. He was educated in the common 
schools of Champaign county, afterward 
pursuing a select literary course in Chad- 
wick College at Quinc)^ Illinois, and the 
Wesleyan LTniversity of Bloomington. He 
graduated from the law department of 
the Wesleyan University in June, 1892. 
He came to Decatur June 18 of the 
same year for the practice of his profession. 
He was elected chairman of the Macon 
County Republican Central Committee in 
1902. He was appointed master in chan- 



110 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



eery of .\lae(Jii eounty October 5, 1903, by 
the circuit judge, W. C. Johns. 

James S. lialdwin was born Sepleniber 
14, ' 1874. After completing the common 
school course he entered the New Alliany 
high school, from which he graduated in 
1893. He graduated from the law depart- 
ment of the University of [Michigan in 1896. 
He located in Decatur January, 1897, in 
partnership with l'"dward Wilson for the 
practice of law. In September, 1897. he 
withdrew from the firm and practiced alone 
until October i, 1898. when he formed a 
partnership with Frank Ewing until Janu- 
ary I, u;o3, when this firm was dissolved. 
Since then he has been alone. He is at 
present secretary of the Macon County Re- 
publican Central Committee. 

Louis .\. Mills was born October 15, 1864, 
in .Magnolia. Putnam county, Illinois. He 
was educated in the common schools of 
Putnam county, the high school of Deca- 
tur and Lincoln University. He read law 
with Mills liriilhers. being admitted in May, 
1890. He remained with Mills Brothers 
three years after he was admitted. The 
three vears following this he was a member 
of the Columbia Manufacturing Company 
of Decatur. In .May, 1896, he formed a 
partnership with J. R. Fitzgerald for the 
practice of law, of which firm he is now a 
member. 

Robert E. Gray was born .\ugust 29, 
i860, on a farm in F^ayette county, near 
Ramsey, Illinois. He completed the com- 
mon schools of his county, also the high 
school at Ramsey, later attending the 
Southern Normal at Carbondale. He taught 
school one year after which he took a course 
at \'alparaiso. Indiana, from which he grad- 
uated in 1891. He next read law with 
Farmer & Brown of Vandalia, four years 
after which he took a law course in the 
same school. He was admitted to the bar 
in 1896 immediately establishing an office 
in Decatur for the practice of law. 



W. .\ay Boggess was born Feljruary 20, 
1S73. in Marion county. West Virginia, and 
educated at the West N'irginia Academy 
and the Decatur high school. He read law 
with tlie law firm of Mills Brothers of this 
city and was admitted to the bar May 3, 
1894, at once entering upon the practice of 
his profession. 

John J. Hogan was born near Mt. Zion, 
Illinois, in Macon count\-, .\pril 19, 1875, 
He obtained his literary education in the 
I'niversity of Notre Dame and his legal 
education in the Northwestern University, 
graduating from the latter in 1896, at which 
time he was admitted to the bar and prac- 
ticed in Chicago two years. In 1898, on 
coming to Decatur, he formed a partner- 
ship with W. F;. Redmon. When Mr. Red- 
mon was elected state's attorney in 1900 
Mr. Hogan became assistant state's attor- 
nej', which position he now holds. 

Brice I. Sterrett was born in Pennsyl- 
vania and secured his literary education at 
Dickenson College, Carlisle, from which 
school he graduated in tlie class of 1867. 
In the same year he took up the study of 
law at Carlisle. Init a few months after he 
came to Decatur where he continued his 
studies with the firm of Emerson & Smith, 
being admitted to the bar in August, 1868. 

David Flutchinson was brought up at 
.\ndover, Massachusetts, and prepared for 
college at Philips' University of that, place, 
graduating from the .'Vlbany Law School of 
that i)lace May 15, 1877. On July 25 of the 
same year he came to Decatur, when he be- 
gan the practice of law in ]\Iacon county. 

Robert P. Vail was born November 13, 
1877, at Frederick, Illinois. After securing 
his primary education in the Decatur 
schools he attended Harvard College. He 
then entered his father's law office as a law 
student, where he remained for four years. 
During these four years of reading he held 
the position of court stenographer of Macon 
countv. He was admitted to the bar in 



PAST AND PRESEXr OF MACON COUNTY. 



117 



May, 1902, since which time he has been 
engaged in the practice of law in this city. 

John V>. Moffett was born and reared in 
Macon county. After completing his pri- 
mary education he attended the Lincoln 
University and the Universit}^ of Illinois, 
where he secured his literary education. 
Later he attended the law department of 
the Wesleyan L^niversity at Bloomington 
and tlie Albany Law School at Albany, 
New York, graduating from the latter in 
1884, and admitted to the bar in 1885. From 
1885 to 1892 he was located in Dodge City, 
Kansas, and from 1892 to 1897 was in King- 
fisher, Oklahoma. While there he served as 
prosecuting attorney one term. He opened 
an office in Decatur in 189S where he is now 
located. 

Edmund S. AIcDonald was born in Wood 
county, West Virginia, September 2, 1851. 
He was educated in the common schools of 
Macon County, Illinois, obtaining his liter- 
ary education in the Northwestern L'ni- 
versity at Evanston, Illinois. He read law 
three years with Nelson & Roby and two 
years with Crea & Ewing, being admitted 
to the bar in the Centennial class of 1876. 
He opened an office in Decatur in 1878 for 
the practice of law. He has since practiced 
continuously in this city. He was elected 
city attorney in 1889 and re-elected in i8gi, 
serving two terms. In 1892 he was ad- 
mitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of 
the L^nited States, in which he has since 
had a good practice. 

Clement C. Walters was born near 
Lafayette, Indiana. September 22, 1867. He 
was educated in tli? common schools, after 
which he took up teaching for several years. 
During this period of teaching he attended 
liushnell College at intervals ; he also read 
law with Outten & Page, and later with 
( )utten & Robey ; altogether two years read- 
ing. He was admitted to the bar June 10, 



1896. He was elected city attorney of De- 
catur May 1, 1898, and re-elected May 
I, 1902, serving two terms. He formed a 
partnership with Jacob Latham October 15, 
1900, which partnership still exists. 

Hugh W. Housum was born March 25, 
1878, in Decatur, Illinois. After complet- 
ing the city schools of Decatur, graduating 
from the high school in June, 1895, he com- 
pleted a business course at Brown's Busi- 
ness College of Decatur in June, 1896. He 
studied law with Judge W. C. Johns from 
September i, 1896, to September i, 1901. 
The year following he finished the course of 
reading with the Hon. Hugh Crea, being 
admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court 
of Illinois December 9. 1902. 

Douglas D. Hill was born in Clark coun- 
ty, Missouri, near Alexandria, September 5, 
i860. He secured his primary education in 
the common schools and later enlarged upon 
this by attending the Valparaiso Normal of 
Indiana. He read law at Robinson, Illinois, 
with Callahan & Jones, being admitted to 
the bar m 1886. 

He taught school two years before enter- 
ing the Normal at Valparaiso, after which 
he taught four more years, all of which was 
in Crawford county, Illinois. The same 
year in which he was admitted to the bar 
he became a member of the firm of !Ma-x- 
well & Hill at Robinson. This partnership 
continued until 1892. During his practice 
he served as city attorney of Robinson two 
years. In 1892 he located in Decatur where 
he h?s esta])lished a very -successful prac- 
tice. 

C. C. LeForgee was born in Decatur, Il- 
linois, July 7, 1867. He received his liter- 
ary education in the city, schools of De- 
catur, and completed a law course in the 
Northwestern L'ni\-ersity, graduating from 
that school in i88g. He practiced law with 
Mason Brothers in Chicago the year fol- 



118 



PAST A\U PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



lowing his graduation, tie then, in 1890, 
associated himself with E. S. McDonald in 
Decatur, Illinois, for the practice of law. 
After dissolving this partnership he was 
alone for a time, when he entered into part- 
nership with J. C. Lee. This was after a 
time also dissolved, and since 1897 he has 
been alone in his practice. 

C. E. Schroll was born October 5, 1863, 
in Macon county, Illinois. Graduated from 
the Decatur schools in 1885, carrying the 
honors of his class through the entire four 
years of the course, ilc secured his higher 
literar)' and law education in Harvard Uni- 
versity from which he was admitted to the 
bar August 30, 1889. In September of the 
same year he became a member of the lirm 
of Buckingham & Schroll for the practice 
of law. This partnership was dissolved at 
the end of si.x years, since which time he 
has practiced alone. 

licnjamin P. Shipley was born near V'an- 
dalia in Payette county, Illinois, February 
14, 1850. After completing the Vandalia 
schools he took up the study of law. While 
pursumg his law studies he was elected 
county superintendent of schools of Pay- 
ette county, Illinois, which position he held 
ten years. In 1886 he came to Maroa and 
was elected superintendent of the Alaroa 
schools, holding the position seven years. 
In 1893 he began the practice of law in 
Maroa, having been admitted to the bar in 
1889. 

Hugh Crca is one of the oKIest practition- 
ers in Decatur, and one of the most success- 
ful. For a number of years he was a mem- 
ber of the firm of Crea, Ewing & Walker. 
While be has never held office he has al- 
ways been considered safe counsel in a po- 
litical campaign. H. H. Crea is a son of 
Hugh Crea and is also well established in 
his practice. Some time after he took up 
the practice of law he located in Monticello, 
where he remained for some years, but a 
few years ago he re-located in Decatur. 



OUR HONORED DEAD. 

-Macon county was favorably represented 
in the Civil war, as the appended list of 
brave soldiers, who never survived the or- 
deal so silently testify. Plie name of Our 
Abraham Lincoln, who was among us in 
his }outh and early manhood and whose 
eariy law practice as well was also among 
us, will naturally head its list, in 16^2 he 
was chosen captain of his company 111 the 
Llack Hawk war. In 1834 he was honored 
by being elected to the Illinois Legislature, 
iiy his successive elections he served in the 
House continually until 1842. He next 
served as representative in the Thirteenth 
Congress from i847 to 1849. In i860 he 
was elected President of the United States 
and re-elected in 1864. 

Richard J. Oglesby was commissioned 
lieutenant ol the Fourth Regiment Illinois 
Volunteers and served through the .Mexican 
war, taking part in the battles of V era Cruz 
and Cerro Cordo. In i860 he was elected 
to the state Senate but resigned to accept 
the colonelcy of the Eighth Illinois Volun- 
teers. I'hrough gallantry at Ft. Henry, Ft. 
Donelson and Corinth, he rose to be major 
general, being wounded at the latter place. 
lie resigned his commission on account of 
disability m .May, 1864, and the following 
November was elected governor ol Illinois. 
In 1872 he was re-elected governor, but two 
weeks after his inauguration he resigned to 
accept a seat in the United States Senate, 
to which he was elected by the State Legis- 
lature in 1873. In 1884 lie was elected gov- 
ernor for the third time, being the only man 
in the history of the state who was thus 
honored. 

I. C. Pugh served as captain in the iilack 
Hawk war. He was captain of Company C 
in the Mexican war, taking part in the bat- 
tles of \'era Cruz and Cerro Gordo; his 
company captured Santa Anna's cork leg. 
He was colonel ol the Forty-first regiment 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



119 



in the Civil war and for bravery was pro- 
moted to brigadier general. 

Joel S. Post in 1846 entered the service 
as a Mexican soldier and was made quarter- 
master with the rank of captain. From 1856 
to i860 he was a representative in the state 
Legislature from Macon county. 

Arthur J. Gallagher was a soldier in the 
Mexican war. in the conxmand of Colonel 
Bissell, later governor of Illinois. He par- 
ticipated in the battle of Buena Vista. In 
1862 he raised a company of cavalry for the 
Civil war, remaining in the army one year. 
In 1869 he was elected circuit judge of the 
old Sixteenth circuit, which position he held 
until 1873. 

William Grason enlisted in the army in 
1862 and was elected sergeant of Company 
A, One Hundred and Sixteenth Illinois In- 
fantry. The regiment formed part of the 
Second Division, Fifth Army Corps, under 
General Sherman. He was engaged in the 
battle of Tallehoochee, was in the first at- 
tack on Vicksburg and the siege of the city; 
also at Arkansas Post. In the charge at 
Ft. Hill he was shot in the left lung. He 
was in the charge at Vicksburg May 19 
which almost annihilated his company, but 
thirteen of them returning from the charge. 
He was again wounded at Jonesboro, Ala- 
bama. He was in the " March to the Sea," 
taking part in the grand review at Wash- 
ington. He was made lieutenant April 28, 
1863, and mustered out captain June 7, 
1865. 

William H. Shorb entered the army in 
1861 from Green Castle, Pennsylvania. He 
was at once-made orderly sergeant of Com- 
pany C. Second Pennsylvania Regiment, 
which he himself had raised. He took part 
in the Banks expedition. During his serv- 
ice he was made sergeant major; later sec- 
ond lieutenant, and soon after first lieuten- 
ant. He was wounded in front of Peters- 
burg by the explosion of a shell. Being dis- 



abled for duty he was made quarter-master, 
serving in this position until his discharge. 

Ansel Tupper entered the army in 1861 
and was made lieutenant colonel of the 
Forty-first Illinois Infantry. In the same 
vear he took part in the battles of Ft. 
Henry, Ft. Donelson, and Pittsburg Land- 
ing, losing his life at the latter place, April 
6, 1862. 

Jesse H. Moore entered the service in 
1862 as colonel of the One Hundred and Fif- 
teenth Regiment Infantry. He was in the 
battles of luka, Chickamauga, charge at 
Tunnel Hill, Georgia ; Resaca, Georgia. His 
regiment helped drive General Bragg's 
army, then in command of Hood, out of the 
valley of the Cumberland. In 1865 he wai 
promoted brevet brigadier general. 

N. \\\ Tupper enlisted in the army in 
1862, was made colonel of the One Hun- 
dred and Sixteenth Infantry. He was en- 
gaged in the battles of Chickasaw, Arkansas 
Post, the charge at Vicksburg, and was 
present at its surrender ; was at Jackson, 
Mississippi ; Missionary Ridge, Resaca, ■ 
Georgia ; Dallas, Big Shanty, Kenesaw 
Mountain, Stone Mountain, Ezra Chapel, 
Atlanta, Jonesboro, " Sherman's March to 
the Sea." Ft. McAllister, Pocatalgo, and 
Bentonville, North Carolina. The citizens 
of ]\Iacon county have erected ' in Green- 
wood cemetery a monument to the memory 
of the two Colonels Tupper's patriotic serv- 
ice. 

George R. Steele went into the army as 
lieutenant of the Forty-first and was pro- 
moted to major on General McPherson's 
staf¥. 

W. D. Blackburn was promoted lieuten- 
ant colonel in 1863 ; he took part in the bat- 
tles of luka and Corinth. 

Z. Appleton, promoted to major in 1861 ; 
killed in battle, 1861. 

W. F. Clark, frst sergeant' killed 'n bat- 
tle in 1862. 



120 PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 

George W. Kaylor, corporal ; killed in bat- Jackson A. Alelick. second lieulenant; 

tie in 1862. died at Mound City in 1862. 

Marion Ashmead. corjjoral ; killed in hat- \\'. S. Uglesby, captain : killed in battle 

tie in 1862. in 1862. 

Abner H. jonlon. corporal; killed in bat- Joseph Yick, sergeant; died in 1862. 

tie in 1862. Jacob Graham, corporal: killed at Sliiloh 

Frank Leeper, captain; tirst man from jn 1862. 

Macon county killed in battle. John C. Cox, second lieutenant ; died in 

1). W. Greenwalt, sergeant; died at iiird's 1862. 

Point. Missouri, in 1861. John H. lluffner. captain: killed in battle 

Michael ^^lathews, corporal : killed at Ft. ;„ 1862. 

Donelson in 1862. (^'l,,.;^ Comelly, second lieutenant : killed 

George S. Leach, corporal : killed at Ft. j,^ battle in lS^f^'^ 
Donelson in 1862. I ;yj j> ]>etcrson, corporal; died at lack- 
John 11. Lowell, corporal; <lied at i'.ir.rs ^^^ Tennessee, in 1862. 
Point, Missouri, in 1861. j^,^^,;^ Robinson, corporal; die.l at Tack- 

Marcellus Warner, corporal; kille.l at son. Tennessee, in 1862. 

Raymond. Mississippi, in 1863. ^^.jl,;^,^^ Kinman. lieutenant colonel; 

11. (. Marsh, second lieutenant; kilU-d at 1 -n 1 ■ 1 *.! • .0/, 

kuled m battle in 186:^. 

lu. Donelson in 1862. 1 v i 1 ■ ^ ^ 

j. A. Jones, second assistant surgeon; 

C. P. .\. Goddard. corporal; died in t86^. , ,", , , " .,, -p , tt-h /- 

' ^ killed b\- guerrillas, 1 unnel Hill, Georgia,. 

Charles rechncr. corporal; killed at • ,,, 

., . m u>'u. 

.Shiloh in 1862. ,, ,- ■ ,■ ,■ , • 

, , . -Matt rreeman, tirst lieutenant; died in 

. \\ . .Alexandre, colonel; killed 111 battle „, 

■ ' 86 '^^ 

T- ■ , ^ , , , , ,. [acob Porter, firsi lieutenant; killed in 

Joseph C. Alvord. second lieutenant; , ' , . 

,.,,,., , . „, iKittle 111 iS'ia. 
killed in battle in 1862. 

T,,.. , .. .,, , , .,, , ,. David Reed, second lieutenant; ilied in 

Klijali Smith, corporal ; killed at .Stone 

u- • or 1862. 

River in 1862. 

JohnF.Weitzel. captain; killed at Chick- Anderson l-romaii. lieutenant colonel; 

amaiiga in 186^. 'l'^^' '" '^"^■ 

Tolin McTwain. major; killed at Kenesaw ^"■'^^°" ^'- "^"'>'- '^^'^''''" ' '^'"^ '" '^^3- 

Mountain in 1864. J"''" !'• T^^''"''"^'- ^""^ lieutenant; died in 

George F. Deitz. first lieutenant; died in ^' ;^' 

jQ^, .Samuel lialw cor])oral ; killed at \'icks- 

F. M. r,ong. major; killed in battle in ''"'■•^' '" i^^'-^- 

jgg., fohn .S. Taylor, first lieutenant ; killed in 

Lewis P). Morton, first sergeant; died at '''^'^.^• 

Paducah. Kentucky, in 1861. Thomas ^^■hite, captain; killed in battle 

Bryant Kelsey, sergeant; died in 1863. '" i'*^^'3- 

David S. Morse, sergeant; died at Mos- Joh" W. Ellis, first sergeant; died at 

cow, Tennessee, in 1863. Young's Point in 1863. 

William H. Hecock. corporal; killed at W. P. Camp, sergeant; died at :\lillikin's 

Jackson, ^fississippi, in 1863. P)en(l in ^^C1^,. 

Fred O. Spooner. corporal; killed at Shi- Ji'hii 1!. Davidson, sergeant; died at 

loh in 1862. ^■ollng■s Point in 18O3. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



12i 



Israel W. Markel, corporal; died at Mem- 
phis in 18O3. 

R. G. \\ arnick, corporal; died' at Mem- 
phis ill 1863. 

G. W. Williams, sergeant; died on 
steamer City of Memphis in 1863. 

D. F. Armstrong, corporal ; died at St. 
Louis in 1863. 

John F. Bowser, corporal ; died at Chat- 
tanooga in 1864. 

David Gill, corporal ; died at Chickasaw 
Bayou in 1862. 

J. B. Streever, corporal; died at Annap- 
olis in 1863. 

J. G. Long, corporal; died at Richmond, 
a prisoner of war, in 18O4. 

Lewis J. Eynian, captain; died June, 1863. 

Joseph D. ^\ioon, first lieutenant; died in 
1805. 

John B. Tutt, first lieutenant; died in 
1863. 

E. R. Pratt, second lieutenant; died in 
1863. 

J. C. Stanbury, second lieutenant ; died in 
1863. 

Alonzo B. Davis, captain ; died in 1863. 

Lafayette Helm, second lieutenant ; died 
in 1863. 

Isom Simmons, first lieutenant ; died in 
.'864. 

Theodore Short, second lieutenant ; died 
in 1863. 

N. W. Wheeler, second lieutenant; killed 
at siege of \'icksburg in 1863. 

Thomas McCann, sergeant; dietl at Alilli- 
kin's Bend in 1863. 

John Purtroff, corporal; died at Mound 
City in 1863. 

John Herrin, corporal; died at Young's 
Point in 1863. 

By referring to the roster of the com- 
panies raised in Macon county, you will 
find over two hundred others out of the two 
thousand and over from Macon, who never 
wore the stripes, that gave up their lives 



for their country and their homes, that we, 
their descendants, might enjoy the blessings 
of peace and prosperity. 



FORTY YEARS AGO. 

1892. 

Christmas Reminiscences for the Young 

People. 

It is just forty years ago this blessed day 
since the writer first set foot in the town of 
Decatur. On the 6th day of December, 1852, 
with a corps of eighteen men, we set out 
from Springfield, Illinois, to make a survey 
for the \Vabash (then called the Great 
Western) Railroad, and reached Decatur 
on Christmas day, which was then a little 
hamlet containing scarcely five hundred 
souls. The country was sparsely settled 
and after leaving the Sangamon river at 
Riverton (then called "Jim-town"), a 
trackless, treeless, houseless prairie pre- 
sented itself as far as the eye could reach, 
save to the south where the sangamon tim- 
ber skirted above the horizon to relieve the 
monotony of the scene, and to a young man 
fresh from the hills of New England the 
prospect was one of intense interest and 
awful grandeur. The country abounded 
with deer, wolf and countless thousands of 
geese, duck and prairie chickens. The deer 
were so tame that we frequently approached 
them near enough to see their large and 
beautiful eyes. The weather was quite mild, 
similar to the winter weather we have been 
having recently, so we suffered little from 
cold. The party was composed of young 
men full of ambition and enthusiasm and, 
at times, wc made the lonely prairie ring 
with shouts, laughter, and song. Sometimes 
we were troubled to get enough to eat, for, 
being dependent upon the settlers along the 
timber, who were very " few and far be- 
tween," and though they were very hos- 
pitable and never turned us away, the\- were 



122 



PAST AND PRF.SEXT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



not always prepared to entertain so many 
hungry men, but did the best they could to 
appease our appetites and make us com- 
fortable for the night. There was so little 
change in the natural features of the coun- 
try that but few incidents occurred to break 
the monotony of the scenery. When we 
reached the site where Illiopolis is located 
we found some stakes that had been set 
there more than fifteen years before, for the 
purpose of marking out the ground for the 
state capital — that point having been de- 
cided upon by some enterprising specula- 
tors as being the geographical center of the 
state of Illinois, and, therefore, the proper 
place to locate the capital. A little further 
east and we were on the land of the future 
"King of Xiantic," Jesse Lockhart, Esq., 
and, although a long way off, "the King" 
spied us and hastened to see who it was 
bold enough to invade his domain without 
his royal permission. We informed him 
that the construction of a railroad through 
his kingdom was contemplated, and that 
we were engaged in making a survey for 
that purpose ; but the king was wroth and 
declared that he wanted no railroad through 
his ground, and that if we set stakes on his 
ground for that purpose he would pro- 
ceed to pull them up. We replied that 
although the railroad company had the 
right to make the survey, it was liable 
for any damage done, and hoped he 
would not disturb the stakes. But Jesse 
was inexorable and said the railroads would 
ruin the country by scaring away the stock 
and destroying the range: that he had just 
left a country which was all fenced in (Ken- 
tucky") to come to a country where there 
was plenty of room. But as we had no time 
to argue that point, we left "the King" to 
act as he thought be:?t. But on our return 
over the line a short time after, sure enough 
we found that the stakes had been removed, 
and went to Jesse's cabin and there saw 
them lying in a pile near his door. We 



again e.xpostulated with him, saying the 
stakes certainly could do no harm. So 
finally, Jesse became ashamed of his con- 
duct and helped replace them, and ever 
afterward was a good friend of the road. 
When we reached the place where Xiantic 
now is, it was growing dark. A light snow 
had fallen during the day and the ground 
was covered. Where we were to stay that 
night we knew not. Xothing to be seen 
so far as the eye could reach but the "beau- 
tiful." Our only refuge was to "break for the 
timber" four miles south of us, which we 
reached in about an hour, striking " Ding- 
man's Point " where we met Mr. Dingman. 
We informed him who we were and what 
we wanted. He cordially invited us into 
his house, where we for the first time saw 
the genial countenance of our since illus- 
trious townsman. Richard J. Oglesby, who 
was on his way home from Springfield, 
horseback, and had stopped with Dingman 
to feed his horse and get his supper. Of 
course when " Dick " found out what our 
business was. he. as well as Mr. Dingman, 
became much interested in us. Mr. Ding- 
man's family was sick and though he could 
not entertain us at his house, he supplied us 
with bread, ham and potatoes, an)! directed 
us to an unoccupied cabin, a short distance 
away, fn which was a large fire-place, and 
with plenty of wood and straw we cooked 
our supper and made our beds, thus pass- 
ing a very comfortable night. On Christ- 
mas day we got near enough to Decatur 
to make the town our headquarters, and 
therefore marched in with the whole outfit; 
the arrival of the Great Western Railroad 
Engineering Corps into the village was soon 
noised about, and the villagers were at once 
astir, for it was not only a very unusual 
event, but marked a very important epoch in 
the history and progress of the little town. 
We quartered with Landlady Harrell, who 
kept the hotel called " Social Hall," which 
stood on the site now occupied by the St. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



J 23 



Nicholas. She was a very worthy woman 
and knew how to keep a hotel. We were 
that night given a reception, ball and sup- 
per. The late James Shoaff, Esq., publisher 
of Shoaff's Gazette, was the leading spirit 
of the occasion. The ball was held in the 
old court house, which stood in the south- 
east corner of the square (now Lincoln 
Park) and was torn down about twenty-five 
years ago. Some of the peculiar features 
of the ball were that the gentlemen wore 
heavy boots with pants inside the legs of 
them ; and that the music consisted of one 
fiddle played bj' Matt Johnson, who was a 
character in those days. He disdained to 
wear a coat, and sitting in a chair with a 
" little brown jug " by his side, at the close 
of each " cotillion " he would regale him- 
self from the contents of the jug. Among 
the citizens present at the reception were 
Col. Pugh, Sheriiif Wheeler, Henry Prather, 
W^m. Cautrall, Col. Carter, S. K. Thomp- 
son, all of whom are long since dead ; Hon. 
J. J. Pedicord, Gov. Oglesby and perhaps 
a few others still living were also present. 
These men were the active business men of 
those days, men, each of whom, in their 
respective calling, did their part to make the 
city of Decatur what it now is. They were 
the pioneers and laid the foundation upon 
which the city now stands, and to them 
much is due for its present and future pros- 
perity. W'e found here, too, in advance of 
us the Illinois Central R. R. Co., resident 
engineers, the late H. C. Plant and C. A. 
Tuttle and their assistants, who met us cor- 
dially and with professional etiquette ten- 
dered us the use of their office, which was 
gladly accepted, and they also gave us much 
valuable information. 

In the spring of 1854 the cars were run- 
ning on the Wabash to Wylie's Switch 
(now called Troutman), and got into De- 
catur in the fall of the same year and hauled 
the iron for the Illinois Central from the 
Illinois river to lav its track south ; the 



latter road got into Decatur the following 
winter from the north. To the casual reader 
there may not appear anything of much in- 
terest or miportance in the simple narrative 
by one ot the pioneers in railroad construc- 
tion in this state, but when considered in 
its connection with the beginning of a great 
system ot railroads that has made the de- 
velopment of the resources of the great and 
powerful state of Illinois possible, and has 
been the prime cause of bringing millions 
of people from all parts of the civilized 
world within her borders, with the count- 
less millions of wealth these people have 
created, and who are the most prosperous, 
most intelligent and happiest people on 
earth, and have made Illinois the Empire 
State of the great West, and which will 
, soon be the first state in the Union, as its 
great metropolis on the lakes of the north 
is destined to become the greatest and most 
important city in America, and one of the 
greatest in the world ; a city about to give 
unto all the people of the earth the grandest 
exhibition as a result of labor, art, science 
and literature that man has ever looked 
upon. When considered in this connection 
it becomes a matter of much importance to 
all interested in the history and progress 
of the state of Illinois, and of all the United 
States of America. 

Sullivan Burgess. 
Decatur. 111., Dec. 25, 1892. 

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF 

DECATUR. 

By Enoch A. Gastman. 

The early settlers of central Illinois were 
not able to give much attention to popular 
education. They were busy in providing 
food and shelter for their wives and chil- 
dren. But as soon as the immediate neces- 
sities of life were provided, the parents be- 
gan to seek ways to secure at least the ele- 
ments of an education for their children. 
At first this was done through private 



124 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



schools. -V subscription pajjcr would be 
circulated in the neighborhood and if 
enough monej' was promised to pay the 
teacher a very moderate salary the school 
would be opened. The teacher generally 
boarded around among the families, stay- 
ing a week or longer in each household, ac- 
cording to the number of pupils which it 
furnished to the school. If the teacher had 
a home of his own he would be paid a 
somewhat better salary, but he would be 
expected to receive in ])ayment butter, 
eggs, pork, potatoes, and such other arti- 
cles as he could use in his own family. 
These schools usually continued in session 
but a few months in each year. Often they 
were so inefficient that but little was ac- 
complished during the term. 

Reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic 
made up the course of study. The rod was 
freely used not only to correct the infrac- 
tions of the rules of good behavior but to 
induce the better preparation of assigned 
lessons. 

Early in the history of the state men be- 
gan to see that these schools could not pro- 
duce an intelligent citizenship and different 
bills were introduced into the Legislature 
to provide for a system of free ])ul)lic 
schools. 

The present scliool law of Illinois is based 
upon an act of the General .A.ssembly ap- 
proved I'"ebruary 15, 1855. The essential 
feature of that act was that of taxing all of 
the property uf the state for the education 
of all the children of the stale. It also 
made it obligatory upon all districts to 
maintain schools free to all the children for 
at least si.x months in the year. A law 
passed in 1849 allowed the people to vote 
that a tax should be levied upon the prop- 
erty of the district for the support of free 
public schools. Comparatixely few districts 
in the state took advantage of this i)crmis- 
sion. TUit Decatur earlv orp-anized under 



the provisions of that act. The following 
is on file in the office of the county clerk: 

At a meeting of the inhabitants, legal vot- 
ers, of school district No. i, in township 16, 
N. R. 2 E., in Macon county, held at the 
court house in Decatur, on the 26th day of 
July, .\. D. 185 1, in pursuance of legal no- 
tice given b}' the directors of said school 
district for the purpose of voting for or 
against levying a tax for school purposes. 
It is certified by the chairman and secre- 
tary of said meeting to the directors of said 
district that at said meeting there was cast 
for levying a ta.x of ten cents on the one 
hundred dollars worth of taxable property 
in said district for the repairs of the * brick 
school house and furnishing same 30 votes, 
and against levying said ta.x 12 votes and 
that the following is a list of the resident 
tax payers in said district : 

One hundred seventy names are given. 
Wm. Prather, Clerk. (Seal.) 

The collector's book for 1851 is lost and 
it is impossible to say that the tax was ex- 
tended and collected. 1)ut the jjrohaljility is 
that the wish of the voters was carried out. 
It is believed that this is the first school 
tax that was paid in Decatur. No school 
ta.x seeius to ha\e been levied in 1852, or in 
1853, but the collector's book of 1854 shows 
that such a tax was collected. 

The following is on file in the county 
clerk's office : 

We the undersigned president and clerk 
of the board of directors for district number 
one in township 16 N., R. 2 E., in the coun- 
ty of Macon and state of Illinois, do hereby 
certify that the said board have estimated 
and required to be levied for the year 1855, 
the rate of fiftv cents on each one hundred 



* It is believed that tliis reefers to the old Masonic 
liall wliicli stood at the corner of Xorth Water and 
Nortli Park streets. It was erected in the earlv '40s 
liy an arrangement between the citizens and the 
Masons. It was proliably the first school house in 
the city 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



125 



dollars ^•aluation of all the taxable property 
in said district for the purpose of building 
a school house, and the rate of five cents 
on each hundred dollars valuation of tax- 
able property in the said district for general 
expenses connected with schools in said dis- 
trict. Given under our hands this 30th day 
of June, 1855. Daniel Barnes, Pres. 

E. G. Falconer, Clerk. 

Total value of all property in Decatur 
district, $445,716. Great Western R. R. ex- 
cepted. 

The money received from the first part 
of the above levy was probably used in 
building the front part of the Church street 
school. 

The law of 1855 gave the township trus- 
tees power to levy taxes for general school 
purposes and the following is on file : 

We the undersigned board of trustees of 
fownship number 16. north, range 2 east, in 
the county of Macon and state of Illinois, 
do hereby certify that as a board of trus- 
tees we have estimated and required to be 
levied for the year 1855, for general school 
purposes and extending terms of schools 
the rate of three mills on each dollar's valu- 
ation of taxable property in said township. 
Given under our hands this 30th day of 
April, A. D. 1855. 

I. C. Pugh. 
Wm. S. Crissey, 

Trustees. 

On the 28th of April, 1856, the same of- 
ficers certify that the same levy is required 
as in 1855. 

On the 19th of June, 1855, Elisha D. Car- 
ter and Christiana his wife, conveyed lots 
one, two, three, four, and five, in block 
eight, of Bandy's addition, to the school 
trustees of town 16, for the use of district 
number one, for the sum of eight hundred 
dollars. This is the site of the present 
Church street school and it is believed to 



be the first purchase of real estate for the 
use of schools in the cit}-. 

On the 14th day of April, 1856, David L. 
Allen and Julia, his wife, Thomas H. Read 
and Elizabeth, his wife, conveyed to the 
trustee of schools of tov^'n 16 in trust for the 
benefit of the inhabitants of school district 
number one and for the use of schools there- 
in, for the sum of five dollars, all of lot 
number one in block three of Allen, Mc- 
Reynolds & Co.'s addition to the town of 
Decatur, and ten feet off of the west side 
of lot four in the same block. This is the 
corner where the Scovill furniture company 
is now located. So far as is known this 
was the first and the only gift that has ever 
been made to the public schools of the city. 

( )n the second day of December, 1856, 
this property was conve3^ed to Macon 
Lodge No. 8, A. F. and A. M., for one thou- 
sand dollars. 

In 1856, the directors, Jasper J. Pedde- 
cord, Edward O. Smith, and Philip B. 
.Shepherd, conuuenced the building of the 
south part of the Church street school. 
There are no records of the elections that 
must have been held before the directors 
could have purchased the site or levied the 
taxes for its erectioti. The plan of the 
building was somewhat peculiar. The up- 
per story was in one large room with two 
small recitation rooms which now make 
the hall in the center of the house. About 
140 pupils could be seated at double desks 
in the assembly room. Recitations were 
held in the three rooms. The lower story 
furnished two good-sized school rooms with 
a recitation room adjoining each. Each 
school had a principal and an assistant who 
took charge of the recitation room. Seven 
teachers were employed in the building. 
Since that time two school rooms have been 
added and six teachers take care of the 
pupils in the whole house. 

Simeon Wright, a noted school man in 
the northern part of the state and the gen- 



126 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



tleinan for whom the Wrightonian society 
in the State Normal University was named, 
said that he visited Decatur when the found- 
ation walls of the new school building were 
just ready for the first tier of joists. He 
was invited by one of the directors to visit 
the buildmg. After looking over the founda- 
tion walls and admiring their strength he 
inquired what would be the arrangement of 
the school rooms. The director replied, 
" Mr. Wright, there are none of us who 
know anything about the proper arrange- 
ment of a school house and we have de- 
termined to put up the outside walls and 
then get some good school man to come and 
divide the building into rooms for us." 

The following note is taken from the 
second volume of the Illinois Teacher, pub- 
lished in Peoria. Under date of February 
25, 1856, Daniel Wilkins of Bloomington, 
writes : " A few days since I visited De- 
catur, the county seat of MactMi, containing 
two thousand five hundred inhabitants. 
They are making arrangements to put up a 
large brick building next summer for the 
use of a graded school. J. H. Remsberg and 
lady have charge of a flourishing institute 
with one hundred forty pupils, while the 
high school, one hundred eighty pupils, is 
taught by John W. Coleman, assisted by his 
wife and Miss Ela. There is also a female 
seminary under the care of Mrs. A. A. Pow- 
ers, and a school taught by Miss Gillespie." 

The new building was opened in the fall 
of 1857 with J. H. Remsberg as principal 
and David L. Bunn and ]^liss Helen E. Par- 
sons assistants up stairs. No record has 
been found of the other assistant nor of the 
enrollment of pupils. 

On July 3, 1857, Jasper J. Peddecord and 
Edward O. Smith, directors, certify to the 
county clerk that they require a levy of 
sixty cents on each one hundred dollars of 
taxable property for general purposes, and 
forty cents for paying teachers and extend- 
ing schools. They submit a list of 704 tax 



payers in the district. The clerk endorses 
on the back of the certificate that this levy 
will raise $9,775.96. 

The records of the board of directors are 
not complete. The first meeting of which 
the minutes have been preserved was held 
November 30, 1858, and the members pres- 
ent were Messrs. Alexander T. Hill and 
James P. Boyd. It was determined to open 
a school in the lower room of the Masonic 
building. The teacher. Miss Mary C. Bas- 
sett of Maroa, was to be paid $35 per month, 
but she was to build the fires and keep the 
room in order. 

Un the 2d day of December, 1858, the 
same directors hied the earliest report of 
the enrollment in the schools that is known 
to exist : 

Scholars. 

First Ward — D. L. Bunn 140 

First Ward— Miss M. C. Bassett 27 

Second Ward — J. A. Johnson 150 

.Second Ward — Assistant, Miss Sarah 

Wilder 80 

Second Ward — Assistant, Miss Ela... 105 
Pourth Ward — Miss Juliet M. Bradley 30 
.Second W'ard — Miss Roe, sick and un- 
able to be in school. 

.At the close of the schools in the spring 
of 1859, the directors, Alexander T. Hill, 
Samuel K. Swingley and James P. Boyd, 
published a report of the schools showing 
an expenditure of $2,780.50 for tlie year, of 
district No. i, town 16, 2 East. 

On August 27, 1859. the following order 
was passed by the directors, A. T. Hill, 
S. K. Swingley, and James P. Boyd. 

We hereby certify that we require the 
rate of 3 mills to be levied for school pur- 
poses on all the taxable property of our 
district for the year 1859-60. Also I mill 
on each dollar for furnishing fuel and other 
incidental expenses. 

The valuation of property in the district 
is $89,960.70 as furnished by the clerk. 

September 7, 1859, A. T. Hill, S. K. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



127 



Swingley, and Br. E. \V. ]\Ioore were 
elected directors for the terms of one, two, 
and three years, respectively. 

On the 20th of August, i860, the follow- 
ing teachers were elected: 

Largo Brick (Now torn down) — ^J. K. 
Pickett, principal ; Mrs. J. K. Fickett, as- 
sistant ; Miss Florence E. Daniels. 

Intermediate Department — D. A. Taw- 
ney, principal; Miss ]\lary J. Jordan, assist- 
ant. 

Primary Department — E. A. Gastman, 
principal ; Miss May Thomas, assistant. 

* Marble Shop — John E. Kinney, princi- 
pal; Miss Lucy R. Greene, assistant; Miss 
Sallie Taylor, assistant. 

Masonic Hall (Scovill's Store) — Andrew 
M'. Heath, principal; Miss Mattie ^liller, as- 
sistant. 

Houck House (Present P., D. & E. freight 
depot) — Joseph R. Mosser, principal. 

Risdon House (Western part of city) — 
Edwin Park, principal. 

It was agreed to rent of Captain David 
L. Allen his two-story frame building situ- 
ated to the west of Jasper J. Peddecord's 
residence (where the Woman's club build- 
ing stands now) for six months for $100, 
the said Allen to make all necessary repairs 
and to have the house ready on the loth 
of September, i860. 

A levy of 4 mills on the dollar was or- 
dered levied on a reported valuation of 
$1,071,168. 

The following text books wit'- ailoi^t-'ii 
for use in the schools : Webster's Ele- 
mentary Spelling Book, McGuiifey's New 
Series of Readers, Wells's English Gram- 
mar, ^litchell's First Lessons, Primary, and 
Common .School Geographies, Lossing's 
Primary and Pictorial History of the LTnited 
States, Payton, Dunton and .Scribner's 
System of Penmanship. 



* These teachers were transferred to this huilding 
and the marble shop abandoned. 



After calling an election on the first Mon- 
day in September, i860, to choose three di- 
rectors to serve for one, two, and three 
years, all the members resigned. 

The new board of directors consisted of 
'Messrs. Lowber Burrows, president, David 
L. Bunn, clerk, and William E. Nelson. It 
IS a remarkable fact that at the end of 
forty-three years these three men are still 
active in the affairs of this city. These gen- 
tlemen served for one year when they re- 
signed and Enos M. Henkle, Henry B_. Dur- 
fee and David L. Bunn were chosen to suc- 
ceed them. On the 25th of September, 
1861, Mr. Bunn resigned, and in 1862, Mr. 
Samuel Ray, then county clerk, was elected 
to fill the vacancy. Mr. Henkle acted as 
president and Mr. Durfee as clerk. These 
three men continued to serve vmtil the elec- 
tion of the board of education, April 4, 1865. 
There was a tacit agreement among them 
that Mr. Rea should not be called upon to 
attend the meetings unless Messrs. Henkle 
and Durfee could not agree. 

There was but one school building in the 
district and as the population was rapidly 
increasing the directors found it very dif- 
ficult to secure rooms in which to open 
schools. The basements of the Methodist, 
Presbyterian, and the Baptist churches were 
rented and a few rooms were secured in 
other parts of the city. They were wholly 
unsuitable for school rooms, but as nothing 
better could be found the teachers had to 
get along the best way they could. 

In the fall of 1861, D. C. McCloir took 
charge as principal of the Big Brick school. 
He was a very fine gentleman but not a very 
successful school master. There was a 
good deal of disorder about the school. It 
frequently happened that when the bell was 
rung at the close of the recess in the after- 
noon most of the boys would go oflf skating 
for the remainder of the day. On account 
of this lack of governing power on the part 
of the principal, the directors received a 



128 



PAST AND I'KKSEXT OF .M.VCOxX CUUXTV. 



good many complaints from dissatisfied 
parents. \\ lien they attempted to improve 
matters by calling upon the teachers in the 
lower rooms to help him in maintaining dis- 
cipline they were met with the statement 
that these teachers did not regard them- 
selves as under the jurisdiction of " the man 
up stairs." A little examination of the rec- 
ords showed that the several departments 
had always been treated as independent 
.schools and that, therefore, the teachers 
were right in their contention. The direct- 
ors determined to have a different organiza- 
tion the ne.xl year. 

On the 12th of June, 1862, an election was 
held at the court house at which it was or- 
dered that a site for a school house should 
be purchased in the Third ward and that a 
special levy of 25 cents on the $100 should 
be made to build it. Plans were secured 
for a two-room, one-story house from G. P. 
Randall, architect, of Chicago, at a cost of 
fifty dollars, and the contract for building 
the same was awarded to Messrs. Mills and 
Shockley. These men are still doing busi- 
ness in Decatur. But on the 30th of July 
following the directors voted, "that. in view 
of the present unsettled state of the coun- 
try, it is ordered that the levy of the tax 
for building a school house as authorized 
by vote be postponed for the present y-ear 
and the building of the house be sus- 
pended until such times as it ma\^ be 
deemed more expedient to make the levy 
authorized. But that we may secure a de- 
sirable location for building said house when 
more prosperous times shall again visit our 
land, it is ordered that the treasurer, John 
F. Miles, procure a clear title to lots num- 
bers 10 and 1 1 in block number 10 in the 
Western addition to Decatur, in the name 
of the township trustees for the use of dis- 
trict number one. and that he be authorized 
to pay therefor the sum of one humlred fifty 
dollars in currency, to procure which he is 
authorized to sell coin belonging to the dis- 



trict to the best ad\antage, giving the dis- 
trict credit with the premium." 

The house was erected the next year by 
.Mills & Shockley. It is the two lower rooms 
on the east side of the Wood street school. 
The president of the board of directors, Mr. 
E.M. Henkle, believed that no school house 
should be more than one story high and 
that the front entrance should be right at 
the sidewalk so that when the children 
came out they could at once disperse to their 
homes. The house was erected to conform 
to his ideas, but both have been discarded 
lor many years. 

At a meeting held on the 12th day of July, 

1862, it was determined to elect " a principal 
for all the schools " who should also be the 
principal of the high school which was to 
be organized. Enoch A. Gastman was elect- 
ed to fill the position at a salary of $80 per 
month for the school year of six months. 
.Miss F'rances A. Peterson, a teacher in the 
State Normal University;, was elected his 
assistant at a salary of $30 per month. She 
did a large part of the work of organizing 
and teaching in the high school during the 
first year of its history. She died the fol- 
lowing February within two weeks of the 
close of the year. 

At an election lichl on the 8lh of July, 

1863, one hundred twenty-nine votes were 
cast in favor of having nine months of 
school and si.x votes against the proposition. 

( )n November 23, 1863, the electors 
authorized the directors to erect a school 
house near the residence of E. .\. Jones, 
north of the city. 

.\t a meeting of the directors held March 
-3, 1863, it was ordered that Messrs. Mills 
and .'-^hockley proceed with the building of 
the school house in the Third ward upon 
the contract and that they be allowed in 
a(l<Iitiiin the advaiico on material and labor 
as per bills furnished and specifications and 
plans. Said Mills and Shockley to keep ac- 
curate account of anv alterations or addi- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



121) 



tions ami dcilucl for omissions and charge 
for additions in strict proportion to the 
original bills furnished the board. 

On the same date the following note was 
entered on the record after a list of teach- 
ers appointed. " The above appointments 
are made from the teachers of last term on 
account of their success and apparent 
earnestness in their vocation." 

On the "th of April, 1864, a petition, 
signed liy all the teachers in the schools, 
was presented to the board respectfully ask- 
ing for an increase of salary in view of the 
great advance in the price of all things. An 
addition of five dollars per month for the 
present term was allowed to all the teach- 
ers. The name of E. A. Gastman appears 
as clerk for the first time on the records of 
this meeting. 

June 14, 1864, the electors voted for or 
against a nine-months school. One hundred 
sixty-seven votes were cast for and twenty- 
five against the proposition. 

C)n June 28, 1864, the directors resolved 
that the teachers would not be appointed 
to any particular position but that they 
would be placed wherever the interest of 
the schools might demand when it should 
be known who would be the teachers for 
the coming year. 

On February 18, 1865, the teachers sent a 
committee requesting the directors to meet 
them at the basement of the Baptist church 
at the corner of \\'ater and William streets. 
A committee appointed at a previous meet- 
ing of the teachers reported that owing to 
the advance in prices it was impossible for 
them to make a living. They respectfully 
asked that the directors make such an ad- 
dition to their salaries as the financial con- 
dition of the treasury would allow. After 
a full interchange of opinions, it was or- 
dered that an addition of 30 per cent be 
made to all salaries under $40 per month, 
and 25 per cent to all above that amount. 

About this time it became evident to the 



directors that the powers which they were 
given by the state law for the management 
of the schools of a rural district were not 
sufficient to enable them, to carry on ef- 
ficiently the schools of a rapidly growing 
city. It was difficult often to purchase a 
desirable school site because the owners 
were unwilling to have it publicly adver- 
tised that they would sell property to be 
used for a public school because it might 
injure the sale of other adjacent property. 
Another class of owners were anxious to 
have a school house erected near their ad- 
ditions because it would attract the atten- 
tion of desirable purchasers to their lots. A 
public election gave such persons an excel- 
lent opportunity to work for the advance- 
ment of their private interests. Again, the 
directors had no power to borrow money 
and this made it very difficult to erect need- 
ed school buildings. After a good deal of 
discussion and inquiry it was decided to 
reciuest the Legislature to grant the district 
a special charter. The honorable Newton 
liateman, state superintendent, was asked 
to recommend a charter that was in satis- 
factory use in the state that the board 
might use as a model. He recommended 
the oiie granted to the Rock Island school 
district in 1857. It was carefully examined 
and such amendments made as would adapt 
it to the wants' of this district. Almost the 
only question that caused any discussion 
related to the amount of territory to be in- 
cluded in the new district. Director Hen- 
kle favored the idea of making the bound- 
aries conterminous with the city but Di- 
rector Durfee thought that the people liv- 
ing" in the present district and outside of the 
citv limits might be put to serious trouble 
in finding convenient school accommoda- 
tions for their children if they were cut oflf 
from the privilege of attending the Decatur 
schools. Finally, it was decided to adopt 
the boundaries of district one as then ex- 
istins;. This embraced a territory three 



13m 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



miles wide and three and three-quarters 
miles long. It is described as follows: 

.\11 of sections one, two, three, eleven, 
twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and the 
north half of sections twenty-two, twenty- 
three and twenty-four; and also the north 
half of the south half of said sections twen- 
ty-two, twenty-three and twenty-four, all in 
township number sixteen north, of range 
number two east of the third principal me- 
ridian, is hereby constituted a school dis- 
trict to be known as " Decatur School Dis- 
trict." 

The bill was introduced in the house of 
representatives by General Isaac C. Pugh, 
the member from this city. It ])assed 
through the Legislature with very little op- 
position and was approved by Governor 
Oglesby, February i6, 1865. See volume 
2, Private Laws of Illinois, 1865, pages 314- 
321, and City Code, 1886, pages 146-159. It 
was amended in 1867 and again in 1869. 
Through a blunder on the part of some one 
section ten was omitted Irom the act as 
finally passed by the Legislature. 

On June 15. 1865, General 1. C. Pugh and 
others petitioned the board of education to 
receive into the Decatur school district all 
that ])ortion of section lo, which is not in- 
cluded within the corporate limits of the 
city of Decatur. The prayer of the petition 
was unanimously granted. The territory of 
the district remained the same until No- 
vember I, 1895, when Salona place was re- 
ceived by a petition signed by Johnson 
Ende and others. 

In 1891 the territory lying between Oak- 
land avenue and the Wabash railroad south 
of Decatur street was annexed to the city 
and thereby became a part of the school 
district. 

In 1S96 the territory between Fairview 
avenue and the Wabash railroad was re- 
ceived on petition of J. W. Barber and 
others. 



Directors from 1855 to 1865. 
Daniel I'arnes, r.nmh G. Falconer, Jas- 
per J. Peddecord, Edward ( ). Smith, Philip 
B. Shepherd, Alexander T. llill. James P. 
Boyd, Samuel K. Swingley, Fnoch W. 
^loore. Lowber Burrows, David L. Bunn, 
\\'illiam E. Nelson, Enos >F. Hcnkle. Henry 
B. Durfec. and Samuel Rea. 

Note. — It is ])robable that the first di- 
rectors were elected in 1850 or 185 1, but it 
has been impossible to secure the names of 
any before 1855. ^Fr. Ebenezer McNabb 
came here in the spring of 1855 ^^'^ he be- 
lieves that Joel S. Post was a director at 
that time. 'Sir. Lowell Krohn thinks that 
Dr. Benjamin V. ^^'est, General Isaac C. 
Pugh, and \\'illiam Prather were among 
the early directors. Mr. James Carter 
thinks that Dr. Ira Pi. Curtis was a director 
about 1856. 

The following is a list of teachers who 
taught in the public schools previous to the 
organization of the Board of Education. It 
is probable that there are a number of omis- 
sions and errors owing to the imperfect con- 
dition of the early records — corrections will 
be thankfully received. — E. .\. G. 

Mary E. Alderman. Sarah E. Allen, Lu- 
cinda Babcock. Mary E. Baker. Mary C. 
Bassctt. flattie Beman, David Bigelow, 
Juliet M. Bradley, Elizabeth 'SI. Brown, 
David L. Bunn, Nellie Bunn, .\nna E. 
Buttz, Hilary .-\. Clampit. John \\'. Coleman, 
Mrs. John W. Coleman. Florence E. Dan- 
iels, Matilda E. Davis, Maria Ela. Margaret 
Ellis, Mrs. A. Everts, Jennie A. Frazier, 
^Fary A. Fuller, M. E. Fullenwider, Enoch 
A. Gastman, Frances A. Gastman, Miss M. 
M. Gillespie, Ellen Giles, Lucy R. Greene, 
Anna P. Grennell, Helen F. Grennell, Helen 
F. Hale, Homer Hatch. Andrew 'SL Heath, 
J. A. Johnson, Mary J. Jourdan, G. W. Kin- 
solving, I\Irs. C. S. Kendall, John E. Kin- 
ney, John H. Leidigh, Elizabeth Deeper, 
Margaret Leeper, Hannah Mackey (Car- 
many), D. C. McCloir, Mattie Miller, Eliza- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



131 



beth J. Mitchell, Ottoria Moeller, Joseph R. 
Mosser, Mrs. Anna E. Murphy, H. Nauman, 
Mary E. Park, Edwin Park, Helen E. Par- 
sons, Mrs. J. K. Pickett, J. K. Pickett, John 
N. Randall, Mattie L. Reader, Mrs. J. H. 
Remsberg-, J. H. Remsberg, Miss C. E. Roe, 
Lucretia J. Rooker, Josie J. Robinson, Eliza- 
beth Sabin, Caroline S. Sargent, Isadore 
Sheldon, Joseph Shellabarger, J. B. R. Sher- 
rick, David A. Tawney, Sallie J. Taylor, 
David B. Traver, May Thomas, Mattie L. 
Wells, Sarah E. Winholtz, Sarah D. Wilder, 
Mary Wilder, Frances Wylie, M. A. Wylie, 
Kate B. Zorger. 

Board of Education. 

The charter provided that an election 
should be held on April 4, 1865. The di- 
rectors gave notice of this meeting but they 
positively refused to become candidates for 
members of the board of education. On 
April 10, 1865, a meeting was held in the 
courtroom of the old court house which 
stood in the southeast corner of the old 
square. The following is a copy of the min- 
utes of the first meeting of the board of 
education of the Decatur school district : 

Decatur, 111., April 10, 1865. 

The oath of office was duly administered 
to the members by John K. Warren, Notary 
Public. On motion David P. Bunn was 
unanimously elected president of the board 
and Enoch A. Gastman, clerk. 

On motion, proceeded to draw lots for the 
respective terms of office, which resulted 
as follows : 

William L. Hammer drew the term of 
three years. 

David P. Bunn drew the term of two 
years. 

Caleb C. Burroughs drew the term of one 
year. 

On motion, Jerome R. Gorin was unani- 
mously elected treasurer of the board. The 
amount of his bond was fixed at $25,000, 
and his salary at one and one-half per 



centum on all moneys received and dis- 
bursed. 

On motion, the clerk was instructed to 
look for a room to be used for the meetings 
of this board, and as an office for the super- 
intendent of public schools. 

On motion, adjourned to meet next 
Thursday evening at the office of Wm. L. 
Hammer, clerk of the circuit court. 

D. P. BUNN, Pres. 

E. A. GASTMAN, Clerk. 

The following extracts from the minutes 
of different meetings will show that the 
new .board entered with vigor upon the so- 
lution of the problem of providing better 
school accommodations for the children and 
teachers of the city of Decatur: 

May 6, 1865. Ordered that the teachers 
be paid at the end of each month instead 
of the end of the term as heretofore. 

A petition was received from J. B. R. 
Sherrick and others asking for a school 
house in the Fourth ward. It was discussed 
and laid over for future action. 

April 20, 1865. The first office of the 
board was rented of George W. Baker for 
$50 per year. It was the front upstairs 
room, number 144 East Main street. Mr. 
Baker had a real estate office in the same 
room. This arrangement did not prove sat- 
isfactory and early in 1867 the board rented 
the rear room of the second story of the 
T. M. Oviatt building, 149 East Main street, 
where the office remained until it was re- 
moved to the new high school building in 
the fall of 1869. 

June 20, 1865. Messrs. Jacobs and Stains, 
representing the members of the colored 
M. E. church, petitioned the board to give 
them a school, and tendered the use of the 
basement of their church for that purpose. 
Eloquent speeches were made by the two 
gentlemen and the board took the matter 
imder advisement. In 1868, $122.53 was 
sj)ent in repairing and fitting up this room. 

June 20, 1865, plans and specifications 



13-2 



PAST AM) PRESENT UF MACOX COL'XTV. 



were received from ( i. 1'. Randall, Chicago, 
for a new school house to be erected in the 
First ward. Urdered that bids for erecting 
the same be received until Jul}- i, 1865. It 
was also agreed to imrchase lots 1, 3, and 
5, in block 1, of Oglesby & Wait's addition, 
for $600, to be used for a school site in the 
Fourth ward. W. L. Hammer was appoint- 
ed a conunittee to see if money could be 
borrowed to build the house. 

July 5. W. 1- Hammer reported that he 
could not find any person willing to loan 
money to the district and the following was 
unanimously passed : 

Resolved, That for the want of funds and 
in view of the exorbitant prices of labor and 
materials this board deems it inexpedient to 
build this year. 

July 25, 1865. The question of erecting 
a school house in the Fourth ward was dis- 
cussed l)ut it was finally decided to repair 
the one room building now occupied. 

August 12, 1865. Resolved, That a col- 
ored grade of school be established to which 
all persons of African descent shall be ad- 
mitted. The right was reserved to close 
the school and dismiss the teacher when- 
ever it might be thought best. Mrs. J. H. 
Roell was appointed the teacher of the 
school at a salary of $25 per month. 

October 3, 1865, it was ordered that the 
regular meetings of the teachers be held 
once each month instead of twice as had 
been the practice heretofore. 

On the 17th of October the following was 
unanimously passed : 

Resolved, That in cases of suspensions 
from the schools all appeals from the de- 
cision of the superintendent shall be heard 
and determined at a meeting of the board. 
This action was taken because the son of a 
prominent citizen had been suspended for 
absence as the rule of the board provided; 
the father, to whom the superintendent was 
■' persona non grata " determined not to ask 
the officer to reinstate the boy but finding 



two members of the board in a private office 
appealed directly to them. Without think- 
ing what effect their action would have 
upon the authority of the superintendent 
they reinstated the pupil. When their at- 
tention was called to the matter, the above' 
rule w-as at once passed. It is, perhaps, 
fair to say that this is the only instance, in 
thirty-eight years, where there has been any 
difi'ercnce between the board and the super- 
intendent concernmg his duties. 

Early in 1866 the superintendent was 
authorized to buy ink for the use of the 
schools and to spend not exceeding five dol- 
lars in the purchase of books for poor chil- 
dren. He was also directed to purchase 
five globes for the schools at a cost of not 
more than $12 each. 

The duty of beautifying the school 
grounds was early recognized by the board 
and in llu- s])ring of 1866 a number of " sil- 
ver maples " were purchased at 6oc each of 
one Smith, a IMoomington man, which he 
set around the Church street school. C. D. 
llumphrexs was paid the same price for 
Imxing them. 

( )n June 5, 1866, Caleb C. Burroughs was 
re-elected a member of the board for three 
years. 

On the twenty-first of June, 1866, the 
board accepted the plans prepared by 
I'benezer McXabb for a two-room school 
house in the h'ourth ward and ordered that 
bids should be received until July 7th for 
its erection. 

r.ids were received from Messrs. ^\'hit- 
mer and Campbell, and E. McXabb to 
wlK)m the contract was awarded for the 
sum of $3,876.96. 

.\ugust 6, 1866, ordered that the board 
innchase of Messrs. Durfee & Warren lots 
1 1 and 12, of the re-survey of block 7. of 
Read & Co.'s addition, for the sum of 
$2,400. Also lot ID of the same block of 
Thomas H. Read for $1,000. The high 
school stands upon these lots. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



13a 



September 14, 1866. A petition was pre- 
sented asking that German be made a part 
of the course of study in all the ward 
schools. The question was fuUy discussed 
and it was decided that it was not practica- 
ble to do this. This question was finally 
settled in 1874, when Miss S. Alice Judd 
was ai^pointecl a teacher in the high school 
with the understanding that one-half of her 
tune would be given to the teaching of Ger- 
man. This has proved to be a very satis- 
factory solution of this question. The Ger- 
mans are pleased and the district has been 
saved the expense of trying to introduce 
another subject into the grades. 

October 28, 1866. On the request of Miss 
Mary E. Baker, assistant principal of the 
high school, the superintendent was directed 
to purchase a table for the reference books 
and a case tor geological specimens. This 
was the beginning of the collection of speci- 
mens of natural history for the illustration 
of the statements made; in the text books. 
The case is still in use in the front hall of 
the high school. 

It was also ordered that the rent re- 
cei\'ed from a circus company for the use 
of the lots purchased for a site for a high 
school be expended in securing books for 
the use of poor children. 

( )n January i, 1867, the superintendent 
\vas authorized to mtroduce United States 
history into the upper grades of the gram- 
mar schools. He was also directed to 
change the exercises in the primary depart- 
ment of the Church street school — Miss 
Mattie Beeman, teacher — so that half the 
children would attend school in the forenoon 
and the other half in the afternoon. This 
was the beginning of the half-day system in 
the first primary departments of our 
schools. It met with considerable opposi- 
tion at first but for many years no com- 
plaints have been heard against the plan 
from thoughtful parents. 

On the sixteenth of .\pril, 1867, the clerk 



was directed to have one hundred blank 
bonds printed — forty for $500 each, and 
thirty for $250 each, and thirty for $100 
each. He was also directed to have a bond 
book made and to register in it all bonds 
that might be issued. The bonds were 
])rinted and the book made by the late Wil- 
liam J. Usrey. It is in the safe in the office. 
It contains a full history of every'bond ever 
issued by the board. 

May 3, 1867, the superintendent was di- 
rected to introduce at the beginning of the 
fall term Hillard's readers in place of Mc- 
Guffey's, if the teachers favored the change, 
and if it could be done without expense to 
parents and children. It has always been 
the policy of the board to make changes in 
text books only when the teachers who were 
using such books favored a change. 

May 7, 1867, bids were received for erect- 
ing a school house in the First ward accord- 
ing to plans and specifications prepared by 
G. P. Randall of Chicago, in 1865. The con- 
tract was awarded to H. JM. Whitmer on 
condition that he give a bond for $5,000 
with good security and that he forfeit $25 
per day for every day after September i 
that the house remained unfinished. He 
declined to comply with the conditions and 
the contract was awarded to McNabb & 
Bishop, who filed a bond and contract con- 
ditioned as above. 

May 29, 1867, ordered that the board pur- 
cnase of Henry B. Durfee lots 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 
8, 9, and 10 in block 3 of Durfee & King's 
addition for $2,400, and that bonds bearing 
10% and maturing in 10 years be issued to 
pav for the same. The present Marietta 
street school is erected on a part of this pur- 
chase. No use was made of the lots for 
seventeen years. 

On the twentieth day of June, 1867, the 
first class graduated from the high school, 
having completed a three years' course. 
The following is the programme: 



134 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



PROGRAMME. 

Prayer By Rev. W. C. Dawson 

Music. 
Essay — " The Two Hemispheres," 

Miss Rachel Hummell 

Essay — " The Works of Nature," 

Miss Emmaretta Williams 

Music. 
Essay — " The Fountain of Youth," 

Miss Emma Hummell 

Essay — " Decatur and the State House," 

. ." Miss Alice Roberts 

Music. 
Address and Awarding Diplomas, 

Rev. D. P. Bunn, Pres. Board of Edu- 
cation. 

Music. 
Benediction Rev. F. G. Thearle 

On June II, 1867, President David P. 
Bunn retired from the board after having 
refused to be a candidate at the election held 
on the 4th instant. Henry B. Durfee took 
his place in the board. 'I'lie following was 
passed by the old board before adjourn- 
ment : 

Whereas, a great amount of extra labor 
has been required of the members of the 
board of education for the last two years — 
owing to the selection of and purchase of 
suitable grounds upon which to erect the 
necessary school houses as well as to super- 
intend the erection of the same — also the 
fencing of said lots of ground, and 

Whereas, The charter of the Decatur 
school district provides that the board of 
education may vote themselves reasonable 
compensation for such e.xtra labor per- 
formed by them. Therefore be it 

Resolved, That the sum of fifty dollars be 
allowed each member of the board as a 
compensation for extra services during the 
past two years. 

William L. Hammer was unanimously 
elected president of the new board and 
E. A. Gastman, clerk. • 



July 4, 1867, bids were opened for erect- 
ing an addition of four rooms to the school 
house in the Third ward according to plans 
and specifications prepared for the same by 
Joseph Alills: The contract was awarded 
to D. C. .Shockley and he filed the required 
contract and bond on July 16, 1867. 

July 25, 18C7, ordered that bonds num- 
bered seventeen to thirty-six, inclusive, for 
$500 each and bearing 10% semi-annual in- 
terest, payable in two years from August i, 
1867, be issued and placed in the hands of 
J. L. Mansfield for sale with instructions 
that they must net at least 96 cents. ^Ir. 
.Mansfield took these bonds to New York 
and offered them for sale. The brokers 
laughed at him and offered fifty cents for 
them. He finally found W. P. Hazelton, 
who agreed to give 95c for them. The board 
accepted his offer and he furnished all the 
money the lioard wished to borrow up to 
the time of his death, about 1890. 

On April 16, 1868, the board examined 
tracings of plans for a high school building. 
The clerk was directed to inform the archi- 
tect, G. P. Randall, of Chicago, of the 
changes desired. 

May 18, 1868, Mr. C. C. Burroughs ten- 
dered his resignation to take effect when his 
successor was elected. At an election held 
on June 2, 1867, Samuel F. Greer was elected 
for one year and Wm. E. Hammer for three 
years. 

On June 13, 1868, bids were submitted for 
the erection of the high school. The con- 
tract was awarded to D. C. Shockley, it 
being understood that the plastering and 
painting were not included in his bid. The 
Ijuilding was first occupied by the school in 
September, 1869. 

Se])tember 8, 1868, the superintendent 
was authorized to purchase such books as 
might be necessary to furnish indigent chil- 
dren in a proper manner. 

The Rev. Soule was employed to teach 
vocal music in tlie high school at $1 per 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



13J 



lesson and two lessons per week. This was 
the beginning of musical instruction in the 
schools. The pupils were not supplied with 
properly graded books and the experiment 
was not very successful. 

November 14, 1868, the contract for plas- 
tering the high school building was award- 
ed to ^Messrs. Sollars & Hanks for $850. 
They were the lowest of five bidders. It 
is but proper credit for work well done to 
say that not one dollar has ever been spent 
for repairs on the plastering of the old part 
of the building and it is now (1903) appar- 
ently as good as when it was first done. 
This applies to the blackboards as well as 
to the walls and ceilings. 

On the 23d of January, 1869, the board 
contracted with W. A. Pennell & Co., of 
Normal, to deliver and superintend the set- 
ting of four of Hawley's No. 4 air warmers 
in the new high school for $2,000, the board 
agreeing to pay for tlie brick work and 
the actual expenses of the superintendent. 

April 2Q, 1869, the following was unani- 
moush' passed : Ordered, that the clerk of 
this board go to New York, taking with 
him the $43,000 worth of bond ordered to 
be issued ^larch 29, 1869, and that he settle 
with \\'. P. Hazleton, taking up the bonds 
now held by said Hazelton against the dis- 
trict amounting to $24,500; also the bonds 
of the City of Decatur amounting to $12,000, 
paying any interest which may be rightfully 
due on said bonds and receiving the balance 
in cash, which balance he shall deposit to 
the credit of J. Millikin & Co., in the Metro- 
politan National Bank, of New York, this 
being in accordance with the written in- 
structions of the treasurer, J- R- Gorin. 

It was ordered that the board buy lot 9, 
block 7. Reed & Co.'s addition, for $820. 
This purchase completed the high school 
grounds as they are now. 

June 3, 1869, the contract for painting the 
high school was awarded to M. A. Myer 
for $1,322. 



June 5, 1869, the following entry appears 
on the records : 

Ordered, that Sallie Roe, Emma Reeme, 
Carrie Hubbard, Ivatie Jones, Hattie Fuller, 
and Frank L. Brooks be allowed to grad- 
uate from the high school, they having com- 
pleted the course of study in a satisfactory 
manner. This seems to be the first time 
that the board authorized the graduation of 
a class from the high school. The other two 
classes were graduated by a vote of the 
teachers. 

On June i, 1869, Samuel F. Greer re- 
'ceived 350 votes and Joseph Mills 267 votes 
for member of the board of education. 

June 21, 1869, the president and clerk 
were appointed a committee to secure furni- 
ture for the high school. It was also or- 
dered that an addition of two rooms be built 
to the Fourth ward school house, provided, 
parties can be found to do the work and 
take the bonds of the board in payment; 
]irovided, also, that the cost shall not exceed 
$4,500. The matter was left with the presi- 
dent with directions to report his actions 
to the board. On the 14th of July follow- 
ing he reported that he had let the contract 
to Messrs. ?\Iyer & Brandt for a sum not 
to exceed $4,500, they agreeing to take 
bonds in payment. This is the north front 
addition to the present Jackson street 
school. 

During the summer of 1869 the Second 
ward school house was thoroughly repaired. 
The large upper room was divided into two 
modern school rooms. A new foundation 
was built under the central partition and 
the whole building was replastered and 
painted throughout The work was done by 
McNabb & Bishop and Sollars & Hanks. 
The expense amounted to about $2,000. 

.'\ugust 14. 1869. it was ordered that 
Guyot's geographies be introduced in place 
of Mitchell's, provided, the publishers 
would exchange book for book during the 
school vear, so that the text books used 



13C 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



should all be Guyot's; all books to be taken 
that were tit to be used by the pupils. 

The superintendent was directed to buy 
pens and holders for the use of the children 
in the schools. 

Xoveinbcr 9, 1869, it was ordered that 
the physical apparatus used in the Decatur 
seminary be purchased for the use of the 
hig-h school and that an order for $150 be 
issued to the estate of Henry Prather in 
payment. 

On January 11, 1870, the clerk was di- 
rected to meet with the treasurer, J. R. 
Gorin, and to destroy all orders which had 
been paid by him during the preceding six 
months and to mark the word paid upon the 
record of the issuance of such order in the 
journal, 'i'his was continued for several 
years but later it was so modified as to pro- 
vide that the treasurer should return month- 
ly to the clerk the orders paid by him and 
that the journal should l^e marked at the 
regular monthly meeting of the board. This 
is still the custom. 

On the 8th of I'ebruary, 1870, Samuel S. 
Jack was elected the ])rincipal of the high 
school at a salary of $1,500. He look charge 
of the school at the beginning of the spring 
term. On I'ebruary 10. 1871, hv resigned 
to go into business. 

May 10, 1870, it was ordered that a bond 
of $800 be issued to Eihvard Sweeny in 
payment of lot 14, block 3, in Plant (!<: Tut- 
tle's addition. This lot adjoins the site of 
the First ward school house. For some rea- 
son Mr. Sweeny declined to complete the 
transfer but on May 22. 1875, he conveyed 
the same lot for $650. The board sold the 
dwilling house on the lot for $100 to Air. 
Hughes. 

October 26. 1871. the treasurer, J. R. 
(lorin, agreed to furnish all overdrafts that 
the board might wish to make at 8 per cent. 
It is believed that is the first time that the 
board could negotiate short loans for less 
than 10 per cent. 



March 12, 1872, it was ordered that Black- 
mer's graded songs be used in the schools. 
This was the first te.xt book in vocal music 
introduced. The president was authorized 
to have the city water brought into the high 
school. 

May 16, 1872. Messrs. Hamsher and Mos- 
ser asked that they be furnished with a 
copy of the proceedings of the board to be 
published in the columns of the daily Repub- 
lican. The clerk was directed to comply 
with the request. 

On* January 14, 1873, the following reso- 
lutions were unanimously adopted: 

Whereas, It has pleased God to remove 
from this board our worthy friend and fel- 
low-laborer, James G. Roach, therefore, 

Resolved, That we feel that in his death 
the cause of education has lost a true and 
considerate friend and the board of educa- 
tion an active and earnest mendier. 

Resolved, That we hereby tender to the 
family of the deceased our deepest sym- 
pathy. 

Resolved, That these resolutions be spread 
upon our records and a copy, properly at- 
tested, furnished the l)erea\ed family. 

Dr. i'lnijch W. Moore was unanimously 
elected to till the \acancy in the board 
caused by the death of Mr. Roach imlil the 
time of the regular school election in Jime 
next. 

June 12, 1873, a committee of the board 
reported in favor of building an addition of 
two rooms to the First ward school house 
and on June loth the contract w'as awarded 
to D. C. Shockley on his bid of $4,362.62. 

On July 25. 1873. the following was 
jjassed : 

Ordered, That the proposition of Captain 
Ira Harris. Jr.. to sell a plat of land in the 
i'ifth ward for a school house site for the 
sum of $1,500 be accepted and that bonds 
for $1,000 and $500 be issued in payment; 
the second payable Februarx- i, 1874. and 
the first April i. 1876. Both l)onds to bear 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



137 



interest at lo per cent per annum but the 
interest on the first is not to commence be- 
fore April next. 

On August 8, 1873, the president and 
clerk were directed to certify to the county 
clerk that the board required that the sum 
of $45,000 be levied as a special school tax 
in the Decatur school district. Heretofore 
the board had required that a certain per 
cent be levied but a change in the state law 
made the present action necessary. 

Early in 1874, Messrs. Lowber Burrows 
and others asked that they be relieved from 
the payment of certain school taxes which 
had been levied upon an erroneous assess- 
ment. On .April 14, 1874, Hon. Arthur J. 
Gallagher reported that the board had no 
power to relieve any one from the payment 
ot taxes which had been turned over to the 
proper officer for collection. 

May 18, 1874, it was ordered that the city 
water should be supplied to the schools in 
the Second and Third wards. 

On June 9, 1874, Wm. L. Hammer retired 
after servmg nine years as a member and 
seven years as_ president of the board. He 
was succeeded by \\'m. C. Jolms. 

August 2~. 1873, the question of adopting 
Krusi's drawing books for use in the schools 
was carefully discussed and laid over for 
future action. This seems to have been the 
first time that it was seriously proposed to 
introduce drawing as a regular study in the 
schools. The board was not ready to take 
that step ! 

Sept. 17. 1875, J. R. (]orin was elected 
treasurer on condition that he pay 3 per 
cent interest on daily balances in his hands. 
The payment amounted to $161.46 for the 
fiscal year and it was the first ever made 
to the board. The treasurer now pavs 2 
per cent on daily balances. 

On November 9, 1875. 't was ordered that 
the High School Hymn and Tune Book be 
used by such pupils as were willing to pur- 
chase it. 



Jan. II, 1876, Mr. B. K. Durfee stated 
that he had paid a school tax of $17.03 which 
had ])een wrongfully assessed against his 
property and asked that it be refunded. The 
matter was referred to W. C. 'Johns, Esq., 
for investigation. At the next meeting he 
reported that the amount ought to be re- 
turned to Mr. Durfee and it was done. 

J. H. Mauzy and others asked the board, 
.\!arch 15, 1876, to build a high board fence 
around the 3rd ward school yard to prevent 
persons from assembling there at night and 
disturbing the neighborhood by disorderly 
conduct. The petition was read and placed 
on file, where it still remains. 

On March 15, 1876, the superintendent 
was directed to purchase writing paper for 
future examinations so that the pupils 
might have constant practice with pen and 
ink, instead of using pencils as had been 
the practice previously. He was also direct- 
ed to keep the account of the receipts and 
expenditures of the tuition fund in the regu- 
lar journal and ledger of the board. 

President \\'illiam A. Barnes and the 
clerk were directed, December 11. 1876, to 
see what would be the cost of common 
tables and chairs for use in the basement 
of the high school building. This was the 
beginning of the discussion which led to the 
establishment of the high school labora- 
tory. Nothing was done until the fall of 
1877 when about $150 was appropriated to 
secure furniture and fit up the room now 
used for coal on the west side of the center 
part of the building. 

On May 8, 1877, Regent John M. Gregory 
of the Industrial University at Urbana, 111., 
proposed a system of examinations which, 
it was hoped, would bring the high schools 
of the state into closer connection with the 
university. The clerk was directed to in- 
form him that the board would co-operate 
willingly with him in bringing about so de- 
sirable a result. This was the beginning- 
of the system of " accredited high schools " 



13S 



PAST AND PRKSEXT OF MACON CuUNTY. 



which has been a powerful intluence in 
causing boys and girls to attend the higher 
institutions of learning. 

t)n the 9lh of October, 1877, Lowber 
L'lurrows was elected the second treasurer 
of the board of education. He succeeded 
Jerome R. (iorin wiio had been treasurer 
ever since tiie organization in April, 1865. 

Messrs. \'olney Barber and Kilniiston 
McC'lellan asked permission, .\oveuibor J4. 
J877, to send their children to the high 
school without payment of tuition, although 
they lived outside of the school district, be- 
cause the}' owned property and paid taxes 
in the Decatur district. It was agreed that 
ihe question should be submitted to the state 
superintendent of public instruction. In a 
somewhat length)- opinion, which is filed 
among the " valuable papers " in the office, 
he held that the payment of taxes did not 
entitle persons to enjoy the benefits of the 
schools unless he had a bona fide residence 
in that district. 

On the same date it was agreed that the 
district schools might be closed at four 
o'clock in the afternoon from November ist 
to February 1st. instead of 4:30 o'clock as 
in the past. 

April 9, 1878, on the request of the high 
school .\hinuii association, it was agreed to 
hold the grailuating exercises on Thursday 
evening so that the association might hoKl 
the annual reunion on Fritlay evening. 

May Ji, 1S78. On motion of IT. B. Dur- 
fee, it was agreed thai in the future, all 
teachers must secme certilieates from the 
county superintendent of schools. This ac- 
tion was taken bcciiuse the supreme court 
had held, in a case im-olving the right of 
boards of education acting under the gen- 
eral laws to issue certificates, that the lan- 
guage employed did not give them the 
power to dispense with the certificate of 
the county superintendent, but simply 
granted the power to hold any additional 
examinations that thev misfht deem desir- 



able. As the language used in our special 
charter is almost identical with that em- 
ployed in the state law, it was thought not 
to be wise to rely upon it for authority to 
issue certificates in the place of those grant- 
ed by the county superintendent. 

Dec. 10, 1878, Messrs. E. .McNabb, Win. 
B. Harry and ^Michael Troutman presented 
the following report which was received 
and nnlered published: 

To the honorable board of education : 
Your committee appointed to examine the 
second ward school house, beg leave to re- 
port that on examination we find that the 
building has been so repaired that we con- 
sider it as safe as other school buildings 
m the cit)-. 

The following are the minutes of a meet- 
ing held Jan. 20, 1879; present, Messrs. 
Barnes, Ullrich and the clerk : 

The president states that this meeting 
was called to consider what disposition 
should be made of the bonded debt, all of 
which would become due April i, ne.xt. 

After a full discussion it was decided that 
$5,000 should be paid April i, 1879. It was 
further ordered that the remaining $15,000 
should be refunded and that $3,000 should 
be made payable five years from April i, 
1879, "^"d $3!000 on the first day of April 
every year thereafter until all the debt is 
paid. The jiresident was directed to re- 
ceive propositions to take the new bonds 
until March i, when they will be issued to 
the parties offering to take them at the low- 
est rate of interest ; the bonds to be issued 
in sums to suit purchasers, provided that 
no bond be for a less sum than one hundred 
dollars. On March 11. 1879, these bonds 
were sold to W. V, Hazelton, of New York 
City, at par and 6 per cent interest, pay- 
able semi-aimually at the banking house of 
Laidlaw & Co.. in New York. The lowest 
rate of interest heretofore paid on bonds was 
9 per cent. 

July 8, 1879. the bid of Harrison S. Baker 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



131) 



to build an addition of two rooms on the 
north side of the second ward school house 
according to plans and specifications pre- 
pared by C. P. Randall, of Chicago, for 
the sum of $2,735, was accepted and his 
bond approved. 

Sept. I, 1879, it was agreed to buy of 
the t'hampion Iron Fence Company, Ken- 
Un\, Dliiii, one hundred fifty-three feet ot 
No. 14, two rail, -^s inch round picket fence 
for $259 to be set up on the east and south 
sides of the third ward school. 

•V proposition was received from the 
Western Union Telegraph Company to 
put telephones into five schools at an annual 
rental of $156. It was laid over for future 
consideration. 

Oct. 14, 1879, the thanks ol the board 
were voted to i)r. Silas T. Trowbridge, of 
Vera Cruz, Mexico, for his present to the 
high school of thirteen beautiful photo- 
graphs of ancient ruins in the states of Yu- 
catan and Chiopas. The superintendent was 
directed to iiave them framed, marked 
with the name of the donor and hung in 
the high school building. 

Henry V>. Durfce, president of the board 
of education, died March 17, 1880, after an 
illness of about two weeks. He was elected 
a school director in August, 1861, and con- 
tinued in that position until the organiza- 
tion of the board of education in April, 
1865. On June 4, 1867, he was elected a 
member of the l)oard of education and re- 
elected in Jime, 1870. lie declinetl a re- 
election in 1873, ])ut in June, 1877, he was 
elected for another term and he became 
president of the board in 1879. The special 
charter of the fDecatur school district was 
obtained largely by his efforts. He was 
always an earnest and efificicnt worker for 
the interests of the schools. 

On Feb. 11, 1881, the superintendent was 
directed to see on what terms a thoroughly 
competent teacher of drawing could be se- 
cured for the remainder of the school vear. 



in April following, he reported that he 
could nut secure a good teacher for a part 
of the year. 

September 2, 1882, the Woman's Chris- 
tian Temperance Ihiion was granted per- 
mission to place Richardson's Manual of 
'i'eniperance nn the teachers' desks. This 
was the beginning of the teaching of sci- 
entific temperance in the schools. 

Oct. II, 1882, the following was unani- 
mously adopted : 

Whereas, The 6lh and 7th grades in the 
first ward are greatly crowded, while the 
same grades in the fourth ward are not 
full ; therefore 

kesoKed, I'hat the superintendent is 
hereby directed to send all pupils in said 
grades who live south of Eldorado and east 
of Jackson streets from the first ward to 
the fourth ward school. 

This question of the proper assignment of 
the pupils to the various schools continues 
to be one of the most perplexing problems 
of the board and the superintendent. It 
causes more dissatisfaction every year to 
parents and pupils than anything else con- 
nected with the management of the schools. 

May 19, 1882, it was determined to erect 
a foiu- room school luuise on the lots in 
the fifth ward ])in-chased some time ago of 
Ira Harris, Jr. 

July 17, ordered thai the contract for 
building the above house be awarded to 
Melville G. l\atterson on his bid of $9,700, 
and Wm. 11. C'hamliers w;is appointed su- 
perintendent of the building. 

( )n October 11. 1882, the contract for 
seating the building was awarded to A. H. 
Andrews & Co., Chicago, at an average 
Iirice of $2.38 for single desks set up in the 
rooms ready for use. 

Aiiril 16, 1883, the contract for heating 
was awarded to Messrs. Kosmeyer & 
O'Neill for tlie stun of $1,372. 

July 9, 1883, the city was requested to 
put down a brick sidewalk around the high 



140 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



school lot in place of the board walk now 
in use. 

It was ordered, September 13, 1883, that 
the president and clerk execute a convey- 
ance to John yi. Rainey for the sum of 
$212.50 for the following described lot of 
land: Commencing 211 feet west of the 
southeast corner of block number ten in 
the Western addition to the city of Decatur, 
thence north to the north line of the south 
half of said block, thence west to the east 
of the grounds belonging to the said John 
M. Rainey, eight and one-half feet more or 
less, thence south to the south line of said 
block, thence east to the place of beginning, 
being a, part of lot number nine of said 
block; provided that the said Rainey shall 
build a good, tight board fence at least five 
feet high between said land and the yard of 
the third ward school. 

.Nov. 22, 1883, the superintendent was au- 
thorized to employ an assistant teacher in 
one or two of the primary rooms where the 
schools were greatly crowded if satisfactory 
arrangements could be made ; also to intro- 
duce drawing into the schools at the be- 
ginning of the next term if the publishers 
will give satisfactory terms for the intro- 
ductory books. 

Jan. 8, 1884, the sui)erintcndent was di- 
rected to have telephones placed in the 
schools in the first, second and fifth wards. 

Feb. 12, 1884. Prof. Demorest asked per- 
mission to teach classes in music in the 
school houses after the close of the schools 
in the afternoon. The pupils to pay for the 
instruction. The permission was not 
granted. 

Aug. 14, 1884, the superintendent reported 
that he believed it best to introduce the 
first, second and third readers of the Mod- 
ern series, and the fourth and fifth readers 
of the h'ranklin series in the place of Hil- 
lard's now in use. The report was adopted 
and the introduction ordered. The books 



are still used in the schools but ought to be 
changed for better ones. 

Sept. 9, 1884, it was agreed to purchase of 
Mary E. Wortman lot one, block three in 
Durfee & King's addition for $2,500. It was 
ordered that the lots owned by the board in 
the west half of block three be offered for 
sale ; also the buildings now standing on 
the lot purchased of Mary E. Wortman. 
The frame house was later sold to Hanson 
C. Stultz for .three hundred dollars and the 
brick house to David C. Moffitt for one 
hundred and twenty-five dollars. 

Sept. 22, 1884, the contract for building 
the east four rooms of the Marietta street 
school according to plans prepared by him 
was awarded to Melville G. Patterson on 
his bid of $8,990, it being the lowest of five 
submitted. It was ordered that the house 
should be heateil by steam. 

August 18, 1885, ordered that the school 
houses be known as follows : 

l*"irst ward, Sangamon street school; sec- 
ond ward, Church street school ; third 
ward, Wood street school ; fourth ward, 
Jackson street school; fifth ward. Jasper 
street school, and the new building the 
?\iarietta street school. 

.March 26, 1886, the superintendent was 
directed to invite the president of the Uni- 
\ersity of Michigan to send a committee to 
examine our high school with a view to ad- 
mitting our graduates to the university 
ujion their diplomas. 

June 21, 1886. Ordered that the assem- 
bly room in the high school be changed so 
that the teachers' platform should be on the 
south side of the room. Also that bay win- 
dows be put in the four old rooms in the 
Sangamon street school ior the purpose of 
securing better light. 

Feb. 9, 1887. It was ordered that addi- 
tions of two rooms each be built at the Jack- 
son and \\'ood street schools and that four 
rooms be added to the ^larietta street 
school. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



141 



-May 24, 1887, the contract for building 
the two rooms at the Wood street school 
was awarded to Harrison S. Baker for 
$4,580; the two rooms at the Jackson street 
school to J. J. Wilson for $5,845, and the 
four rooms at the Marietta street school to 
Melville G. i'atterson for $8,990. 

Aug. 23, 1887. The superintendent was 
directed to introduce Prang"s drawing books 
at the beginning of the schools in Septem- 
ber next. 

Nov. 22, 1887. A committee of the G. A. 
R. asked that the board would consider the 
cases of worthy old soldiers when there 
should be any vacancies among the jani- 
tors in the schools. Addresses were deliv- 
ered by Messrs. K. H. Roby and Geo. S. 
Durfee. 

March 19, 1888. Samuel Dickinson pre- 
sented a tax receipt showing that he had 
been assessed in Decatur school district 
when he lived in district No. 4, town 16, 3 
east. He asked that $4.34 be returned to 
hnn. The request was not granted as the 
board had no power to correct erroneous 
assessments. 

The superintendent was directed to noti- 
fy all parents who have children of proper 
age who have not attended any school since 
September last that if they were not sent to 
school at the beginning of the next term, 
March 26, that the parents would be liable 
to a fine under the provisions of the com- 
pulsory education law. This was the first 
action taken by the board on this subject. 

July 5, 1888, it was determined to put bay 
wnidows mto the four front rooms of the 
Wood street school to improve the lighting 
and to put a grate into each room to im- 
prove the ventilation. 

Feb. 17, 1888. The superintendent was 
directed to furnish practice paper for draw- 
ing the same as other supplies. 

Nov. 13, 1888. It was ordered that the 
wells be closed at all the schools, except 
Jackson street, and that water from the 



cit)- water works be introduced into that 
school as soon as it can be done. 

Dec. 18, 1888. Misses Judson, Eyman and 
Anderson submitted a statement recom- 
mending the adoption of the Normal or 
Holt system of vocal music. Placed on 
tile. 

Jan. 12, 1889. Contract for digging a cel- 
lar under the Church street school was 
awarded to John Williamson at 30c per 
cubic yard, $1.50 per day for laborers, and 
$2 per day for himself. Henry Lunn was 
engaged to do the brick work at $4 per day 
for masons and $1.75 per day for helpers. 
It was also agreed to engage Mr. Evans 
to do the carpenter work. 

On Jan. 6, 1890, Mr. R. H. Johnson was 
appointed the first truant officer in the dis- 
trict at a salary of $1.50 per day. 

March 11, 1890, the board agreed to buy 
of William T. and Sarah E. Smith for 
$2,357, lot 2 in block 3 of Lake & Co.'s ad- 
dition of out lots on Warren street for a 
school site. 

On May 29, 1890, the contract for build- 
ing a four room school house on Warren 
street according to the modified plans of 
Messrs. Kramer & Zoll, Findlay, Ohio, was 
awarded to John J. Wilson for $11,915, his 
bid being the lowest of five submitted. 

The board directed the superintendent, 
August 25, 1890, to corresjjond with Mrs. 
L. L. Miller, of Bloomington, and see on 
what terms she would teach drawing in the 
schools for four or five months. 

Sept. 3, 1890. The following was read 
and ordered placed on file. No action has 
ever been taken on it by the board: 
Mr. E. A. Gastman, Supt. Public Schools, 
Dear Sir: 

Could not the board of education here be 
induced to open night schools for the bene- 
fit of the large number of young men and 
women who are compelled to leave the day 
schools at an early period of their history 
to earn a living? It seems to me this ele- 



142 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ment of our population should be afforded 
an opportunity by the establishment of 
night schools to complete their public 
school course. 

Respectfully, 

J. G. Badenhausen. 

Oct. 29, 1890, ordered that lot 9, block i, 
of Powers' second addition be purchased 
of Mrs. Caroline M. Powers for $1,252.50. 
It contains 1.67 acres. 

It was also ordered that the pupils pur- 
chase the musical readers the same as other 
text books. 

Jan. 19, 1891, Mrs. L. L. Miller was em- 
ployed to teach drawing for the remainder 
of the year. 

July 7, 1891, the contract for deepening 
the cellar and heating and ventilating the 
Sangamon street school was let to the 
Smead Warming & Ven. Co. for $1,547. 

July 22, 1891. The superintendent was 
directed to secure a good teacher of draw- 
ing; also to confer with Miss Elizabeth 
Kneiper concerning the teaching of vocal 
music. 

Aug. 20, 1891, the rules were amended so 
as to read as follows : 

Pupils shall attend school in that division 
of the district in which they reside, except 
when transferred by the superintendent of 
schools. The following will be considered 
sufficient grounds to warrant a transfer: 

1. From a school which is crowded to 
?, school which has vacant seats. 

2. In case of injury to health from 
greater distance traveled, the injury to be 
determined by the certificate of some well 
accredited physician. 

3. When in the judgment of the super- 
intendent it may be for the interest of the 
pupil or the school that the transfer be 
made. 

On October 21, 1891, the superintendent 
was directed to purchase such flags for the 
schools as would enable the teachers to 



comply with the provisions of the flag law 
lately passed by the legislature. 

The board directed tlu- su])erintcii<lent, 
.April 28, 1892, to use his judgment about 
closing the schools on circus day for an 
hour to allow the pupils to see the parade. 
The superintendent has struggled with this 
question ever since and he is not sure now 
what ought to Ijc done. Most of tlu- parents 
and teachers and all of the pupils are in 
favor of closing to see the show, 
few of the parents are very much ojiposed 
to the practice. At this writing, the super- 
intendent is inclined to the belief that the 
schools should not be closed and that the 
parents should determine whether their 
children shall go to school or to see the 
circus. 

May 3, 1892, the contract for building 
an addition to the front of the high school 
house, according to plans and specifications 
prepared by Melville G. Patterson, was let 
to Harrison S. Baker for $16,484. 

The contract for building a new school 
house at the corner of E. TIerkimer and N. 
Jasper streets, according to plans and speci- 
fications prepared by Elali Terrill & Co., 
Columbus. Ohio, was let to White Bros., of 
Springfield, Illinois, for $12,000. 

May 19, 1892, it was voted that the con- 
tracts for building two room additions to 
the Jasper and Jackson street schools, ac- 
cording to plans and specifications prepared 
for the same by Melville G. Patterson, be 
let to Messrs. Krentel & L3'on according 
to their bids of $6,325 and $3,925, respec- 
tively. 

July 5, 1892, it was voted unanimously on 
the motion of John K. Warren that the new 
school house be known as the H. B. Durfee 
school in memory of the late Henry B. 
Durfee. 

August I, 1892, it was ordered that forty- 
five ten-twenty year five per cent bonds for 
$1,000 each be issued to E. H. Rollins & 
Sons on their bid, the highest of ten, of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



143 



$46,125. Before the bonds were delivered, 
Messrs. E. H. Rollins & Sons conveyed 
their interests to Messrs. N. W. Harris & 
Co., of New York, and the bonds were is- 
sued in the name of the latter firm. 

April 13, 1893, it was decided that in view 
of the fact that the programmes of recita- 
tions and studies were all arranged for the 
present term, it was not wise to attempt to 
introduce physical culture into the schools 
at this time — this was adopted as an answer 
to a communication received from the De- 
catur Turn \'erein. 

The board ordered, June 5, 1893. that the 
contract for erecting a four room addition 
on the north side of the Warren street 
school be awarded to Messrs. Lyon & Will- 
iams for $7,400. The plans and specifica- 
tions as prepared by }\Iellville G. Patterson 
were adopted. 

June 18, 1894, the contract for building 
a two room addition to the Jasper street 
school, according to plans prepared by ]Mell- 
ville G. Patterson, was awarded to Thomas 
L. Antrim for $2,276. It is believed that this 
is the smallest amount ever paid for two 
school rooms in this city. 

]\Iay 2, 1895, it was ordered that lots 19, 
20, 21, block 2, of P. H. Brueck's addition 
l)e purchased of Edward A. Denz for $2,000, 
and that lots 17 and 18 in the same block 
be purchased of B. L. Rosebraugh for 
$2,525. 

Way 6, 1895, it was ordered that the new 
school house to be built at the corner of 
N. Monroe and Pugh streets, 'be known as 
the Pugh school in grateful recognition of 
the military and civil services of the late 
(len. Isaac C. Pugh. 

It was voted May 22, 1895, to issue to 
N. W. Harris & Co., New York, forty 
twenty-year four per cent bonds of $1,000 
each on their bid of 99 and accrued inter- 
est. 

May 20, 1895, '^lic contract for building 
an addition of six rooms at the north end 



of the high school, according to the plans 
and specifications prepared by I. D. Stine, 
was awarded to William F. Gebhart on his 
bid of $15,300. 

The contract for building the Pugh school, 
according to the plans and specifications 
prepared by Melville G. Patterson, was 
awarded to Thomas L. Antrim on his bid 
of $10,590. 

November 14, 1895, it was ordered that 
the superintendent be authorized to hire 
substitute teachers in case of the sickness 
of the regular teachers and to pay such sal- 
aries as their experience might warrant but 
in no case to exceed $2.50 per day. 

The clerk was directed to pay Miss Clara 
E. Eyman her regular salary for one-half 
of the time she was kept out of school by 
order of the board of health on account of 
the death of her niece from diphtheria. 

Dec. 12, 1895, the superintendent reported 
that several parents in the southwest part 
of the city had asked that the board con- 
sider the matter of closing the Wood street 
school on account of the prevalence of diph- 
theria in that part of the city. He also 
stated that he had held a conference this 
morning with the mayor, D. H. Conklin, 
and Dr. Cass Chenoweth, a member of the 
board of health, and that it was the opinion 
of both these gentlemen that but little if 
any good could come from closing the 
schools. After a long and careful discus- 
sion of the subject, the superintendent was 
directed to use all possible care to keep out 
children who might be in danger of com- 
municating the disease to others and to re- 
quire a written permit from Dr. Ira N. 
Barnes, chairman of the board of health, 
before admitting children from families 
where the disease had prevailed. 

On March 13, 1896, Mrs. Elizabeth Har- 
wood asked that a uniform flag salute be 
adopted for use in the schools. The teach- 
ers were requested to use such a drill in 
their schools as often as they might deem 



Ui 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



it desirable. Tlie superintendent was di- 
rected Itj try dustless oils upon the school 
room Hoors. 

On the i6th of April, 1896, the contract 
lor building the Oakland school according 
to the plans and specifications prepared by 
Melville G. Patterson was awarded to 
Messrs. Humphrey & Brooks for the sum 
of $11,498, their bid being the lowest of 
seven submitted. 

June 9, 1896, the following report on a 
drawing e.xhibit made by the schools was 
ordered published : 

We found our task an unenviable one and 
it was only after hours of conscientious 
work that we allowed the ribbons to be 
placed in their respective places. 

In many cases we found more than two 
admirable drawings representing the same 
class of work, but as it was deemed advis- 
able to honor a few only, we could by no 
means recognize all good work, but select- 
ed those which contained the greatest num- 
ber of excellencies from an artistic stand- 
point. This being true, we wish not alone 
to encourage the fortunate few, but others 
who have shown work full of expression 
and meaning, and which show talent on the 
right road to development. 

We believe these exhibitions do much to- 
ward stimulating art education in the 
schools, and this we believe is the surest 
and simplest way of bringing the people to 
that state of development where they' can 
appreciate and enjoy great art. 

Some one has truly said that a nation as 
such can best comprehend and express its 
worthiest ideals in art form, and the first 
practical way of arousing universal inter- 
est in works of art and cf discovering abil- 
ity that, once developed, will produce such 
work is by making art education as com- 
pulsory as the more common lines of work. 
Only a few years have passed since art 
education was a privilege of the rich, but 
this exhibition alone proves it otherwise 



now. \\'e must endeavor to make art a 
genuine thing, in no sense an affectation — 
a fad. It affords an order of enjoyment 
and growth which mathematics and ath- 
letics cannot furnish, and a nation cannot 
reach the highest state of civilization with- 
out a great existing art. 

Mrs. Florence Stookey Lutz, 

L. Crunclle, and 

R. ( ). Rosen, 

Committee. 

The thanks of the board were tendered 
to the members of the committee for their 
\aluable report ; also to the Woman's Club 
for the free use of its elegant apartments, 
for the exhibit and for the helpful interest 
its members have manifested in the educa- 
tional affairs of the city. 

August 13, 1896, it was ordered that the 
system of vertical penmanship published by 
Messrs. Silver, Burdette & Co. be used in 
the schools for the coming year. 

October 15, 1896, the petition of J. W. 
Barber and others asking that certain de- 
scribed territory west of Oakland avenue be 
received into the district was granted by a 
unanimous vote of the board and the clerk 
was directed to notify the county clerk. 

August 12, 1897, the following was read: 
Decatur, 111., Aug. 10, 1897. 
To the Board of Education : 

Owing to the uncertainty of my return 
to Decatur to reside permanently, and feel- 
ing that the duties of the office require the 
attendance of a full board, I hereby resign 
my position as a member of the board of 
education. 

Yours very truly, 

Hilary E. Haworth. 

On motion, the resignation was accepted 
and Mrs. Minnie P. Hostctler was elected 
to fill the vacancy until the regular election 
June 7, 1898. 

The following were imanimously adopt- 
ed: 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



145 



Whereas, The removal to another city 
has necessitated tlie resignation of Mrs. 
Mary E. Haworth from this board, and 

Whereas, In her withdrawal the board 
feels that it has lost a very wise and efficient 
member, therefore be it 

Resolved, That in tribute to her wise 
counsel, faithful interest, and never weary- 
ing- labors as a member of the board we ex- 
press our sincerest regrets in her resigna- 
tion, and wish for her in her new home a 
happy continuation of her interest and 
labors in behalf of education. 

November ii, 1897, the following com- 
munication was read : 

To the Board of Education : — The 
Woman's Club of Decatur hereby petition 
your honorable body to incorporate physical 
culture in the public schools. We beg you 
will investigate this matter and give it your 
attention, as the members of the club con- 
sider it desirable. This subject is presented 
to you only after mature consideration, as 
we appreciate the difficulties to be over- 
come, but we feel that the welfare of the 
children demands that some eiiforts be made 
to overcome the effects of such continued 
mental work with so little physical relaxa- 
tion. 

Ida W. Baker, 
Carrie E. Clokey, 
Susan H. Abel, 

Committee. 

It was ordered that the request be re- 
ceived and laid over for future considera- 
tion. The opinion prevailed that the course 
of study in the schools was already crowded 
and that pupils and teachers found it diffi- 
cult to secure sufficient time in which to 
properly do the work. It was also believed 
that satisfactory results in physical train- 
ing could not be secured without the em- 
ployment of a special teacher and the con- 
dition of the treasurv would not warrant 



the board in incurring this additional ex- 
pense at the present time. 

July 21, 1898, the contract for making im- 
provements at the Jasper street school ac- 
cording to plans prepared by R. O. Rosen, 
architect, was let to Harrison S. Baker for 
$2,540. There were six bidders. 

October 13, 1898, the superintendent was 
directed to prepare a circular and send it 
to the parents having children in the public 
schools and ask them to favor the board 
with their wishes concerning physical cul- 
ture in the schools. On Cctobtr 25t'.i the 
superintendent reported the form of the cir- 
cular sent to the parents and the answers 
which had been received. Twenty-one hun- 
dred seventy-four circulars were sent out. 
Four hundred eighteen were not returned, 
SIX hundred and thirty-eight voted against 
and eleven hundred eighteen in favor of 
having the subject taught in the scliools. 

December 8, 1898, Mrs. Jeanette L. Tyler 
was appointed teacher of physical culture. 

On June 23, 1899, the contract for build- 
ing a two-room addition to the H. B. Dur- 
fee school according to the plans of M. G. 
Patterson, architect, was awarded to Har- 
rison S. Baker for the sum of $3,628. 

At the January, igoo, meeting of the 
board, Mr. Frank Hamsher, principal of the 
high school, asked permission to change the 
hours of study and recitation in the school. 
The plan was adopted, but he was directed 
to send the following ballot to the parents : 

Decatur High School. Jan. 15, Kpo. 
To the parents of the pupils of the Decatur 
High School : 

According to the present arrangements 
tlie program of the High School is as fol- 
lows : Morning session 9 a. m. to 12:05 
p. m., lunch 12:05 to 12:30; afternoon ses- 
sion 12:30 to 2:30. 

For a long time it has been felt that the 
present plan in regard to lunch is unsatis- 
factory. A few pupils go home to dinner, 



146 



PAST AND PKESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



a large number have no lunch at all, some 
bring a lunch, and some bring money and 
buy their lunch — a lunch for the most part 
of such articles as pickles, cheese and pie. 
That present conditions are unsatisfactory 
is indicated by the large number of re- 
quests we receive from parents and physi- 
cians that special privileges in regard to 
lunch time be granted this or that pupil. 

To remedy this condition various plans 
have been considered. We submit the fol- 
lowing as the most satisfactory: 

8:00 a. m. 8:40 a. m. first hour rocitalion. 

8 40 a. m. 8 45 a. m. recess. 

8:45 a. m. 9:05 a. m. opening exercises and 
singing. 

9:05 a. m. 9:45 a. m. second hour. 

9:45 a.m. 10 :25 a. m. third liour. 

10:25 a. m. II :05 a. m. fourih hour. 

II :o5 a. m. 11 :i5 a. m. physical culture. 

11 :i5 a. m. 11 :55 a. m. fifth hour. 
1 1 :55 a. m. 12 :35 p. m. sixth hour 

12 :35 p. m. i :i5 p. m. seventh hour. 
According to this ]ilan only those need 

come at eight who have a recitation at that 
hour; others need not be present until 8:45. 
Those who come at eight may be excused 
at 12:35. Those who came at 8:45 may be 
excused at 1:15. In the afternoon of cer- 
tain days the teachers will be at the build- 
ing, at which time the pupil may be required 
to return for consultation, or to make up 
back work. 

The number of classes in each subject 
enables us to require only those to come at 
eight o'clock who prefer to come at that 
time. 

By beginning earlier and gaining the time 
of the noon recess, we are enabled to have 
more time for actual school work and yet 
dismiss an hour and fifteen minutes sooner 
than by the old plan. 

By the new plan 500 children may be at 
home before one o'clock, and the other 150 
soon after i :i5. 

If by your votes you approve of this plan, 



it will be adopted. If after a fair trial it 
pro\ es an unwise change, the former order 
will be resumed. 

V-. A. Gastman, Supt. of Schools. 

PVank Hamsher, I'rin. High School. 

Please write your name on the line that 
indicates your vote. 
For .\gainst 

Over four hundred voted for it and less 
than forty against it. 

June 18, 1900, Miss Flora B. Smith was 
elected director of primary methods in the 
rirst, second, third and fourth grades. 

May 9, 1901, the Athletic Association of 
the high school asked that Prof. Charles 
Kent be excused from his class duties on 
the loth instant so that he might attend 
and act as judge at the meet in Lincoln, 
Illinois. '"The team will be greatly encour- 
aged and the chance of winning the pennant 
increased by his presence." The request 
was unanimously granted. This is the first 
time the board formally recognized athletics 
in the high school. 

On the 27th of .May, 1901, Mr. M. G. Pat- 
terson, architect, was directed to prepare 
plans for an addition of two rooms to be 
built on the southeast corner of the H. B. 
Durfee school. On June 13 five bids were 
received for erecting the same, and the con- 
tract was awarded to Mr. A. H. Humphrey 
for $4,694. 

January 16, 1902, a contract was made 
with a company, Chicago, fot apparatus and 
material with which to thoroughly fumigate 
the school rooms in cases of contagious dis- 
eases. The cost was $122.50. Such action 
had never before been taken by the board. 

The annual election of teachers was held 
on the i6th of June, 1902, and the salaries 
of the grade teachers were advanced $25 
each. Fifty dollars was added to the sal- 
ary of each janitor upon the understanding 
that they would cut the grass and look after 
the yards during the vacations. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



147 



The superintendent was directed, Aug- 
ust 21, 1902, to post notices in all the school 
rooms that persons damaging the property 
of the district would be prosecuted to the 
full extent of the law. 

On September 9, 1902, the superintend- 
ent reported that the 6th and 7th grades 
in the Marietta and the Warren street 
schools were greatly crowded and that the 
same rooms in the H. B. Durfee school 
were not full. He was ordered to transfer 
pupils living on or east of Morgan street 
to the H. B. Durfee school and to transfer 
enough pupils living east of North Edward 
street and north of West Edmond street to 
the Warren street school to equalize, as 
nearly as may be, the number of pupils 
in the sixth and seventh grades of the Mari- 
etta and the Warren street schools. 

Messrs. Goodman and Maynard peti- 
tioned the circuit court for a writ of man- 
damus to compel the board to allow their 
children to remain in the Warren street 
school. The case never was heard by the 
court. Something over a year later the 
petition was dismissed by the complainants. 

In December, 1902, a discussion was com- 
menced as to the desirability of tearing 
.down the Church street school, the oldest 
public school in the city, and building a 
larger and better edifice. On January 15, 
1903, the following was offered by Mr. 
James F. Roach and unanimously adopted :" 

Resolved, That we erect on the present 
Church street school ground a school house 
containing ten or eleven rooms. The build- 
ing to be two stories with a basement, and 
an attic of sufficient size to be used as an 
auditorium, to seat not less than 600 per- 
sons, and that we receive from various ar- 
chitects sketches for floor plans and eleva- 
tions to be used as a basis for final plans to 
be adopted later. 

At a meeting January 26, 1903, sketches 
were received from architects. 

Some six or eight meetings were held to 



consider these sketches and the discussions 
were frequently continued until nearly mid- 
night. Finally the plans of M. G. Patter- 
son were adopted at 11:40 p. m., February 
^7; 1903- He was elected superintendent of 
construction March 18. On April 14, 
1903, by a unanimous vote, it was ordered 
that the building be named the E. A. Gast- 
man School. 

The contract was awarded to Swisher & 
Brooks for $42,448.88, but this amount does 
not include the heating and ventilating, the 
gas pipes, the electric wiring nor the con- 
crete floors in the basement. It is estimated 
that the total cost will be some fifty-five or 
sixty thousand dollars. 

On April 15, 1903, R. O. Rosen was di- 
rected to prepare plans for an addition of 
two rooms to be built on the south end of 
the Jackson street school. He was directed 
to provide for using as much of the old ma- 
terial from the Church street house as could 
be utilized. Bids were invited for tearing 
down the old Church street school. 

At a meeting held April 24, 1903, a con- 
tract was made with Messrs. Swisher & 
Brooks to tear down the old building, as no 
bids had been received to do it. They com- 
menced the work the ne.xt day, and the total 
cost was $965.98. Old material was sold to 
the amount of $180.40. 

The Church street school building was the 
oldest public school house in the city. It 
was erected in 1856-7 by the directors, Ed- 
ward O. Smith, Jasper J. Pedicord, and 
Philip B. Shepherd. An addition of two 
rooms was made to it in 1879. No record 
of the cost of the original house has been 
found, but tradition says it was about $6-, 
000. The addition cost $2,883.75. 

On July 8, 1903, the contract for building 
an addition of two rooms to the Jackson 
street school was awarded to Wm. F. Geb- 
hart for $8,547. 

At a meeting held on July 14, 1903, it 
was ordered that the Ward system of teach- 



148 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ing reading be adopted in the first and sec- 
ond grades in all the schools, it having been 
tested in the Warren and Church street 
schools for the past two years. 

It was also ordered that the new Hyde 
books, one and two, in English, be adopted 
for use in the fourth, fifth, si.xth and sev- 
enth grades and that the third, fourth and 
fifth readers of the Graded Literature series 
be used in the third, fourth and fifth grades. 
This is the third change of readers in the 
Decatur schools since 1850. 

A LIST OF TEACHERS 

enii)luyeil in the public schools from the or- 
ganization of the board of education, 

April, 1865, to October i, 1903. 

Edward .\dams, Carlotta Adams, Louise 
Adams, Zella F. Adams, Josephine Adams, 
Kate Aikin, Laura Aikin, Mrs. Ottoria Al- 
exander, Sarah E. Allen, Blanche Allsop, 
Harriet M. Amsden, Bettie Anderson, Flor- 
ence Able, Amanda J. Affleck, Lucy J. 
Anderson, Delia Arthur, Jennie Badenhau- 
sen, Mattie Beman, David Bigelow, Bessie 
Baker, Mattie V. Bean, Ardelia A. Beach, 
A. E. Beardsley, Alabel ^^^ Barrett, Mollie 
Bear, Ella Bear, Olive i\L Bear, Edith 
Beamer, Nannie Beamer William O. Betzer, 
Minnie E. Bigelow, Clara B. Bishop, Adelia 
N. Bishop, Fannie Bivans, Maggie C. Boi- 
ler, Clara W. A. Bowles, Mary A. Bell, 
Sada Beadles, Hattie Baker, Alice M. Bet- 
zer, Mary E. Baker, John T. Bowles, Ellen 
L Bond, Clara B. Bothcl. Ella D. Boyer, 
Florence Brand, Sallic Brand, (Leffing- 
well), Mary R. Brand, Emma ]\L Beswick, 
Mrs. Susan A. Brockway, Frank P. Bach- 
man, L Eddie Brown, Fay C. Brown, Mary 
E. Barth, Katherinc Brown, Mary E. 
Brooks, Frank G. Blair, one month ; Eva M. 
Bixby, Inez Brunton, Frances M. Bruce, 
(Strain), Anna M. Burnham, Marietta W. 
Carson, Maude Calhoun, Oka Calvin, An- 
nette H. Carleton, Nita Clark, Eda M. 



Clark, Mary Jackson Clark, May Cochran, 
A. J. Cole, Nancy Coleman, Elizabeth Con- 
dell, Margaret Connor, Lucy Coolidge, Ella 
Coltrin, Mrs. S. L. D. Cortright, Nancy Cun- 
ningham, Emeline E. Crocker, Jacob H. 
Coonradt, Rachel Cook, (Albeitz), Kate E. 
Crowley, Bessie N. Cravath, Emily H. Cot- 
ton, Mrs. Nettie Crosier, Flora A. Culp, 
Ruth Culver, Edith Ray Crapo, Evaline L. 
Cutler, Buel P. Colton, Julia V. Criswell, 
Robert F. Davidson, Harriet A., Davidson, 
Jude E. Davis, ^lary Davis, Nellie Cole 
Danely, Minnie E. Davis, A. Alta Dawson, 
Katherinc Dempsey, Ruby T. De Motte, 
Laura Dempsey, Marianna Deverell, Katie 
R. Dennis, Elizabeth Dills, Marian Dills, 
Grace Dills, Inez Dingman, Cora Di- 
van, Ella Dixon, Sophia M. Drebisch, 
C. W. Demmon, Jennie E. Durfee, 
Lucy Durfee, Helen Dean, Miss L. I\L Dur- 
ham, Mollie Ellis, 2 months ; Mattie E. 
Eaton, Delia M. Eaton, Ulric C. East, Mary 
M. Edwards, ^Valter A. Edwards, Sherry 
A\'. Ehrnian, John Eichinger, Ida Elder, N. 
Olive Enoch, Mary L. English, Tillie Entler, 
Clara Eyman, Thomas L. Evans, Mattie H. 
Evans, H. E. Flanagan, Nellie File, Lura 
File, Ada Ferguson, Irene Ferguson, Marie 
Z. Fleming, Kitty Fitzpatrick, Ida L. Foss, 
A. Josephine Freely. Grace Freeman, J. C. 
Fuller, Mary A. Fuller, Belle Fulton, Laura 
I'ulton, Mary W. French, Priscilla E. 
iMiulke, Etta Foster, Philo S. Fenton, Hat- 
tie Falconer, E. A. Gastman, Frances Gale, 
Mabel C. Gale, Blanche Gasaway, Louise 
A. Gastman, John W. Gibson, Clara S. Gill- 
ham, Theda Gildmeister, Frank D. Glover, 
Helen E. Green, A. S. Gordan. Hattie Greer, 
Nannie R. Graj', Ruby C. Gray, Anna M. 
Granger, Mary E. Grunendike, Mollie Gru- 
bel, Mary C. Gregory, Emma Gregory, Sue 
Gregory, Mary Gregory, B. Wilmah Greene, 
Mary B. Hall, Nettie Hall, f^tella M. Hague, 
Helen F. Hale, Alida R. Handy, Emma 
Harpstritc. Mary Hasbrouck, Clara N. 
Hawkes, Thomas E. Hayward, Mary L. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



149 



Hubbard, Josephine Harwood, Annie W. 
Hayden, Nellie I. Hendricks, Flora E. Hill, 
Bertha Hendricks, Elizabeth Hardy, Anna 
E. Haskell, Herbert C. Hansen, Henry Han- 
son, George A. Henderson, Grace Hite, 
Belle W. Hobbs, Ida Hockingberry, Emma 
Herd, Elizabeth L. Howes, Grace K. Hutch- 
ison, Celeste Hoffman, Clara E. Hoffman, 
Ruth Hoft'man, Eva Humphrey, Jane E. 
Hammond, Frank Hamsher, Lucy Hollings- 
vvorth, (Montgomery), (Nelson), Ethel 
Hopson, Kate Hamilton, Robert F. Hoxie, 
Mrs. Stella Hunter, Leta Hughey, Bertha 
Hull, Rachel Hummell, Martha E. Hughes, 
Ida C. Huffman, Victor Hawthorne, Sarah 
M. Imboden, Lucy Irwin, Samuel S. Jack, 
Anna Jack, Lottie A. Jackson, Noah .N. 
Jacobs, Fannie Johns, (Sedgwick), Carrie 
A. Jamison, George F. James, Alice Jen- 
nings, Delia Johnson, Lucinda A. Johnson, 
Martha Johnson, May Johnson, Lena B. 
Jones, S. Alice Judd, Rosa E. Judson, Mary 
Jordan, Marcia Kimball, ^Nlay Keethes, 
Charles W. Kent. ]\Iargaret Kelley, Mrs. 
Mattie E. Kerr, Margaret G. Kerr, (Col- 
bert), Roberta Keyes, Elizabeth Kneiper, 
Lulu Laughlin, Elizabeth Leeper, ^largaret 
Leeper, Louis B. Lee, Mary E. Lewis, Fan- 
ny T. Lecher, Grace L. Lockett, Clara 
Long, (Brown), Nellie H. Love, Elizabeth 
Lutrell, Mark A. Lukens, Ernest B. Lytic, 
Samuel M. Lake, Jessie W. Locket, John B. 
Loeffler, Laura Longenecker, Dora R. 
Longenecker, Maude A. MacClurg, A. Marie 
Macpherson, Anna Magee, Carrie Mallory, 
Eva Malone, Wallace E. Mann, Laura Mar- 
tin, Lida C. Martin, John Marten, Elizabeth 
Mathews, Sallie McCall, Mary McCullom, 
Cora McGorray, Katherine McGorray, Mar- 
garet jMcGorray, Lizzie McGuire, Laura W. 
IMcLain. ?drs. Lida A. McMurry, Oscar F. 
A-IcKim, Alice Mead, J. H. Metcalf, Mar- 
garet M. Means. Anna Mead. Martha 
Mertz, Elvira E. Mark, Priscilla Mill- 
burn, Mrs. L. L. Miller. Julia C. Mil- 
ler, Mary Miller, Maude E. "Mills, Miss 



L. L. ^litchell, Mrs. Jennie Montgom- 
ery, Lucy W. Miles, one month; Edith 
Montgomery, Ida Moffitt, Laura Montgom- 
ery, Helen F. Moore, Harriet E. Moore, 
Emma Muthersbaugh, Mabel Muthers- 
baugh, George S. Morris, Mary W. 
Moore, Mary E. Moore, Mrs. Anna E. ]Mur- 
phy, Chloe Murphy, C. M. McMahon, 
Charles W. Mills, Eva T. Myers, ^lary 
Neil, Bertha Norman, Tillie Norman, Vir- 
ginia N. (Jdor, Maria Okey, Elizabeth Ol- 
son, Bessie Oshinsky, Bettie Prather, Ed- 
win Park, Henry P. Page, Mary A. Perry, 
(Bradley), Wm. L. Page, Elizabeth M. 
Park, Mrs. Mary E. Park, Minnie Parker, 
Mrs. Bell Porter, Minerva M. Pearce, Ar- 
thur L. Patton, John A. Peters, Bertha 
Pillsbury, Edwin Philbrook, Ellen C. Phil- 
brook, Florence E. Pitts, John H. Powell, 
Mrs. Sue C. Philips, Catherine E. Peck, 3 
months ; Calla M. Parker, Mary Powers, 
Ada S. Pritchett, Helen Perry, Nettie C. 
Pritchett, Ethel Ouinlan, Bertha Reed, Sal- 
he Reeme, Susie M. Reddick. G. Anna Ray- 
mond, Sallie Roe, Lois M. Roberts, Lucre- 
tia J. Rooker, Neal D. Reardon, Carrie A. 
Record, ^Mrs. Agnes Roddy, Deete Rolfe, 
Frederick Rust, Anna E. Russell, Mrs. J. 
H. Roell, Silva Ross, Elizabeth Sabin, 
Christina Sanderson, Sarah E. Sanderson, 
Tillie Schumacher, Carrie Scott, Mrs. Kate 
P. Seyfer, Sophia B. Shaffer, Fanny C. 
Shepard, James J. Sheppard, Elizabeth 
Sherrick, C. W. Shleppy, Kate Sherrick, 
Gertrude Shorb, Orrillia Sikes, Margaret 
Sollars, Anna B. Simms, Frances Simpson, 
Myra A. Smith, Nellie L. Smith, Oscar F. 
Smith, Fannie L. Smith. Bruce Smith, J. B. 
R. Sherrick, Miranda M. Sargent, Kather- 
ine Search, Alice E. Slocumb, Anna Sny- 
der, Flora B. Smith, Lennie F. Smith, Ber- 
tha Spencer, Harriet Southwick, Mosetta 
I. Stafford, Clara Stare, Jessie Spencer, Bell 
Sterling, Mrs. J. M. Sterrett, Kate Stickel, 
Lillie W. Stewart, Lurene Seymour, Susie 
Tucker, Vesta Terrell, Emma Trull, Mary 



150 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Tluinnemann, Lillian Tabor, A. Anna Tink- 
ler, JMary Tolladay, Elmer R. Towl, Eliza- 
beth Towl, Litta Tobey, John Trainer, 
Bertha Trautman, Frank L. Traverse, Alice 
Tuttle, Jeanctte L. Tyler, Alice Tyler, Sallie 
J. Taylor, Lena Ullrich, Luetta Ullrich, Ella 
V'anDeren, 2 months; Mary E. Vaughan, 
Carl Vertrees, Anna Vetterleit, VVm. L. 
VVestermann, Margaret E. Wallace, Edith 
M. Wallace, Myra Belle Wallace, Josephine 
F. Waggoner, Medora E. Waughop, (Yoa- 
cum), John W. Weston, E. D. Walker, Bes- 
sie S. Warren, Henrietta Watkins, i month ; 
Mattie Weaver, Pearl W. Weiennett, Ala- 
tilda Wells, Frank W. Westhoff, Jasper N. 
Wilkinson, Nettie Wiley, Mollie E. Will- 
iams, I'rcderick C. Willson, Mary W. 
Wilder, Anna M. Wilson, Blanche Wilson, 
Minnie E. Wilson, Mabel Wilson, Joseplia 
H. Witte, Alice Witbcck, I\lary Wood, An- 
na E. Woods, J. Edna ^\■o^thley, Sarah Wil- 
son, Edith Yeomans, Bessie L Young, Jen- 
nie Young, Ella W. Yeager. 

THE HIGH SCHOOL. 

In 1862, the directors decided to employ 
a city superintendent of schools and to open 
a high school. Nothing of the kind had been 
done before in Decatur. On July 12, 1862, 
E. A. Gastman was elected principal of all 
the schools at a salary of $480 for a term 
of 120 days. At the same meeting Miss 
Frances A. Peterson was elected assistant 
in the high school at a salary of $30 per 
month. 

During the summer Mr. Gastman and 
Miss Peterson were married and the high 
school was opened under their management, 
September 22, 1862, in the lower east room 
of the Church street school. The following 
pupils wore enrolled during the first school 
year of six months : 

Lois Andrews, Laura Cornell, Maggie 
Ellis, Maggie Flora, Alice Glore, Hattie 
Greer. Anna Hargis, Alice Harris, Jane 
Hammond. Almira Kaufman, Love Kauf- 



man, l-lliza McClelland, Jane McClellan, 
Mollie -Mitchell, Adelia Murray, Kate New- 
ell, Sadie Phelps, Anna Righter, Alice Shel- 
labarger, Flora Stuart, Thomas Boyce, Wm. 
T. Cussins, W. C. Ellis, Orville B. Gorin, 
Alonzo Glore, Albert Henkle, Hugh Odpr, 
Edwin Miner, William Powers, Benj. H. 
Righter, Welburn Hiner, Thomas Henkle, 
Chas M. Durfee, Carrie Trowbridge, Emma 
Trull, Mary Hudnot, Winnie Branch, Sarah 
Frazier, Lizzie Luttrell, Jane Elwood, Mary 
Intzpatrick, Marcella Greer, Carrie Jamison, 
Emma Peddecord, Kate Stickle, Elizabeth 
Trull, Emmaretta Williams, Lydia A. 
Smith, Anna Haworth, Jennie E. Durfee, 
Mary Falconer, Mary Stuart, Thomas Nich- 
ols, A. Orr, Patrick Keely, J. C. Hostetler, 
Frank Priest, Edward Goodman, Jay J. 
Mansfield, George Routh, Edwin Stickle, 
Robert R. Montgomery, Richard Noble, T. 
J. Davis. 

In the fall of 1863 the school was moved 
to the basement of the Baptist Church on 
the northeast corner of William and Water 
streets. Mrs. Gastman having died just be- 
fore the close of the previous year. Miss 
Mary E. Baker became the assistant. The 
school was carried on in this dark and ding^ 
basement for six years. During that time 
Misses ■Miranda M. Sargent, Helen Dean, 
and Nancy Cunningham were assistants. 
At an election held July 8, 1863, the people 
ordered, by a vote of 129 to 6, that the 
schools should be continued for nine months 
in each year. 

In the first years of its history, the school 
had no regular course of study. Such 
classes were formed as would best suit the 
wants of the pupils attending the school. 
Gradually, however, a course of three years 
was adopted. 

There was very little interest in the 
school among the people, and, probably, less 
than one hundred citizens attended the first 
annual exercises and saw this class of 
four girls receive their diplomas. But these 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



151 



very exercises had a very decided influence 
in awalcening a strong popular sentiment in 
favor of the school. 

The erection of a building for the accom- 
modation of the school was frequently dis- 
cussed by the board of education, but no 
action was taken until August 9, 1866, when 
Messrs. Durfee & Warren and Dr. Thomas 
H. Reed sold to the board lots 10, 11 and 12 
of the resurvey of block 7, Reed & Co.'s ad- 
dition, for the sum of $3,400. In May, 1869, 
lot 9 in the same block was bought of Ab- 
diel T. Risley, for $820. 

Owing to a want of funds nothing was 
done about a building until April, 1868, 
when Mr. Geo. P. Randall of Chicago was 
employed to prepare plans and specifications 
for a high school house. On the twenty- 
sixth, the clerk was directed to advertise for 
bids for erecting the building. On June 13th 
the following propositions were submitted: 

Conn & Underwood, Shelbyville, 111., 
$25,000; W. F. Bushnell & Co., Mendota, 
111., $25,000: E. McNabb, Decatur, 111., 
$19,980: N. J. Campbell, Decatur, III, $25,- 
000: D. C. Shockley. Decatur. TIL, $19,- 
192. 58. 

Plastering and painting were not included 
in the bids of Messrs. McNabb and Shock- 
ley. The contract was awarded to Mr. 
Shockley. 

On July 4. 1868, the lot was surveyed and 
leveled by Charles A.Tuttle. The erection of 
the building was commenced soon after, D. 
McVey being in charge of the brick work. 
During the summer and fall the house was 
enclosed, but the tower was not built until 
the spring of 1869. The house was plastered 
in the winter by Sollars & Hanks for $1,- 
098.60. It should be said to the credit of these 
workmen that no repairs have been required 
on the plastering from that time until now, 
except under the stairways in the halls. The 
painting was done by M. A. Myer and A. 
C. Corman for $1,046.60. The total cost 
■of the building was $24,577.46. 



The first session of the high school was 
held in the new building September 13, 
1869, with these teachers in charge of the 
several classes : 

E. A. Gastman, Alary \V. French, Mi- 
randa M. Sargent. 

'J'he first story and one-half of the second 
story of the building were occupied by chil- 
dren in the lower grades of the ward 
schools. Misses Martha E. Hughes and 
Sarah E. Allen taught primary classes in 
the rooms on the lower floor, and Miss 
Amanda J. Affleck had an intermediate 
school in the northeast room on the second 
floor. 

On the 8th of February, 1870, Samuel S. 
Jack, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was unani- 
mously elected principal of the high school 
at a salary of $1,500 per annum. The aver- 
age daily attendance in the school that year 
vvas no. The following class graduated 
in June, 1870: Maggie Sollars, Mabel Car- 
penter, Carrie Elson, Rachael E. Cook, 
Robert B. Hostctler, Charles M. Barnes, 
Truman S. Crissey, John L. Ridenour. 

It is believed that this is the only class in 
the history of the school in which the num- 
ber of boys was equal to the number of girls. 

C)n February 10, 1871, Mr. Samuel S. 
Jack tendered his resignation of the prin- 
cipalship, which was accepted and E. A. 
(lastman was directed to take charge of 
the school until a new principal could be 
secured. 

In 1871 the course of study was extended 
to four years and no class graduated that 
year on account of this change. 

The growth of the school was slow in 
those days. In 1875 there were five teach- 
ers, and the average daily attendance was 
155 for the year. In 1880 the number of 
teachers was the same and the average at- 
tendance was 152. In 1885 the attendance 
advanced to 220, and the number of teach- 
ers remained as before. In 1890 the aver- 
age daily attendance was 244 and the num- 



lo'i 



PAST AND i'RKSEXT UF MACOX COrXTV. 



ber of teachers increased to seven. At 
present tliere are nineteen teachers at 
work. 

The graduating class of 1875 numbered 
thirteen, two boys and eleven girls. In 1880 
there were twenty-two graduates, six boys 
and sixteen girls. In 1885 the class was 
composed of eight boys and twenty girls, 
or twenty-eight in all. In 1890 the class 
consisted of thirty-six members, thirteen 
boys and twenty-three girls. In 1894 there 
were forty-nine members in the class, of 
whom seventeen were boys and thirty-two 
girls. The graduating classes since 1894 
have been as follows: '95, 76; '96, 80; '97, 
87; "98. 55; 99, 70; 1900, 84. The number 
of pupils enrolled during the year 1899- 
1900 was 731. 

I'rom the abo\-e figures it will be seen 
that the growth of the school and of the 
classes annually graduated, commenced 
about 1885 and has steadily continueil until 
the present time. Another fact shows the 
same condition of affairs. From 1869 to 
1892 the old builcling proved ample for the 
wants of the school. In the latter year the 
capacity of the building was substantially 
doubled bv the erection of an addition in 
front. It was thought that this would make 
the building adequate for a long time to 
come, but by 1895 a second addition of six 
rooms on the rear was required. 

The building as it now stands has thir- 
teen session rooms, with a combined ca- 
pacity for about 800 pupils, three recitation 
rooms, two large well-equipped labora- 
tories, a drawing room and a library room. 
It is one of the largest and best Iiigh scliool 
buildings in the state. 

The expansion of the High School in 
]ioint of numbers and building accommo- 
dations has been paralleled in its course of 
study. It has expanded in two directions; 
in the addition of new subjects, and in the 
more extensive study of subjects already 
in the course. Pupils today may pursue a 



lour years' course of study in English, 
mathematics, Latin, German, history and 
science. Their course of study is deter- 
mined for the most part by their own in- 
tellectual tastes, the only subjects particu- 
larly required being English and a certain 
amount of mathematics. This freedom of 
election of studies is of recent introduc- 
tion, but thus far promises much in making 
school work a matter of serious purpose. 

Our large and well equipped chemical 
and ]ihysical laboratories and our generous 
supply of microscopes and other biological 
apparatus put our work in science on a true 
scientific basis, and enable our pupils to 
gain real insight into scientific method. 

A great deal might be written in descrip- 
tion of the work in English, mathematics, 
the languages and various other subjects, 
but space forbids to say more than that 
these subjects are taught from the latest 
and most approved text books by men and 
women whose training has made them 
specialists in their de])artment. 

There arc two subjects now taught in 
the High School that deserve special men- 
tion : music and drawing. To those who 
are acquainted with the aims and results 
of the work along these lines nothing need 
be said to show their value. These subjects 
have won their place in the schools in spite 
of long opposition, and their possibilities 
and value are constantly coming to greater 
ap])reciation. 

When we reflect on the fact that over 
seven hundred girls and boys were enrolled 
in the High School during the year, that 
the four vears of the High School life are 
the formative years of their character, the 
\ears when they begin to awake from the 
dreams of childhood to know the world as 
it is, the years when- many of theiu are 
meeting the sterner realities of life, when 
we think on these facts, we begin to realize 
what a position of influence in the com- 
munity; the High School holds. We are wont 



FAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



153 



to forget that the children of today are the 
men and women of tomorrow. But such 
is the ever recurring fact. The money then, 
and the time and thought that are expended 
in maintaining this institution, which re- 
ceives its pupils as children and graduates 
them as men and women, is well and 
wisely spent. 

GRADUATES OF THE DECATUR 
HIGH SCHOOL BY CLASSES. 

The High School was organized in Sep- 
tember, 1862. The following is a complete 
list of the graduates. In 1871 no class grad- 
uated, as the course was changed from 
three to four years. 

Class of 1867. 

Emma Hummell (Garverj, Rachel Huni- 
mell (Bear), Alice Roberts, Emmaretta 
Williams (Hopkins). 

Class of 1868.' 

Clara Allison (^Imboden), Theodore Cole- 
man (Yellow Pine), Ruth Crissey (Cor- 
nell), Fannie Johns (Sedgwick), Jennie 
Newell (Wilson). 

Class of i86g. 

Frank L. Brooks, Hattie Fuller (Krig- 
baum), Carrie Hubbard (Kinney), Katie 
Jones (Aldrich), Emma Reeme (Davidson), 
Sallie Roe (Baird). 

Class of 1870. 

Charles I\I. Barnes, Mabel Carpenter 
(Summers), Truman S. Crissey, Rachel 
E. Cook (Albeitz), Carrie Elson (Clokey), 
Robert B. Hostetler, Maggie Sollars (Cald- 
well), John L. ^'estal. 

Class of 1872. 

Emma Emmons (Linsted), Etta Foster 
(Crawford), Sallie Malone, Ida Moffit 
(May), Annie Shepherd (Witt), Alice 
Stamper (Martin). 



Class of 1873. 
Lora E. Anderson (Bohon), Ella E. Col- 
trin (Smith), Ruth A. Culver (Vestal), Ida 
E. Coltrin, Laura M. Emerson, Lena Hin- 
kle (Walters), Virgil N. Hostetler, Mary 
Johnson (Brown), Ida T. Jones (Hartzel), 
Sanford Leffingwell, Nellie B. Smith, Dora 
E. Waughop (Severance). 

Class of 1874. 
Mollie Barnes (Stanton), Maggie Dennis 
(Cobb), Mary Halstead (Pease), Eva 
Malone, Priscilla Milburn (Smith), Annie 
Smith (Close), Abbie Ryan, Myrtle Varner 
(Millizen), Jennie Young (Pratt). 

Class of 1875. 
Grace Adams (Birkett), Lilly Babbitt, 
Nellie Corneau (House), Harry Durfee, 
Leora Emerson (Richardson), Carrie 
Fearn, Belle Fulton, Minta Fulton, Lucy 
Irwin (Harrington), Cora Johnson (Sei- 
fried), Tillie Norman (Bascom), Celia 
Shupp (Buchanan), Albert T. Summers. 

Class of 1876. 

Mary Brett (AVilliams), Cora M. Bone- 
steel (Hueston), Leona L. Childs 
(Stookey), Laura Lindsay, Annie McKen- 
zie (Leach), Josie Shea (Baum), Emily 
Clark (Parker), Docia Gates (Baker), 
Bettie Wingate (Lindomood), Mary Wise 
(Burks). 

Class of 1877. 

Laura Adams (Huff), Laura E. Aikin, 
William Barnes, Dessie Bowers (Powers), 
Hattie J. Brown, Alaggie R. Cloyd, Nellie 
Durfee (Jenkins), Annie B. Haskell, Will 
J. Hostetler, Emma I. Hughes (Irwin), 
Nellie O. Krone, Lou Martin (Strader), 
Laura B. jNIartin, W. Clay McCune, Minnie 
A. Parker (Hostetler), Annie E. Russell 
(White), Sarah Sanderson (Wilson), Wil- 
helmina Shultz, Fannie S. Smith (Gray), 
Lulu Sollars (Wheelock), Sallie Turner 
(Craig), Alice S. Tyler, George A. Win- 
gate. 



154 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



Class of 1878. 

Heston I. Baldwin, Ella Bear, l"-lla Boyer, 
Charles A. Ewing, Laura Fulton (Corley), 
Alicia R. Handy, Gussie Hill, James T. 
Moore, Laura Montgomery, Maggie Mosser 
(Robinson), Sarah Bristow, IMary Connor 
(Rearich), Charles H. Dennis, Abbie Pratt, 
Nellie Pratt (Tucker), Clara E. Stare, Car- 
rie Spangler (DanielsJ, John 11. Cllrich, 
Ella G. Ursey. 

Class of 1879. 

Meta E. Batteiger (Dodson), Wilson AL 
Bering, lola Boyd (Baker), Sallie Brand 
(Leffingwell), Lillie Dermit (Anheier), 
Harry Ehrman, Edward W. Heilman, Cora 
B. King (Roach), \V. H. Knapp, Lizzie E. 
Lukens, Lizzie A. Murphy , Alverda L. 
Scott (Foster), Annie E. Tuttle (Phelps), 
Frances L. Taylor, Minnie S. Brown. 

Class of 1880. 

1 lurace Andrews, J. Bering Burrows, Ber- 
tha M. Barnwell, S. Lillie Chadse}^ Anna 
F'arrell (Page), Emma T. Marlett (Leavitt), 
James H. Martin, Beckie A. McRoberts 
(Bradfield), Louise C. Meister (Brohel), 
Viola Moore, Cyrus T. Randolph, Henrj' 
E. Gipson, Mary W. Hardy (More- 
house), Hattie B. Hardy (Johns), Bertha 
Hendricks, Notie M. Large (Bartholemew), 
Mary E. Robins (Ryder), Minnie E. Shelly 
(Rice), Rella Shockley (Hurst), Adele 
Shellabarger (Hillnian), Jessie Stephens 
(Page), Frank Wells. 

Class of 1881. 

A. V. Andrews, Eva M. Bixby, Lillie 
Brown fMurphy), Nettie M. Hall, James 
M. Roberts, Frank C. Roby, Gertrude Smith 
(Herff), Estella Spencer, Walton K. 
Hedges, Mar}- A. Lukens (Collins), 
Charles R. Murphy, Ida M. McCormick 
(Klett), Ada E. Pratt (Baldwin), Jessie 
Spencer, Angic Sweene}', Perley W. Tay- 
lor, Annie Tinkler (Ward). Mamie T. 
Wood (Armstrong). 



Class of 1882. 
Lulu Bishop (Cunningham), Hattie Cole- 
man, Minnie A. Dill, Harry T. Hays, Hat- 
tie Howell, Robert R. Rogan, Kittie 
Search, Robert D. Stewart, Clara Stom- 
mell, Eddie Hoy, Lillian B. Irwin, Clar- 
ence B. AlcClelland, Mary Xebinger (Sta- 
delman), Annie M. Prather (\'an Riper), 
Jennie Troutman (Albert), Dora Walston 
(Johnson), Beulah Whitsit. 

Class of 1883. 

Hattie A. Abbott (Brancher), Everett 
J. Brown, Maria Buckingham, Delia Dim- 
mitt, Lottie E. Eicholtz (Adkins), Blanche 
Gasaway (Matthews), Elizabeth S. Gast- 
man (Powell), D. \V. Heilman, Annie Hen- 
klc (McClelland), Ida Hockingberry, Alice 
M. Imboden (Riggs), Annie Litsinberger 
(Johnson), Laura Alahannah, Sherman Mc- 
Clelland, Amanda Pickerell (Cruthers), 
Lewis Race, Arthur Race, Christini Sander- 
son (Conover), Lafayette Shelley, Matt R. 
.Smith, Fritz Westermanii, Max Wester- 
mann. 

Class of 1884. 

Alinnic T. Bachman (Mueller), ?*linnie 
Bigelow, Ada Boj^d (Meckalenburg), Flor- 
ence Brand (Higgins), Mary Cloyd, Charles 
C. Denton, Clara E. Eyman (Walker), 
Arthur Flood, Bessie E. Green, Annie Gris- 
wold, Effie Hains (Flood), Mellie Housum 
(Meyers), Ella Litsinberger, Annie Lit- 
U-rcr, Grace Lukens (Bixby), John Magee, 
Lillie C. Dinunitt, Ellen T. Ditzler (Met- 
calf), Laura Ebert (Connard), Fannie B. 
Ehrman (Marshall), :\lary L. English, Mat- 
tie H. Evans (Wiley), Maggie McGorray 
(.'^hlaudeman), Eva Nichols, Emma Petsch, 
W'illiam Quinlan, Cora Rcnshaw (Keller), 
Lou Russell (Cruze), Mattie Williams 
(Thompson), W'ill W'ood, Blanche Wilson 
(Morrell). 

Class of 1885. 

Lillie Abbott (Brancher), Myrtle Abbott, 
Marian Abel (Wait), Mary B. Aikin, Edgar 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



155 



O. Bradley, Fred. A. Brown, Eliza L. Hall, 
Utlio R. Hopson, Ida C. Kain (Martin), 
Lucy C. Keeler (Hostetler), Alma A. Koeh- 
ler (Gilbert), Nettie S. Lindsay, Eva E. 
Caldwell (Bradley), Myra A. Carmany, M. 
Bess Dillon (Reed), Elmer E. Dresbach, 
Mame L. Freeman (Wilmeth), Maye M. 
Gannon (Duncan), jNIyrta Van Riper (Ke- 
ough), Clarence Wait, Fred E. Alurphy, 
Mary Lois Roby (Brown), Charles Schroll, 
Jeannette Sollars (Crozier), Lottie E. Stare 
(Fritz), Ralph Templeton, Augusta Wester- 
man (Schroll), Mollie Williams (Muzzy). 

Class of 1886. 

Leah Lou Bear, Fred K. Bowman, Harry 
A. Bumstead, Jennie E. Cariens (Cray- 
croft), David J. Cloyd, Minnie E. Davis 
(Strader, Howard Diller, Emily S. Ham- 
sher (Ditto), Leo Heilbrun, Carrie L. John- 
son (Stecher), Thomas J. McReynolds, Vir- 
ginia N. Odor, Nettie C. Pritchett, Florence 
G. Rainy (Donnelly), Nell Schroeder, Kate 
Sherrick, H. Theodore Westermann, Cora 
Whitmer (McNabb), Laura Gertrude Whit- 
sit (Page). 

Class of 1887. 

Kate G. Aikin (Watson), Fannie Cross- 
man, Mac E. Grossman, Sophia M. Dro- 
bisch. Will L. Dunn, Addie V. Ebert (Muel- 
ler), Eve M. Hammer (Clark), Lillian 
Haines (Stoutenborough), Alice Hiser 
(Shinier), Nellie E. Hubbard, John L. 
Keister, Mary E. Lewis, Lizzie Ebert, Lulu 
R. Elwood, Frank L. Evpus, Nora A. Rad- 
cliff (Starr), Bertha T. Randall, John B. 
Robinson, Jonathan Rogan, Virginia E. 
Smith (Hardy), Belle M. Steele (Dona- 
hue), Edwin L. Stevens, Adele M. Lower, 
Mary A. Magee. Ella C. McRobert (Kin- 
hart), John W. Thomas, Luetta Ullrich 
(Bumstead), Anna E. Wentz (Irvin), Al- 
berta B. Whitmer, Emma R. Weigand, 
Margaret Williams, James A. Winslow. 



Class of 1888. 

Maud M. Aikin, Clifford G. Arthur, Olive 
M. Bear, William A. Bentley, Allen G. Bev- 
ans, James L. Bevans, William J. Cheno- 
weth, Mary O. Colby, Vadian W. Conklin, 
Charles A. Denison, Sheridan W. Ehrman, 
John W. Eichinger, George F. Fruit, Lela 
A. Gladish, M. Josephine Gasaway (Jones), 
Clara E. Reeme, Harry E. Hamsher, Joseph- 
ine R. Harwood (Conant), Charles T. Hub- 
bard, Lizzie O. Hughes (Winter), Celeste 
A. Hoffman, Lucinda A. Johnson (Wheel- 
er), May H. Keethes, Harry E. Kizer, Will- 
iam B. Knoble, Elizabeth H. Kneiper 
(Bunn), Jacob H. Latham, Robert B. Lytle, 
Florence J. Pitts (Shellabarger), Frank E. 
Prestley, Anna E. Rainey (Stafford), James 
Spence, Gertrude Shorb (Martin), Silas E. 
Snyder, Jessie R. Steele (Wangelin), Elmer 
Towl, Jesse Wiswell, Victoria Wallace 
(Arthur). 

Class of 1889. 

Fannie T. Locher, Alice M. Judson (Prin- 
gle), Millie P. Batchelder (Cowen), Thad- 
deus Schroeder, Harry H. Metz, Minnie 
Brockway, Mabel Durfee, Nita Clark, N. 
Grace Penniwell, J. Christie Gannon, Har- 
ley Armstrong, Elizabeth Colladay, Charles 
M. Wood, Christina H. AlacKenzie (Witt), 
Kilburn H. Roby, Clara E. Hoffman, Annie 
W^ Haj'den (Barnett), Harry E. Haines, 
Beatrice Bowman, Frank L. Johnson, Ada 
S. Pritchett (Bean), Wilbur W. Dawson, 
Eugenia Harris, Desdemona Millikin (Bev- 
ans), Julius T. Westermann, Wesley W. 
bhelley, W^ilson Freeman, Ella Antrim, 
Elizabeth Sherrick, Eva May Murphy, 
George Lytle. 

Class of i8go. 

Mattie T. Babcock (Webb), Mae C. 
Brown (Shoemaker), Emma M. Condell, 
Grace L. Dills, Maud Espey, Nellie Schroll 
(Clark), Mary B. Simon (Whiting), Mary 
M. Stultz, Lena Ullrich, Clara A. Weyl, 
Emma V. Falconer, Hattie J. Falconer, 



156 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Kathleen K. Harvvood (Mallery), Grace K. 
Hutchison, Jessie W. Lockett, Edith M. 
Lytle (Smith), Jessie P. McKenzie 
(Shreves), Mary J. Mathews (Newell), 
Lola Montgomery (Perry), Elizabeth M. 
Park (Beggs), Fallis S. Radcliff (Miller), 
Alice C. Robinson, Leora Sanderlin 
(Smalhvood), Walter K. Adams, Charles 
W. Armstrong, Edwin K. Dinges, Frank 
Hamsher, George M. Hart, Edgar E. Jack, 
Dixon H. Kautz, Albert E. Mowrey, Her- 
bert E. Nims, Asa C. Somerville, Arthur 
Wait, Will L. Westermann, Charles C. 
Wilson. 

Class of 1891. 

Edna M. Bunn, Elizabeth L. Matthews 
(Bachman), Will J. Armstrong, Frances 
M. Woodruff, Alonzo H. Tuttle, Mary C. 
Clary, Emma F. Harpstrite, Jesse E. Whit- 
sit, Effie E. Harris (Lake), Jennie A. Leiby 
(McAIcllen), Luther E. Roby, Mary A. Tut- 
tle (McFarland), Mabel E. Wilson, Lewis 
E. Coonradt, Mary M. Wood, Hattie Cross- 
man (Gordon), M. ]\Iaude Dill, Katie F. 
Montgomery (Sullivan), Wilson B. Wood- 
ford, Gretcheii T. Boyer (Brant), Cornelia 
Blanche Underwood, Benjamin Freeman, 
Pauline B. Bentley (Adams), Anna W. Ba- 
denhausen, Elizabeth N. Mills (Dawson), 
.Milton Johnson Jr., Clara N. Hawkes, 
Bertha Spencer, John C. Shea, Thomas B. 
Jack, Mabel C. Smick, Katherine E. Simon 
(Pennington), Arthur S. Dumont. 

Class of 1892. 

Hugh 1\L Boone. W. Winnie Bramble, 
Donna Buckingham, Mary L. Batchelder 
(Watson), Georgia L Clendenen (Milden- 
berger), Stella Cowgill, .Xnnie E. Cool 
(Parks), Myrtle 11. Carver, Floyd A. Gast- 
man, Charles D. Hoy, Nettie Haag (Mc- 
Intyre), Lucy Kretzcr, Myrtle V. Lyon, 
Henrietta Metz, Alice ^Nlcade, Nellie Michl, 
Elvira E. Mark, John Miller, Kate S. Quin- 
lan, Ira N. T. Roberts, Sarah Wilson 



(Mills), Ida E. Webster (Schultze), Laura 
White, Gertrude L. Wayne (Kemper). 

Class of 1893. 

Mary L. Lewis (Miller), Eva 1. Dills, 
M. Emma Clark, Aldyth J. Irwin, Clara E. 
Mitchell (Lehman), Delia Arthur (Hedges), 
Eunice Scott (Chandler), Anna L. Meade, 
Dessie A. Garver, Alma .M. llalmbacher 
(Butzbach), Virginia A. Peake, Jessie R. 
Smith, Maude Felton (Brocton), Samuel K. 
Magee, Charles M. Bumstead, Morton C. 
Blythe, Herbert S. Howes, Floy R. Gasa- 
way (Niles), Joseph F. Hartley, L. Made- 
line Roberts, Sue A. Dimock, Stella A. 
Brooks, Jennie Lyons (Martin), Rosa B. 
Ruckle, Herbert W. Gorman, Stella E. Ham- 
ilton, Jeannette M. Bills (Heil), Anna S. 
Vetterleit, Fannie G. Lyons. 

Class of 1894. 

Carrie .A. Record, Ernest B. Lytic, Leon- 
ard M. Mitchell, Georgia Elliott, Jessie A. 
[Montgomery, Fannie A. Bivans, W'arren T. 
Durfee, Byron 'E. Bramble, Eva M. Dun- 
ham, Byrd Adele Dinges, Laura Shaffer, 
Sallie Shaffer, Edna -Margaret Hendricks 
(Hart), Jennie W. Baldridge (Johnson), 
Jessie La Forgee (McCoy), .Vda M. Hohen 
(Colladay), Ella Laude Buchcrt, Amy A. 
Hoffman, Donnie E. May, (Wheeler) 
Pauline Johnson (Augustine), James F. 
Hall, Maude May Stoy, Annie Roberts 
Cloyd, Wilbur Gorman, Fr«d R. Cassell, 
Fred Schroll, Thomas William Pitner, 
Archer T. Davis, Ralph O. Conklin, Roy 
R. Wilson, Louise Antoinette Gastman, 
Nellie Geneva Pratt (Vance), Lida A. Saw- 
yer, W'illiam Fitzpatrick, Rosa Voelcker, 
Charlotte E. Hawes, Lulu M. Beall, Mabel 
A. Wayne, Florence L. Lyon, Hattie Childs, 
Elizabeth Condcll, Fred C. Depew, Mar- 
guerite Chandler, Ida J. Lewis, Max C. 
Ruchl, William Buchanan, Edith Beamer, 
Charles 'SI. ,\ucr, Violet Bourne. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



157 



Class of 1895. 

Fannie S. Askins, Clara M. Becker, 
Maude E. Brooks, Edna Childs, Mabel Car- 
son, Jessie R. Darling (Hooper), Mary 
Davis, Marianna Deverell, Marian L. Dills, 
Mary L. Dorrell (Wilson), Mollie M. Dro- 
bisch, Margaret Downing, Tillie May Ent- 
ler, Maude E. Evans, Harriet M. Earner 
(Barby), Jessie Eelton (Britton), Caroline 
E. Foulke, Mary A. Fitzpatrick, Nellie B. 
File, Marie F. Jenison, Ada M. Johnson, 
Maude L. Kilgore, Lida C. Martin, Cora 
Oliver Martin, Elizabeth J. McNeil, Harriet 
B. Martin, Lida M. Montgomery, Lydia E. 
T. Myers, Nellie G. Moore, Mary E. Moore, 
Lena Quinlan, Mary R. Ramsey (Wells), 
Carrie J. Roberts, Anne H. Roby, Mabel 
Rice Shinier (Cassell), Louise B. Simon, 
Nonette Stare (Hovey), Pearl Homes 
Scott, Ethel F. Greene (Beatty), Ada Sa- 
lina Haines (Stoner), Clara E. Harkness 
(Reubsamcn), Florence H. Hatch, Ruth C. 
Hoffman, Louie Grace Hott, Cora E. Huts- 
inpiller (Wood), Sarah AL Imboden, Ber- 
ing E. Braden, Edwin Buckmaster, Harry 
J. D. Colladay, William H. Coonradt, Alva 
Hayes Diehl, Cecil L. Davidson, George 
S. Foster, James A. Grubbs, E. K. Hamp- 
ton, Paul T. Hawes, Luther A. Howes, 
Amanda B. Trainer (Mann), Jessie M. 
AVade (Peck), Nellie W. Wilhelmy, jNIyrtle 
Wheeler, Ida Mae White (Gay), Irene 
L. Wood, Ardie L. Wood, Bessie Irene 
Young, Hugh W. Housum, Cecil McKee 
Jack, James D. Johnson, Alva M. Johnson, 
Lewis Isaac Kirby, Louis T. Rainey, Bald- 
win Starr, Harry F. Turner, Robert Put- 
man Vail, Guy W. A¥ilHams, J. F. F. Waltz. 

Class of 1896. 

Celia lone Arthur, Jennie Grace Baden- 
hausen, Nellie Pugh Batchelder (Brown), 
Laura Edith Berry, Adelia Nelson Bishop, 
Mary Bell Bivans (Bramble), Alma May 
Brown, Birdie Olive Lanham, Dora Kather- 
ine Longenecker, ]\Iabel Lord, Mabel Han- 



Ion Love, Ada Estelle Magee, Florence 
Mary McBride (Walker), Fanny Lucille 
Alerris, Nina May Buckmaster, Katherine 
Crankshaw, Norma Warren Dawson, Grace 
Ebel, AVinnifred Grace Elliott, Challis Har- 
rington Gasaway, Ethel Gordon, Edna Can- 
trell Graves (Griswold), Josephine Esther 
Hoy, Maud Antoinette Hughes, Bonnie 
Barnes Hutsinpiller, Estella Jenkins, Laura 
Tenney Jenkins (Rigey), Gary Ion Lauretta 
Alae King, Tlazella La Mar, Pearl Lane, 
Arthur Louis Aikin, Benjamin Connor 
Bachrach, \\'illis ^Vilbert Boggess, John 
Anderson Brockway, Jr., Frederick Wads- 
worth Church, Howard Gates Cloyd, Walter 
Earle Colladay, Charles Dean Cool, Ralph 
Curtis, Frank Stoddard Dickson, Alay Olivia 
Miller, Jeanie Margaret Muir, Grace Anna 
Munson, Anna Adele Neiman, Clara Char- 
lotte Niedermeyer, Myra Edwards Plum- 
mer, Sadie Rixse, Bertha Jessica Roddy 
(Lampkin), Ethel Adele Scovill (Carpen- 
ter), Mary Jessie Stevenson, Lilian Mary 
.Stout, JNIary Eda Tolladay, Laura Jeannette 
Tullis (Derrickson), Eilen Margaret A''er- 
million, Grace Ora Walker, Margaret Alice 
Wood, Grovnoir Sprague Hane, Hugh 
Jacob Hill, George Raymond Howenstine, 
Franklin Johnson Howes, Gus Hugh John- 
son, James Arthur Keith, John William 
Kinney, Fred Elwood Mann, Charles Ed- 
ward Medford, John Alva Myers, James 
Benjamin Parish, Charles Arthur Dixon, 
George Webster Dunston, Frank Leroy El- 
liott, Arthur Clarence Erwin, Herbert El- 
roy Fell, Stanton Clark Fields, Arthur Bon- 
nom Pease, Edgar Allen Quinlan, William 
Jacob Rothfus, Willis Bion Shirey, James 
Blair A^'igus, John Jacob Voelcker. 

Class of 1897. 

]\[ay Allison, Sadie Chenoweth Athons, 
Rose Evelyn Bachrach, Emma Rosalie 
Bean, Mary Adele Blackstone, Josephine 
Elizabeth Bold (Fife), Gussie Hill Bone, 
Frances Alice DeCourcy (AIcDonald), 



158 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Jcannctte May Drake, Alice Wessels Dro- 
bisch, Madge Olita Fenton, Eva Myrtle Flint 
(Johnson), Clara Chesley French, Nora Lu- 
cille Graham, Ina Corinne Graham, Mary 
Willis Greene, Mollie Eileene Grubel, Min- 
nie Anna Halmbachcr (Genecss), Lulu 
Blanche Hoyland, Litta Tobey, Josephine 
F. Waggoner, Maud B. Wallace, Lena Al- 
berta Warwick. Estelle ^'crne W^ill- 
iams. Cordelia Williams, Harriet \Vei- 
incr Wood, Edna May \\'oodford, 
Abner \\illiam Brinllingcr, Roy Henry 
Brown, Liicicn Wood Bullard, Ira W^ad- 
del! Clokcy, Sidney Alber Covington, Ralph 
Earle Cruzan, Florence P. Donahoe, For- 
rest File, Harry Garver, Ira Garver, H. 
Allen Gleason, Benjamin Terrell Hoffman, 
Mary Josephine Kerr, Nellie A. Keeler, 
Lillian Clara King, Grace Hortense Lytle 
(Heiby), Bessie Florence Lutz, Eva Rilla 
Major, Notie ]\Ieriweather, Laura Agnes 
McNeil, Mary M. Miller, Edith Frances 
Montgomery, Emma Maud Muthersbaugh, 
Jessica Norma Nichols, Etta Bernice Oakes, 
Myrtle Angelia Owen, Clara E. Phillips, 
Ada Aletra Rainey, Etta M. Ruddock, Bes- 
sie Virginia Sanner, Clara Loretta Sawyer 
(Foster), Lida Evelyn Smetters (Wester- 
man), Elizabeth Blanche Spalding, Marie 
Rose Steinbach, Mary Cline Sterrett, Ina 
Lydia Kincaid, Ira Barnes Hoj^ Walter 
Summer Irwin, William Bertrand Kennedy, 
Guy Warren Lipscomb, Robert Usrey Maf- 
fit, Winfred Newman Conway. Ralph Gar- 
held Mills, Walter Herbert Mills, Benson 
A. L. flyers, Frederick David Niedermeyer, 
George Raymond Oakes, George Edgar 
Odor, Roy P. Owen, Russell Charles Pack- 
ard, Alfred Piatt, Charles Franklin Record, 
Robert Karl Schudel, Charles Moore Steele, 
Henry Conklin Stevens, Bryant Edward 
Vail, Sylvester Wilhelmy, Wayne Cullen 
Williams. 

Class of 1898. 
Ethel B. Ashmore, Lelah E. Ayres, Sada 
Beadles, Alice Jean Bevans, Nannie Beam- 



er, Jennie Lucile Bonebrake, Elmer O. 
Brintlinger, Jessica Ellen Carr, John R. 
Clary, Helen Fayetta Conover, Mary Jack- 
son Clark, Frank David Collins, Sallie 
Mabel Coleman, Olive May Casner, Rice 
Ervin De Groat, Lucy Jeannette Dur- 
fee, Gertrude Eva Dillehunt, Ruthe 
Deetz, Leota De Hart, Mary Golden 
Danely, Elizabeth Bates Dills, Myrtle L. 
Etheridge, Daisy M. Fletcher, George N. 
Gouv. M. Adelaide Gaston, Grace Griswold, 
Edith Adele Hunsley, Mary Catherine 
Harry. Maude Heminger, Benjamin Asbury 
Imbodcn, Arthur Livingston Jeffers, Ed. H. 
JefYers, Lee Irving Knight, Sarah Etta 
King, Olive Oliva Kunkle, Ida May Loring, 
Alvah W. Long, Margaret Hellar Landis, 
Clyde M. Leach, Noy Oglesby Montgom- 
er)-, James Montgomery, Albert Mann, Jes- 
sie Isabel Meriweather (Pluck), Margaret 
P. Murrell, Charlotte Briggs Nelson, Otto 
G. Prather, Lillian M. Post, Margaret 
Gertrude Phillips, Ethel Lucille Ouinlan, 
Martha Edna Stuart, Elizabeth Ruth Towl,. 
Charles Edward Vermillion. Jesse L. Wi- 
koff, Edith M. Wallace, Thomas Buck 
Weems. 

Class of 1899. 
Edwin Adamson, Edgar L. Auer, Clara 
Allison, Minnie Amelia Brown, Louise M. 
Bold, Marie Maud Baiky. Lee P>oland, Er- 
nest Bear, James Herbert Bowdle, Lillie 
E. Baldridge, Roy Jabez Blackburn, Kath- 
eryn Amelia Burk, Grace Beadles, Jesse Le 
Roy Conel, Lynn Watson Clark. Ella Ce- 
cilia Clarkson, Delia L. Dixon, Edith Chris- 
tina Carter, Charles E. Ewing, Bessie M. 
Etheridge, Clyde M. Frazicr, Nora Vivian 
Greene, J. Fred Grout. Gioga Dagmar Gas- 
ton, Desdemona Hamsher, Daniel Peter 
ITousum. Elizabeth L. Hawthorne, Samuel 
Garfield Heilbrun, Gertrude Anna Hott, 
Lura File, Grace M. Hayes, Marie Bertha 
Heinz, Mabel A. Knight, Myrtle Maul Kell, 
Catherine Estella Fitzpatrick, Mabel H. 
Laughlin, iMattie E. Laughlin, Raymond A.. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



159 



Leonard, Louise Merritts, Svie Mida Maris, 
Cecil G. McCollom, Mary Elizabeth Mills, 
Zella McAllister, Banns H. Prater, Lucy W. 
Penhallegon, Anna Mabel Phillips, Marie 
Haddessah Powers, Mary Ethel Priest, Har- 
old L. Ruehl, Grace Orpha Record, Roy W. 
Sanner, F. H. Marguerite Staufifer, Walter 
F. Smock, Sallie Reed Thomas, Susie Eme- 
line Tucker, Bertha Troutman, John A. 
Wolfer, i\Iaud A. Welfley, Edith Mac Han- 
ford, Maurice Guy Williams, Clara May 
White, Luella Estella Wheeler, Bess Neil 
Young, Sadie L. C. Skelley, Harry Jones, 
James H. Durfee Jr., Irene Bliss Sikes, Les- 
lie Alexander Maffit, Edith O. Foster, Ada 
Emilie Lindsay. 

Class of igoo. 

George Irwin Anthony, \'olney Barber, 
George Beatty, Carle Edison Braden, Ralph 
Merle Carter, Lloyd Albert Chenoweth, De- 
los Cozad, Edward Alexander Grubel, 
Harry H. Hannum, Frank Merrill Lindsay, 
Clarence C. Neiman, L. Aldridge Nichols, 
Rollin Boughton Pease, Paul F. Robertson, 
William P. Stevenson, Marshall C. Stookey, 
Arthur Van Guilder, John LaFayette Wad- 
dell, Fao Wait, J. Henry Warnecke, Moses 
A. Watkins, Florence Edith Abel, Edna 
Marie Alexander, Clara A. Ainsworth, 
Helen Louise Bachrach, Martha C. Batchel- 
der, Nellie E. Boutwell, Nellie Ethelin 
Bouser, Myrtle Llew-Ella Bowman, Jessie 
C. Brown, Bessie Burkam, Fay Weller 
Burks, Edith Hazel Catlin, Mabel A. Clark- 
son, Lucy Colston Cloyd, Daisy Jennie 
Coover, Kathrina Bartlett Disbrow (Clat- 
terbuck), Ethel Lenore Drinkall, Anna Mae 
Dunigan, Delia Mae Eaton, Mabel Agnes 
Eberly, Jessie Irene Fell, Alma Ethel Fos- 
ter, George Ena Earner, Sarah E. Fitzpat- 
rick, Julia Vivian Gasaway, Pearl Gebhart, 
Lelia Pauline Hardy, Leona Katherine 
Harkrader, Bertha Frances Heminger, Lu- 



cile F. Hiekisch, Eve M. Hoffman, Mabel 
Owen Howenstine, Ethel Lenore Hoyland, 
Lulu Belle Hughes, Leta Hughey, Patricia 
Maria Flunt, Grace L. DeHaven Johnson, 
Florence Mabel Jones, Kittie Kincaid, Fran- 
ces Celestia Kirk, Mary Alice Loughlin, 
Corrinne Leach, Mabel L. Logan, Amy Ida 
Mann, Minerva J. INIerker, Aileen McNur- 
ney, Mabel Alice Muthersbaugh, Estelle Er- 
cilla Nichols, Jessie Reeves Penhallegon, 
Celia J. Post, Pansy Blossom Priest, Mabel 
Claire Scanlon, Geneva M. Sikes, Mae M. 
Smeltzer, Helen Florence Stookey, Jessie 
Lucretia Swette, Esther Louise Thayer, 
Carrie Louise White, M. Margaret Wiefel, 
L. Irene Wiefel, Lucy Lavina Williams, 
Bessie Belle Wilson, Louise Wright. 

Class of igoi. 

Celeste Beaumont Abel, Goldie M. At- 
lass, Alice A. Baker, Mae Badenhausen, 
Mae Frances Boland, Ethel Ada Baldwin, 
Zella Alice Burks, Charlotte Brinkmeyer, 
Alda Halderman Born, Estelle Esther Bry- 
ant, Nellie M. Crockett, Julia Curran, Ada 
F. De Hart, June M. Dempster, Emma 
Bradley Ewing, Josephine Mae Epler, Freda 
Jewel Foster, Lillian E. Friend, Bertha Mae 
Edmundson, Beatrice Elliott, Bertha Mae 
Garver, Laura Naomi Gouge, Neta Han- 
num, Grace Hobson, Antoinette M. Henry, 
Nena Blondell Imboden, Ella Estelle John- 
son, Gertrude B. Knotts, Martha Rubentha 
Kresin, Myrtle Taylor McGowan, Lola E. 
Mason, Trenna June Miller, Elizabeth G. 
Mackenzie, Hattie Elizabeth Moore, Flor- 
ence Jeannette McNeil, Grace Naftel, Flor- 
ence Isabelle Nickens, Grace Lillian Pope, 
Susie Peters, Nellie E. Painter, Bessie Ral- 
ston, Minnie Redmon, Mary Theresa Smith, 
Iva Marguerite Still, Anna Carolyn Stout, 
Mabel Ellen Stout, Litta Marie Sine, Au- 
gusta R. Scott, Leah May Seiberling, Ruth 
Beatrice Valentine, Jennie Fay Wikoflf, 



160 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Frances Effie Wayne, Nellie Lura Wor- 
tham, Myra Belle Wallace, Nellie F. War- 
ren, Jennie I'carl Wohfarth, Nellie H. 
Wright, Sybil Lansdowne Williams, Emma 
-M. Wittlinger, .Maude Wilking, Roy .M. 
Cope, Albert Norton Beadles, Ralph C. 
Braddock, Will Carleton Cash, John Collier 
Calhoun, Austin Flint Collins, Frank E. 
Dietz, Robert Carl Doake, Harold F. En- 
lows, Chester W. Hathaway, Edward Ber- 
ing Hitchcock, Ralph William Hubert, Ed- 
mund Walter House, Louis Jones, Arthur 
Jones, Charles W. Keyes, Frank Kincaid, 
Lucius .Mitchell, Norman Dow McCollom, 
Harry Corneau Morgan, Robert R. Munsie, 
George Taylor Owens, Charles Walter Pad- 
gitt, Fred O. Pahmeyer, Roy Clifford Par- 
rish, Lloyd J. Sweeny, James Gordon Sheen, 
Chester Allan Smith, Fred Tolladay, Orville 
Wilhelmy, Edgar J. Witzeman, Claude Kyle 
Zimmerly. 

Class of 1902. 

Walter Neil Baker, A. Linn Bear, Robert 
^^ Benton, Orville Harry Billington, Car- 
roll Botts, Charles Black, Guy M. Cheno- 
weth. Marquis Connard, Curtis Connard, 
Orville L. Cross, Robert L. Church, Henry 
G. French, Ernest John Galbraith, Richard 
Garland, Lee Edwin Gilbert, William 
Charles Grout, Claude E. Guyant, G. Pal- 
mer Harry, Ernest L. G. Heyne, Hildred 
Vivian Arthur, Clara Martin Baker, Lin- 
netta Missouri Bear, Myrtle .\dams Boone, 
Lucile Carter, Ethel Chambers, Grace 
Childs, Ehrma Cloyd, Margarette Edythe 
Connaghan, Sadie Clara De Lashmutt, Lela 
Eyman, Lulu Eyman, Vera Glenn Fenton, 
Zillah H. Finnell, Pearl Fribourg, Nellie P. 
Glcssner, Ada D. Gourge, May Gouy, Sylva 
Mae Hinton, Jessie Hott, Lelah, Grace 
Hopkins, Iva M. Hubbard, Eda Au- 
gusta Jacobsen, Ollie James, Ethel 
Alay Jay, Effie Belle Keller, Alice King, 



Elizabeth Kirk, Guy U. Hill, Raymond C. 
Hill, Charles Percival House, James B. 
Howenstine, Sidney F. Keeler, Elmer B. 
Keusink, Don Raymond Lehman, Earl A. 
Mann, Harrj' Floyd Midkiff, Eugene Clif- 
ton Robertson, Ralph T. Rone}-, Ray G. 
Sawyer, Frank FL Stewart, D. Fred Strobel, 
Harry Van Gilder, Wilkie Logan W'addell, 
Fritz Leroy W'asliburn, Leonard E. Wise, 
Hoberta L Knowlton, Jessie F. Lichtenber- 
ger, Ethel Lih^an Lindsley, Carrie Metz, 
Opal C. Miller, Judith Bell Mills, Lillian 
^Montgomery, Bessie lona Murrell, Marguer- 
ite Ethel Oakes, Letha Patterson, Daisy V. 
Payne, Clara Elliott Phillips, Lena A. 
Pritchett, Ella Pritchett, Jessie Grace Reed, 
Claribelle Richardson, Ida .\ngeline Rob- 
bins, P^dith Fay Rodgers, Bertha May Rubi- 
cam, .Mice M. Ruddock, Alice Mae Rupp, 
Amelia Screeton, Mabel A. Schutz, Grace 
Lillian Stuart, Mabel Thatcher, Mabel 
Richmond, Edith Willard. 

Class of 1903. 

Sidney Louis Bachrach, Frank E. Bink- 
ley, Edgar Bachrach, Harrj' B. Crea, John 
Byrne, John Evans, Harold A. Elliot, Clif- 
ford J. Gaudy, Guy Rcnshaw Harrison, 
Claire E. Hutchin, Roy G. Johnson, Fred 
L. Riggin, Louis R. Ryan, R. Zink Sanders, 
Walter John Schulz, William A. Witzeman, 
Frank Walker, Charles Richard Yates, Otto 
R. Stahl, William M. Stivers, Stella Allen,' 
Pearl R. Ammann, Mabel C. Brightbill, Or- 
pha B. Bear, Bonnie Blackburn, Ada J. 
Bills, Frank Elizabeth Betzer, Austa Esther 
Brintlinger, Virginia Cloyd, Chispa L. Chap- 
pelow, Linnie B. Devore, Jennie S. Dashiell, 
Ida O. Diller, Lulalou De Groat, Maud 
Jcanette Earnest, Eugenia Ewing, Mabel 
Fletcher, Georgia S. Faith, Pearl Garrett, 
Mabel Gaddis, Olive May Got, Lelah Car- 
ver, Myrtle May Hatfield, Irene L. Houck, 
Pearl Huffaker, lUanchc Ophelia Head, 
Elva Inez Hartley, Constance Ice, Helen 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



UU 



Aileen Jameson, Margarete E. Kelly, Hazel 
King, Mary Isabele Legg, Sylvia Lee Delda 
Lawrence, Jessie Leon, Ruth Mame Lan- 
ham, Hallie May Miller, Edna Claire Mc- 
Clelland, Georgette Morgan, Lillie Maud 
Nichols, Frances Catherine Nye, Josephine 



Estelle Nickens, Jessie Sumuelva Mont- 
gomery, Lillian May Ouimby, Pearl Record, 
Hallie Rugh, Florence Scott, Mabel E. 
Thorn, Katherine Troutman, Edith T. 
West, Samuella Young, Madge Arline 
Young. 





J 6r^-^~ 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



ORLANDO 

Among the eminent men of Illinois whose 
life recortl forms an integral part of the 
history of Decatur, Hon. Orlando Powers 
was numbered. In his death the city lost 
one of its most progressive residents and 
active and honorable business men, as well 
as one whose influence was felt in marked 
degree along the line of intellectual and 
moral advancement. As the day, with its 
morning of hope and promise, its noontide 
of activity, its evening of completed and 
successful efforts, ending in the grateful 
rest and quiet of the night, so was the life 
of this honored man. His career was a 
long, busy and useful one, marked by the 
utmost fidelity to the duties of public and 
private life, and crowned with honors con- 
ferred upon him in recognition of superior 
merit. His name is inseparably interwoven 
with the annals of Illinois, with its best de- 
velopment and- its stable progress, and his 
memory is cherished as that of one who 
made the world better for his having lived. 
The Hfe record of Orlando Powers began 
on the 2ist of May, 1812, near the village 
of Charlton, Saratoga county. New York, 
and his youth was that of the usual farm 
boy who assists in the operation of the 
fields through the months of summer, while 
in the winter seasons he pursues his edu- 
cation in the common schools. It was in 
that manner that Mr. Powers passed his 
boyhood days until he reached the age of 
sixteen years, when he started for Havana, 
Cuba, in response to a request of his brother 
William that Orlando should go to that 
island and assist him in carrying on his 
business there. Making his way to New 
York, Mr. Powers, of this review, took 
passage upon the schooner Helen, but was 

(1(5, 



POWERS. 

destined never to reach the port for which 
he sailed, for that ship was wrecked in a 
severe storm when it had been under way 
for three days. The rescue of Mr. Powers 
was almost marvelous. He and Captain 
Tucker, who commanded the vessel, to- 
gether with three of the sailors, drifted 
upon the open sea for eleven days, clinging 
to the disabled hulk, part of which was out 
of water. They subsisted upon a scanty 
supply of sea biscuit and raw potatoes and 
a very short allowance of water. When 
nearly famished because of lack of food and 
almost crazed by want of drink, they were 
picked up by a French brig bound for Bor- 
deaux and eventually landed at La Rochelle, 
whence they were taken on to Bordeaux 
by land. Mr. Powers had no money nor 
clothing, save that which he wore, and was 
even without a hat, but found a kind friend 
in an English gentleman who relieved his 
immediate wants and cared for him until 
opportunity came for him to return home. 
Re-crossing the Atlantic he landed at New 
York and through the assistance of business 
acquaintances of his elder brother he was 
enabled to promptly discharge the indebt- 
edness which it had been necessary for him 
to incur. He did not tarry long in the me- 
tropolis, but proceeded at once by steamer 
up the Hudson river to his home, where he 
had been long mourned as dead. After vis- 
iting his people he once more made an at- 
tempt to enter the business world, and this 
time sailed from New York to Mobile, Ala- 
bama. For some time he remained in the 
south, being engaged in business enter- 
prises in Alabama and Mississippi in con- 
nection with his brothers and brother-in- 
law. Chauncey Wilkinson, during which 

5) 



168 



PAST AKD TRLSEXT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ment, he has garnered in the fulhiess of 
time a generous harvest which is the just 
recompense of indomitable industry, spot- 
less integrity and marvelous enterprise. 

Silas Packard claims Vermont as the state 
of his nativity, his birth having occurred 
there on the 15th of April, 1829, but when 
he was only about a year and a half old 
he was brought to Decatur, Illinois, by 
his parents, Silas and Lydia (Tracey) Pack- 
ard, the former a native of the Green ]Moun- 
tain state, while the latter was born in 
Massachusetts. The family was of English 
extraction. Silas Packard, Sr., was a farmer 
by occupation, but he was not long per- 
mitted to engage in that pursuit here or 
to enjoy his new home for in the fall of 
1830 he was called to his final rest. Upon 
his widow devolved the care of a large fam- 
ily of children, namely: Charles, Anson, 
Edward, Mason, Marietta, Elizabeth and 
Silas. 

Decatur was at that time a mere village 
and its advantages were proportionate to 
its size and importance. The public-school 
system had not been established and Silas 
Packard, the subject of this review, pur- 
sued his education in a subscription school. 
As the family was left in somewhat strait- 
ened circumstances it was necessary that 
he early provide for his own support and 
for five years he was employed as a farm 
hand. Then attracted by the possibilities 
for the rapid acquirement of wealth in the 
far west, owing to the discovery of gold in 
California, he resolved to seek a fortune on 
the Pacific coast and in 1850 purchased a 
team and started with a company of twenty- 
three wagons from the present site of the 
Transfer House on West j\Iain street, De- 
catur. They crossed the plains and made 
their way through the mountains of the west 
imtil they reached the mines. Such a trip 
was fraught wilh man\- hardships, hut it 
also brought much valuable experience and 
knowledge to the young man, making him 



realize the responsibilities of life and the 
difficulties incident to a successful business 
career. It taught him that there is no 
royal road to wealth, but that perseverance 
and energy are the surest basis of pros- 
perity. In California he engaged in gulch 
mining and was fairly successful so that he 
brought with him upon his return to De- 
catur enough capital to enable him to em- 
bark upon an independent business career. 
It was in 1855 that Mr. Packard again 
reached this city. Establishing a lumber- 
yard, he continued its conduct for several 
years and was afterward in the hardware 
business, while at the same time he carried 
on agricultural pursuits, having purchased 
a tract of land, to the development and im- 
provement of which he gave his personal 
supervision. He became a dry-goods mer- 
chant of Decatur, continuing his operations 
in real estate through the purchase and sale 
of farms and as his financial resources in- 
creased he became a factor in the banking 
interests of Decatur. His greatest success, 
hovi'ever, has been achieved through ' his 
operations jn realty. His purchases have 
been very carefully made and thus he has 
been enabled to realize a good profit when 
disposing of his landed interests. For si.x- 
ty-two years he was the owner of the eighty 
acre tract of land constituting Riverside 
Park. A ])art of this has been platted and 
laid out into town lots and substantially and 
attractively improved. 

In 1856 was celebrated the marriage of 
Silas Packard and Miss Mary Sawyer, a 
native resident of Decatur and a daughter of 
John and Eliza (Ketring) Sawyer, who 
were numbered among the pioneer settlers 
here, coming from Pennsylvania to this city 
in the year 1836. Mr. and Mrs. Packard 
have had no children of their own, but 
reared an adopted daughter, who is now the 
wife of Robert I. Hunt, a prominent busi- 
ness man of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Pack- 
ard have a beautiful home in one of the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



169 



finest residence districts of Decatur and its 
gracious hospitality has been enjoyed by a 
circle of friends that is constantly increas- 
ing. Both are members of the JNIethodist 
Episcopal church and its work has received 
their co-operation and also generous and 
financial support. 

Mr. Packard votes with the Republican 
party and has ever been firm in his advo- 
cacy of its principles, but political honors 
and emoluments have had no attraction for 
him as he has preferred to give his time and 
attention to his business aiTairs. He began 
life as a farm hand and now stands among 
the capitalists of Decatur. Such a history 
should serve as a source of encouragement 
and inspiration to others, proving as it does 
the potency of industry in the active affairs 
of life. He has always been willing to de- 
vote his wealth and his energies to any 
feasible undertaking that would increase 
the prosperity of the city and add to the 
comfort of its inhabitants. His life has been 
a success. He has accumulated a large for- 
tune and has used only such means as will 
bear the closest scrutiny. He has bestowed 
on w:orthy causes large sums of money, and 
uses his fortune to the advantage of the 
communitj' as well as to his own profit. To 
such men as he is the development of the 
west due. He has for nearly forty years 
been an active factor in advancing the city 
of Decatur, and during that entire time has 
so conducted all of his affairs as to com- 
mand the esteem, confidence and respect of 
all classes. Personally he is sociable, ever 
willing to accord to anyone the courtesy of 
an interview. Although a man of great 
wealth, he is unostentatious in a marked 
degree, and in this age, when anarchistic 
and socialistic doctrines are inflaming the 
masses, the demeanor and actions of such 
men as he do more to quench the fire of 
envy and malice than all other means com- 
bined. 

Mr. Packard's actions have during his life 



been such as to distinctively entitle him 
to a place in this publication, and although 
his career has not been filled with thrilling 
incidents, probably no biography published 
in this book can serve as a better illustra- 
tion to young men of the power of honesty 
and integrity in insuring success. 



•S. O. HILBRANT. 

S. O. Hilbrant, who is engaged in the 
banking business in Argenta, was born in 
Botkins, Ohio, in 1872, a son of Samuel and 
Jemima Hill^rant. The father was also a 
native of the Buckeye state and about six- 
teen years ago he came with his wife to 
Macon county, Illinois, settling on a farm 
near Argenta, where both are now living. 
Mr. Hilbrant there owns eighty acres of 
valuable land, constituting an e.xcellent 
farm, and he also has some town property. 

S. O. Hilbrant was but a boy when 
brought by his parents to Illinois and in 
the schools of Argenta his early education 
was acquired. Later he attended the busi- 
ness college at Valparaiso, Indiana, and 
thus well equipped for the practical and 
responsible duties of life he entered upon 
the task of winning for himself a creditable 
position in the business world. Returning 
to Argenta, he gave his attention to farm- 
ing, which he followed for two years, and 
then removed to Medaryville, Indiana, 
where he occupied the position of assistant 
cashier in a bank. He spent two years in 
that place, during which time he gained a 
good knowledge of the banking business. 
Returning to Argenta once more, he was 
appointed cashier in the bank of Gerber & 
Son and has since attained a third interest 
in the institution, which was founded in 
1887. This is an important factor in the 
business circles of the town and the suc- 
cess of the bank is attributable in no small 
degree to the business sagacity, the enter- 



170 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



prise and the ability of the popular cashier. 
Harry Parr, a promising young man, is act- 
ing as bookkeeper in the bank. 

In 1898 Mr. Plilbrant was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Minnie L. Sternberg, a daugh- 
ter of Charles H. Sternberg, and a native 
of Medaryvillc, Indiana. Her father owns 
seven or eight hundred acres of land in that 
locality, is likewise engaged in the cattle 
industry and is the owner of three dredge 
boats. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hilbrant have 
been born three children : May, born May 
6, 1899; Robert E. and William Edward, 
born in August, 1902. Mrs. Hilbrant holds 
membership in the German Lutheran church 
and both our subject and his wife occupy an 
enviable position in social circles and in the 
regard of their many friends, 

Mr. Hilbrant votes with the Republican 
party and he served as tax collector in 1901 
and 1902, making the best collections ever 
made in Friends Creek township. His fra- 
ternal relations connect him with the 
Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen 
of America. In matters of citizenship he 
is progressive and his aid is never sought 
in vain in behalf of enterprises for the gen- 
eral good. The banking firm with which 
he is connected owns the telephone system 
of Argenta, which operates three hundred 
and seventy-five telephones. He is a pro- 
gressive, wide-awake young business man, 
possessed of the energetic spirit which has 
been the dominant factor in the upbuilding 
of the centra! states, and has already at- 
tained success that many an older man 
might well envy. 



MRS. LOVINA :\1EYERS. 

One of the most highly esteemed and 

honored residents of Whitmore township is 

the lady whose name introduces this sketch, 

her home being on section 11, where she 



has a most beautiful and attractive place. 
She was born in Shelby county, Ohio, Jan- 
uary 22, 1837, and is a daughter of Samuel 
and Christina (Fisher) Boyer, both natives 
of Pennsylvania. She is the only one of 
their ten children now living. In the county 
of her nativity she was reared and educated 
and in 1855 she gave her hand in marriage 
to John Meyers, who died about 1875. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Meyers were born 
eight children, of whom seven are still liv- 
ing, namely : Alice, the wife of Isaac Bar- 
nett, of Argenta, Illinois ; Anna, wife of 
William Adams; Belle, wife of Harvey 
Stearns, of Decatur ; Clara, at home with 
her mother; Edward M., who married Sadie 
McCarthy and lives in Indiana; Charley, 
who married Nettie Shuter; and John, who 
married his cousin Fannie Boyer. 

Just before the Civil war broke out Mr. 
and ^Irs. Meyers came to Macon county, 
Illinois, and settled one and a half miles 
north and west of her present home in Whit- 
more township. At that time much of the 
county was wild and unimi)roved and wild 
geese and other game was to be had in 
abundance. For many years after the death 
of her husband, Mrs. Meyers conducted the 
farm of eighty acres on section 11, but of 
recent years she has rented the place. She 
displayed excellent business ability in the 
management of her affairs and not only sup- 
ported her family but also paid off the debt 
resting on the farm at the tinie of her hus- 
band's death, and besides her farm she now 
owns some Decatur property. Her place is 
one of the most attractive homes on the 
Decatur road, the front yard being literally 
crowded with flowers of all kinds, represent- 
ing nearly every native specie, and she takes 
great delight in showing her flowers to the 
many who call to see them. Her pleasant 
and comfortable residence was erected about 
1887 and the other buildings upon the farm 
are good and substantial. For thirty years 
Mrs. Mevcrs has been an active and con- 





^M^ww W V^r^H 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



173 



sistent member of the Christian church and 
lier life has ever been in liarmony with her 
professions. During her long residence in 
Macon county she has witnessed the mar- 
velous transformation in the face of the 
country ; wild prairies have been converted 
into well cultivated and highly improved 
farms ; towns have sprung up and villages 
grown into flourishing cities; railroads, the 
telegraph and telephone have been intro- 
duced ; and all the evidences of an advanced 
civilization are now found within its bor- 
ders. 



JEROME R. GORIN. 

W ith the passing away of Jerome R. 
Gorin Decatur lost a citizen who left the 
impress of his life and character upon vari- 
ous interests which have contributed to the 
material upbuilding, the permanent devel- 
opment and the intellectual and moral prog- 
ress of this city. Coming here at an early 
day he took an active part in shaping the 
policy of Decatur as it emerged from vil- 
lage conditions to take its place among the 
leading cities of this great commonwealth. 
He kept apace with universal progress and 
improvement and exerted his eflorts in be- 
half of the public good, but while he did 
much for the city in the way of business 
development and public improvement, it 
was the kindly nature of the man, his char- 
itable spirit and his genial disposition that 
won for him the love and unqualified re- 
gard of people of every class of society. 

Jerome R. Gorin was born in Hopkins- 
ville. Christian county, Kentucky, his natal 
day being October 12, 1817. He was a son 
of John D. and Mattie (Thomas) Gorin and 
a representative of an old Virginian fam- 
ily. His father was born in the Old Do- 
minion, but during his boyhood went wilTi 
his parents to the Blue Grass state, where 
he spent the period of his boyhood and 
youth. In the spring of 1828 he came to Il- 



linois, whicli only ten years before had been 
admitted to the Union. He took up his 
abode in Vandalia, then the capital of the 
state, and became a representative of its 
business interests as both a merchant and 
farmer. He was also prominent in public 
affairs and for some years acted as receiver 
in the loan office. He died in Vandalia, 
April 26, 1846, at the age of fifty-six years, 
and his wife passed away on the 13th of 
July, 1876, at the advanced age of eighty- 
nine years. 

Jerome B. Gorin was a youth of eleven 
years when he accompanied his parents to 
Illinois and in 1833 he made his way to 
Decatur, joining his two older brothers and 
a sister, who were then residents of this 
city. His brother, Henry M. Gorin, was 
for many years clerk of the court here, but 
left the office in 1841. His sister, Elvira, 
who had located in Decatur in 1830, became 
the v/ife of General Isaac Pugh and she 
and her husband passed away here after 
reaching advanced ages. Almost continu- 
ously from the time when as a young man 
of sixteen years Jerome Gorin entered upon 
his business career in Decatur up to the 
time of his death he resided in this city. 
His residence here was interrupted by only 
a short absence. 

He first accepted a position as salesman 
and thus served until 1841, when, desiring 
to enter professional life, he took up the 
study of law and devoted two years to the 
mastery of the principles of jurisprudence. 
In 1842 he was admitted to the bar before 
Judge Treat and then went to Scotland 
county, Missouri, where he spent one win- 
ter. At the end of that time, however, he 
returned to Decatur and entered into part- 
nership with Judge Charles Emerson and 
afterward became associated in the prose- 
cution of his profession with Judge Kirby 
Benedict, who later was appointed district 
judge of New Mexico, In i860 Mr. Gorin 
was chosen to the office of city clerk and 



17i 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



attorney, acting in that capacity for four 
years. He liad also been justice of the 
peace and liad been retained either as coun- 
sel for the prosecution or defense in many 
important cases which had been Irietl in the 
courts of this district. His last law partner 
was Judge Arthur Gallagher, with whom 
he was associated in the practice of law 
until 1861, when he became identified with 
the banking interests of that cit)'. In that 
year the banking firm of Millikin & Oder 
was established and ^Ir. Gorin became its 
cashier, discharging his duties in that con- 
nection in addition to the work which he 
performed in the office of city clerk and 
attorney. The thoroughness and close ap- 
plication which characterized all his busi- 
ness career were manifested in the bank and 
he soon became master of the work in its 
various departments. After four years ho 
was admitted to a partnership and he con- 
tinued to act as cashier until 1881, when he 
withdrew from the Millikin Bank and be- 
came the senior partner of the firm of Gorin 
& Bills. These gentlemen engaged in pri- 
vate banking and in dealing in real estate 
and loans, their association being inain- 
tained for two years. At the end of that 
time Mr. Gorin was instrumental in estal)- 
lishing the bank of Gorin & Dawson, of 
which he became the president, successfully 
controlling the affairs of the institution for 
several years, when he sold out to L. P.. 
Casncr. A year later this institution was 
merged into the Citizens' National Bank, 
of which Mr. Gorin became an incorporator 
and the first president, but after a year he 
disposed of his interests and from 1892 up 
to the time of his demise lived retired from 
further business cares. For thirty years he 
was an active factor in financial circles of 
Decatur and was instrumental in founding 
two of the leading banking institutions of 
the city. He was a man of keen foresight, 
of quick recognition of opportunities and 
of marked adaptability in using the means 



at hand for the desired ends. Over the 
record of his business career there falls no 
shadow of wrong, for throughout his entire 
life he maintained an unassailable reputa- 
tion, never taking advantage of the necessi- 
ties of his fellow men in any business trans- 
action. 

On the 1st of April, 1845, i" Decatur. .Mr. 
Gorin was united in marriage to Miss 
Eleanor D. Fawcett, a native of Virginia, 
and a daughter of Isaac and Rebecca Faw- 
cett. They became the parents of six chil- 
dren: Mary Emma, who is now the wife 
of C. V. Middleton, a resident of Dallas, 
Texas; Orville B., the vice-president of the 
Millikin National Bank of Decatur; Ida E., 
the wife of W. C. Armstrong, of this city; 
Jerome C, a business man of New York 
city; M attic A., who is living in Decatur; 
and Henry Gladden, who is now in Minne- 
apolis, Minnesota. 

Mr. Gorin was a man of kindly spirit, 
deep sympathy and keen insight into the 
methods of men. His nature was one of 
helpfulness and thus it was that the Ma- 
sonic fraternity appealed strongly to him, 
for it is based upon brotherly kindness and 
charity. On the i8th of October, 1841, he 
was initiated in Macon Lodge, No. 8, F. & 
A. M., and for a number of years prior to 
his death was the oldest and most honored 
member of that organization. For seven 
consecutive years he served as master of the 
local lodge, retiring from that office when 
elected grand master of the state. He like- 
wise belonged to ilacon Chapter, R. A. M., 
of which he served as high priest, and in 
Beaumanoir Commandery, No. 9, K. T., he 
acted as eminent commander. His name 
was inscribed high on the roll of eminent 
Masons in Illinois and in 1867-8 he served 
as grand master of the grand lodge of this 
state. In April, 1866, he attained the thirty- 
second degree of the Scottish Rite in the 
Consistory of Chicago and for many years 
he was an active worker in the ranks of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



175 



Masonry, realizing its efficiency in advanc- 
ing the standard of human conduct and 
promulgating principles which are for the 
benefit of the race. He became the founder 
of the commandery in Olney, Illinois, on 
the igth of January, 1865, and it was named 
Gorin Commandery in his honor. There 
was a three days' session during which 
nineteen Masons were created Knights 
Templar. 

In his political affiliations in early life 
Mr. Gorin was a Whig and upon the disso- 
lution of that party he joined the ranks of 
the new Republican party, which he sup- 
ported for many years. In his last years, 
however, he gave his political allegiance to 
the Prohibition party, for he was a man of 
strong temperance principles and believed 
it the duty of Christian people to put down 
the evils of intemperance. In 1856 he was 
elected upon the ticket of the then new 
Republican party to serve in the state legis- 
lature and represented his district in the 
house during the succeeding session. While 
acting in that capacity he was made dis- 
bursing agent of the Fort Ridgely wagon 
road, which was being btnlt for the govern- 
ment from St. Paul and Fort Ridgely to 
the Missouri river. While thus engaged 
Mr. Gorin had an office in St. Paul for 
about a year, at the end of which time the 
project was abandoned. 

Through all and above all things else in 
life was noticeable his devotion to the cause 
of Christianity. Through a long period he 
was an active member of the First Meth- 
odist Episcopal church of Decatur and dur- 
ing almost the entire period of his con- 
nection therewith he was one of its office 
holders. Deeply interested in Sunday- 
school work he realized how important is 
the early Christian instruction of the young 
that character may be developed upon a 
firm and sure foundation. He thus labored 
untiringly in behalf of the Sunday-school 
and served as the president of the state 



Sunday-School Association. He was also 
a member of the executive committee and 
for ten years was the president of the Coun- 
ty Sunday-School Association. In the 
Young Men's Christian Association he was 
an active worker and no cause tending to 
elevate mankind .sought his aid in vain. In 
all his work he was ably assisted by his 
estimable wife, who was indeed a faithful 
companion and helpmate to him on life's 
journey. She died in 1894 and his death 
occurred on the ist of September, 1897. 
His was a noble manhood, consistent with 
all manly principles, with public-spirited 
citizenship, with honor in business and lo}--- 
alty in friendship and in social circles. He 
attained to almost the age of eighty years 
and when he passed away expressions of 
regret were heard on every hand, for many 
felt that they had sustained a personal be- 
reavement and the city an irreparable loss. 
He possessed to a full measure all the fine 
and ennobling qualities which endear man 
to man, and his integrity, kindness and up- 
right principles were a constant source of 
inspiration to his family and his friends. 



ROBERT D. WILSON. 

There are few men whose lives are 
crowned with the honor and respect which 
was universally accorded Robert D. Wilson, 
but through a long connection with the his- 
tory of Macon county his was an unblem- 
ished character. With him success in life 
was reached by his sterling qualities of 
mind and of heart true to every manly prin- 
ciple. He never deviated from what his 
judgment would indicate to be right be- 
tween his fellow men and himself and he 
never swerved from the path of duty and 
at the close of his career his friends passed 
favorable judgment upon him and mourned 
his death because they had respected and 
loved him. 

Robert D. ^^'ilson was certainly one of 



17C. PAST AX I) I'kl'SI'.Xr OF MAQ^X COUXTV. 

the bc'sl known nii-ii of Macon county fur iihodo in ilio villajjc of iMtnnil /imi, ilnrc 
almost liis entire life was here spent, the living; relireil for a few years, lie then 
family ha\ inj^f setlletlhere in 1830. Mr. W'il- moved to Decatur, makin.i; his home with 
son was horn in Sanfjainon counix. Illinois, .Mr. and .Mrs. \\ ils^n until called to his final 
in i8j9 and w;is a son of Robert and Sarah rest at the advanced a^e of eij^hty-ei^hl 
(l.indsey) Wilson, both of whom were na- years, liis wife had dieil when Mrs. W'il- 
lives of North Carolina, wlunce they re- son was but sev en years of a.t;e and he after- 
moved to Tennessee and after liviu;;' in titat ward wedded .Miss .Mary Ross, of Cass 
state for a short time they came to Illinois, county, Illinois, whose deatli occurred in 
settling; in Sauf^amon coimty in iS_h). There Mount /.ion townshi)). Macon county, 
his father en^aj^ed in farming; for one year There were four children by the first union, 
and in 1830 came to .Maciin county, settlinjj; but two are deceased, those livint;- bein^ 
in Miunit /ion townshi]). where he built .1 \\ . I'., an atlornc\- residins;- in Decatur, and 
lo^' cabin — one of the pioneer homes of the .Mary, who became the wife of Robert 1). 
county, in which h;irdships and trials were Wilson. The only child of the second mar- 
cndnri'il ami \ci in which the foiin<lalion for ria.i;i' was tieorge T. (Intli'ti, who died at 
a comfortable competence was laid. There the aj;e of thirty-three years, 
he lived throui^lKuil liis remainiiit;- days. 'y\^^. i,o„,o of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson was 
carryin-- on -eneral laniiiui.;-, and his wile l,losse,l with ei-ht children: Julia, the wife 
al.so died on the old homestead there. Of ,,f | U.,i,y \. Trangliber, who resides in 
their children only two are now liviu-; Spokane. Washiii-ton ; R..bert I'urnell, who 
James .\., a resident of Decatur, and .^arah, ,ij^.,i i„ ^,,„,li; Anna, the wil'c of D. M. 
who is the wile of John Davidson and re- \i\U~v. who is livini;- in Decatur, Illinois; 
sides in Mount /inn tnwnship. James D., who married Maiule t Jgle and 
In the common schools like tlie oilier lives on the old homeslead in .Mount /ion 
members of llii' family, Robert D. W ilsou lownshij); Oscar W ., who is engfagetl in the 
pursued his education, lie was rearcil amid real estate business in Decatur; .\rchie, who 
frontier surroundin.i;s and hi^ mind bore the died in May, ii)(\>; .Mva (I., who resides 
impress of the early history of the county, with his mother and is a partner in the firm 
when lands were uncullixated and the work of .\kers i\: Wilson, prominent furniture 
of imi>ro\einent and pro};ress was scarcely dealers, condnctiiii;- a lari^e store in Deca- 
bejiiin. lie continued to assist in the work liir; and I'lla .M., the wife of Dr. John Mib 
of the home farm until the lime of his mar- ler, a physician of Decatur. 
rias;e. lie weddeil Miss .Mary Outten, a After his marriai^e Robert D. Wilson lo- 
iiati\e of Cass connlx. Illinois, and a daujih- cated upon a farm in Mount /ion township, 
ler of I'nrnell S. and Rachel (licrry) (hit- where he carrieil on as^ricultural pursuits 
ten, the former a native of Kentucky and iiulil after the livil war was inaugurated, 
the hitler of \iri.;iiiia. In the year 1843 they ( >n the olh of Aus-usl. i8()J, he enlisted in 
remo\ ed to Cass county, Illinois, where the the t hie llimdred and Sixteenth Illinois In- 
father enj^aged in .agricultural pursuits for fantry under I'olonel .X. W. Tnppcr. The 
ten years and in 1853 he cime to Macon regiment was organized at tamp Macon 
county, settling on a farm in Mount /ion and on the 8th of Xovenii)er went to Mem- 
township near the Wilson homestead. There i>his, Tennessee, where with liis company 
he lised, devoting his energies to the care Mr. \\ ilson |iarlici))ated in the battles ol 
and cultivation of the land until oKl age N'ickslnirg, tMiickasaw I'.ayou, .\rkansas 
began to crr-ep on, when he took up his Tost and ^'onngs roinl. The regiment 




■r^fjbeU Brothers. /^fwYoi; 




(Su^^^ 




PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



179 



worked on Grant's canal all ilurint;' the win- 
ter and the hoys suffered much from sick- 
ness tliere. On the 19th of June, 1863, in 
the assault on \'ickshurg, Mr. Wilson was 
shot through the right arm and la}' in the 
hospital for two weeks. He was then grant- 
ed a furlough, which he spent at home, but 
soon he rejoined his regiment at Camp Sher- 
man, Vicksburg, when there were but three 
of his company remaining there, the others 
having been taken prisoners. He was after- 
ward in the battles of Atlanta, Lookout 
Mountain, Chattanooga and Dallas and was 
with Sherman on the march to the sea. On 
one occasion he was severely wotnided by 
the concussion of a torpedo, a piece of which 
struck his heel. After Lee's surrender the 
regiment went to Washington and par- 
ticipated in the grand review in the capital 
city, where wave after wave of bayonet- 
crested blue passed by the reviewing stand. 
At Springfield, Illinois, Mr. Wilson was 
mustered out, receiving an honorable dis- 
charge on the 7th of June, 1865. 

Returning to his home Mr. Wilson re- 
sumed farming and engaged in the tilling of 
the soil in Mount Zion township ttntil 1886, 
when on account of ill health he removed 
with his family to Decattir, where he lived 
retired until his death, which occurred Janu- 
ary 30, igoi. He held several minor ofifices 
in the township, but was never an aspirant 
for political preferment. In politics he was 
a Republican. He belonged to Thomas 
White Post, G. A. R., of Mount Zion, and 
thus maintained pleasant relations with his 
old army comrades. Both he and his wife 
were consistent members of the First Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and Mrs. Wilson is 
still deeply interested in its work. She re- 
sides in a fine residence at No. 960 Cleve- 
land avenue, in Riverside. It is one of the 
most attractive homes in that part of the 
city and was built by her husband. 

Through almost his entire life Mr. Wil- 
son resided in Macon countv and he had a 



\ery wide acquaintance here. He was brave 
in the face of danger, fearless in the defense 
of his honest con\'ictions, straightforward 
in all his dealings and in all life's relations 
was an honoral:)le gentleman, his sterling 
traits endearing him to his many friends as 
well as to his immediate family. As a 
pioneer citizen, as a veteran soldier and as 
one of the most respected residents of Ma- 
con county, he is well deserving of mention 
in this vohmie. It was in his home, how- 
ever, that his best nattire shone forth, his 
kindly spirit being most strongly manifested 
in his relations with wife and children. 



CHARLES ADLAI EWING. 

Charles Adlai Ewing was born Novem- 
ber 3, 1846, in Morganfield, Kentucky, the 
son of Fielding N. and Sarah Ann (Powers) 
Ewing. The family removed to Blooming- 
ton, Illinois, in 1849, to Chicago in 1859, 
and to Decatur in 1864. Mr. Ewing was 
one of the pupi-is at the Chicago L^niversity 
during his residence there, was graduated 
from Princeton in 1867, and from the Al- 
bany Law School in 1870. He immediately 
began the practice of his profession in 
Decatur. 

On the 15th of June, 1871, he was united 
in marriage to Mary Giselle Palmer, of 
Alban}^, New York, and to them were born 
seven children : Fielding Palmer, who died 
at the age of one month ; Mrs. Marian Old- 
ham ; Belle Adlai, who died at one year; 
Charles Adlai, Jr.; Giselle E. F., deceased; 
Emma and Eugenia. Mr. Ewing was from 
boyhood an earnest Presbyterian and was 
for many years a trustee of the church, 
doing a great deal toward the erection of the 
new church building. 

During the last administration of Gov- 
ernor Oglesb)' he was appointed by the 
governor on a commission to revise the 
revenue laws of the state. " This commis- 



180 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



sion, composed of some of the ablest men of 
the state, with the late Milton Hay as 
chairman, formulated a revenue code which 
was pronounced by the press and the think- 
ing public to be the best adapted to the 
requirements of the state of any that had 
ever been presented to an Illinois legisla- 
ture for adoption. That the legislature 
failed to enact the new code into law is 
probably the best commentary on its ex- 
cellence. Mr. Ewing always referred to this 
piece of public work with pride and satis- 
faction." 

He was always a Democrat and from the 
first one of the most prominent workers of 
the sound money Democracy. In the con- 
ference in Chicago in August, 1895, in the 
direction of the literary bureau for the edu- 
cation of the voters and as the chairman 
of the state committee he worked early and 
late. During the campaign he made many 
speeches throughout the state, the last one 
being the Saturday before election at Peo- 
ria, where he was taken ill. He returned 
home and was able to be driven to the polls 
on election day — his fiftieth anniversary — 
and cast his vote. He was not considered 
seriously ill but death came to him sud- 
denly on the morning of November 6, 1896. 

One who knew him well throughout 
the fifty years of his life wrote these words 
concerning him : " If the life of Mr. Ewing 
were measured by intellectual attainment, 
by purity of purpose, by number of friends, 
by acquisition of wealth, by acts of kindness 
and deeds of patriotism, then the fifty years 
just passed have been ample to round out 
into full measure the perfect station of 
manly power and beauty. From infancy 
to death there was ever a hallowed atmos- 
phere about his very presence. Cradled in 
the lap of a home life which was ideal in its 
many perfections, his youth furnished 
choice companionship for the young and 
old. Charming of manner, genuinely witty, 
considerate and tender, strong and coura- 



geous, always honorable, loving excellence 
for its own sake and not for that of emu- 
lation. .These were characteristics which be- 
longed to him naturally and which enabled 
him to move through the arena of an active 
professional career with calm poise and 
forceful accomplishment of honest and wise 
purpose. 

" All these qualities of mind and heart 
were necessary to the great lawyer and the 
splendid citizen and Mr. Ewing possessed 
them in that high degree which enabled him 
to succcssfulh' champion individual rights 
and rescue an imperilled countrj' from the 
most insidious and imminent danger that 
has threatened it since secession drove the 
great Douglas to proclaim that there were 
but two parties, namely, those for the Union 
and those against the Union. 

" It may be that his absorbing concern for 
the triumph and the honor of his country 
in the recent election, for which triumph he 
lavishly gave of his time, of his money and 
of his eloquence, may have caused the ap- 
parent sacrifice of this noble life. Byron in 
his address to the Greeks, said ' The tomb 
where freedom weeps can never have been 
too prematurely reached by its inmate, 
such martyrdom is blessed indeed. What 
higher fortune can ambition court?' 

" The bar has lost from its ranks a great 
lawyer, the state a great citizen, and the 
country at large a stanch patriot, but the 
good that he accomplished is enduring and 
is ours to enjoy." 



GEORGE W. DRURY, M. D. 
Dr. George W. Drury, a successful prac- 
ticing physician of Decatur, was born upon 
a farm in Morgan county, Illinois, in 1853, 
his parents being George W. and Penelope 
(Evans) Drury. The father, a native of 
Ohio, came at an early day to Illinois, cast- 
ing in his lot with the pioneer settlers of 



PAST AND FRESEXT OF MACON COUNTY. 



181 



Morgan county, his first home being in the 
vicinity of Jacksonville. There he engaged 
in general farming and at the close of his 
active business career he removed to For- 
syth, Macon county, where he lived retired 
until called to his final rest at the advanced 
age of eighty-three years. His wife died in 
the same place at the age of seventy-two 
years. They reared a family of six children, 
of whom four are now living: Josiah, a resi- 
dent of Clay Center, Kansas ; Elizabeth, who 
is the wife of Harrison Duncan, of For- 
syth ; George W., and Charles, who makes 
his home in Springfield, Illinois. 

In his youth George W. Drury came to 
Macon county, being only about five years 
of age when his father established his home 
in Maroa township, Macon county. There 
he was reared upon the home farm and in 
early life he attended what was known as 
the old Center Ridge school. Afterward he 
continued his studies in the public schools 
of Forsyth and then when he had acquired 
a good literary education he took up the 
study of medicine with the intention of 
making its practice his life work. He be- 
came a student in the Missouri Mediqal 
College, in which he was graduated in the 
class of 1882, after which he established his 
office in Forsyth, where he remained for 
two years. On the expiration of that period 
he removed to Oreana, where he was asso- 
ciated with Dr. A. jMcBridge in the drug 
business for three years in connection with 
the practice of medicine. Coming to Deca- 
tur he remained for two years and during 
one year of that time was county physician. 
He afterward practiced in Forsyth for eight 
years, but in 1897 again came to Decatur, 
where he has since remained, having now 
a pleasant office at No. 224 North ^lain 
street. While he is well versed in the prac- 
tice of his profession in all departments he 
is now making a specialty of the treatment 
of diseases of the heart, lungs and kidneys. 
He has informed himself particularly well 



along these lines and his skill is of a su- 
perior order. He now has a large private 
practice and he has also been medical ex- 
aminer for several insurance companies, in- 
cluding the Manhattan Life Insurance Com- 
pany, of which he has acted as examiner 
for the last three years. 

In 1879 the Doctor was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Ruth Lehman, a daughter of 
Henry Lehman of Forsyth. After her death 
he was again married, his second union be- 
ing with Daisy Bixler, a daughter of An- 
drew Bixler, also of Forsyth. Fraternally 
he has been connected with the Knights of 
Pythias Lodge from the age of twenty-two 
years, having joined the order in Coeur de 
Lion Lodge of Decatur. He was instru- 
mental in the organization of the lodge at 
Oreana and later became a member of For- 
syth Lodge, with which he is still affiliated. 
His political support is generally given to 
the Democracy, but he votes for men rather 
than for party. In his profession he has 
steadily advanced along lines demanding 
strong mentality, close application and con- 
scientious purpose. His zeal and devotion 
in his work are noticeable features in his 
career and have contributed in large meas- 
ure to his success. 



HENRY A. SHETTEL. 

Sound judgment combined with fine abil- 
ity in mechanical lines has enabled the sub- 
ject of this biography, a well known resident 
of Warrensburg, Illinois, to make for him- 
self a place among the leading business 
men of that place. Here he follows black- 
smithing and also deals in agricultural im- 
plements, wagons, buggies, etc., and has 
built up a good trade which is constantly 
increasing. 

T^Ir. Shettel was born in York, Pennsyl- 
vania, September 16, 1869, his parents being 
Daniel G. and Sarah (Jacoby) Shettel, also 



182 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



natives of that state, where their ancestors 
located at an early day in its histor\-. The 
father was born in Conewago township, 
^'ork cnunty, in 1844. and was engaged in 
blacksinitliing at Faiistown for some time. 
Our subject received a good practical edu- 
cation in the common schools of his native 
place, where he was a student until he at- 
tained his majority, though in the meantime 
he had started upon his business career, 
working two years in a dynamite manufac- 
tory on the Susquehanna river near Mt. 
Wolf. After leaving school he assisted in 
the construction of the oil lines from West 
A'irginia to Philadelphia. Pemisylvania, be- 
ing tiius employed for eight months. Dur- 
ing the following two months he worked on 
his father's farm, and then went to Middle- 
bury, Indiana, where he spent one month. 

About this time his father was killed while 
felling a tree and Air. Shettel returned home 
and had charge of the farm for one year. 
It was then sold and he removed with his 
mother to York, Pennsylvania, where he 
worked in the Billmire & Small car shops 
for eight months first as a horseshoer and 
later as a car builder. In the spring of 1893 
he came to Illinois and for four months 
was employed on a farm near Bearsdale, 
after which he was on Mrs. ^\'ilHam Mont- 
gomery's stock farm for a few months. He 
ne.xt entered the employ of John Barron, a 
blacksmith of W^arrensbnrg and three years 
later purchased the shop which he has since 
conducted with good success. He also deals 
in buggies and agricultural implements and 
in this branch of his business he has also 
prospered. 

Mr. Shettel was married February 21, 
1901, to Mrs. Verna (Taggart) Keister, who 
was born January 13, 1868, -a daughter of 
Harrison and Margaret J. (Hanks) Tag- 
gart, of mini township, where she was edu- 
cated in the public school. This union has 
been blessed with one child, Catherine, born 
October 6, 1902. Mr. Shettel owns a nice 



home and business location and the success 
that he has achieved is certainly well mer- 
ited, being due entirely to his own industri- 
ous efforts and good management. He is 
a good reliable business man, and his fel- 
low citizens recognizing his worth and abil- 
ity have elected him alderman of the second 
ward, which office he is now filling. By his 
ballot he supports the men and measures 
of the Republican party, and he is a mem- 
ber of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 
17, of Decatur. 



ROBERT FARIES. 
Roljert Faries was born in Shelby county, 
Ohio, March 4, 1837. He lived on a farm 
near Middletown, Ohio, from the age of six 
to eighteen years, going to school nearly 
all the year round until the age of ten, after 
which he went in the winter time only. 
Having shown a mechanical bent by mak- 
ing man)' playthings, such as wagons, sleds, 
etc., and culminating in a working station- 
ary steam engine and boiler, complete in 
every detail, it was decided that he should 
learn the machinist's trade and to that end 
he got work in the old Madison Railroad 
shop at Indianapolis, Indiana, remaining 
there and at the shops of the Indianapolis 
& Cincinnati Railroad until the spring of 
185Q, when he went with a party across the 
plains to Colorado, known then as Pike's 
•Peak, starting about the middle of March 
and going from St. Joseph. Missouri, by ox- 
teams. They arrived at a Jittle cluster of 
sod-covered log cabins, called Denver city 
the 2ist of June, remaining in this vicinity 
until fall, when he joined a blacksmith in 
a trip to Taos, New Mexico, going with 
some Mexican teamsters who had brought 
u]i a load of flour and were going back 
empty. They stayed there until Alarch, 
i860, when they went back to the mines. 
Having tried mining at first without much 
success, he made his living and other ex- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



183 



penscs at gun repairing in the company of, 
but not in partnership with, his blacksmith 
friend. 

In the fall of i860, with a company of 
others, who like himself, had failed to make 
a fortune in the short time that they had 
been in this new country, and had con- 
cluded that it would never amount to any- 
thing anyway, he went back to what they 
were in the habit of calling '"The States." 
Arriving in St. Joseph late in October fiat 
broke, he worked in a livery stable for a 
few weeks and later as an engineer in a 
planing mill. Business was dull in con- 
sequence of the political excitement which 
had just culminated in the election of Abra- 
ham Lincoln to the presidency of the United 
States. The mill shut down and he went 
back to Indianapolis, working for small 
wages in a machine shop through the win- 
ter. He enlisted in the fore part of March 
in Company H, Eleventh Indiana Volun- 
teers for three months. Lew Wallace, colo- 
nel. After seeing some pretty rough service 
in Maryland and Virginia, the company was 
mustered out of service at Indianapolis, in 
July, after nearly four months' service. 
While most of his company re-enlisted for 
the three years' service he had become too 
deaf to hear the word of command and went 
to work again in the Indianapolis & Cin- 
cinnati Railroad shops, where he remained 
most of the time during the war. 

In 1864-5 lie invented and patented a cast 
iron steam boiler similar to some of those 
that arc used now for steam and hot water 
heating, but as this manner of heating had 
not come into use at that time, he had little 
other use for it than to generate steam for 
steam engines. He built several of these 
boilers and put them into use in different 
places and at first they seemed to promise 
success and he got some good testimonials 
from the users of them. But later they de- 
veloped some faults that caused their fail- 
ure, lie had sent out one of these boilers 



to Decatur for the use of the new firm of 
Greely & Brodt, who were starting a fur- 
niture factory on :\Iason street (now Wa- 
bash avenue) in the building which is now 
used for the Hard Plaster factory. 

This brought him to Decatur in the spring 
of 1866. His boiler and this firm soon fail- 
ing, he got a position with the Central Iron 
Works (now Union Works) who, together 
with mill and elevator work, built steam 
engines. He set up the engines they sold 
and worked in the shop between times. He 
remained with them about three years. He 
then, in 1870, went to work as foreman of 
the machine department of the Decatur Ag- 
ricultural Works, where he remained until 
it went out of business in 1872. He got per- 
mission to put up a small engine here and 
run part of the machinery on plow and other 
farm machine repair work, he paying a per 
cent of the income as rent for the use of 
building and tools. This arrangement lasted 
only about one year when Chambers & 
Ouinlan bought the property and Mr. Paries 
worked for them for about another year. 
In 187s he bought the Wilson Boiler shop, 
which is now a part of the Decatur Novelty 
Works on Morgan and Williams streets, 
and, bringing the plow repair work with 
him, did general plow, machinery and boiler 
repair business and sheet iron work. In 
1877 he took William L. Oakes into part- 
nership w'th him in this business and in 
1881 sold out his interest to Mr. Oakes. 
He then put a small engine and a lathe into 
the basement of his residence and did some 
special machine work in the winter and 
spring of 1882. In the spring and summer 
of this year he built the nucleus of the pres- 
ent Faries Manufacturing Company's plant 
and continued the manufacture of special 
machinery such as box fastener, hog-ring 
and checkrower wire making machines. 
During the winter and spring of 1883 'le 
made some checkrower wire for the firm of 
Kaylor. McClelland & Fisher and having 



184 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



found that there was more money to be 
made by running machinery than in mak- 
ing it for others he continued to do this 
and has gradually worked into a manu- 
facturing business, the chief of which has 
been chcckrower wire. This got him into 
a patent law-suit, which lasted for over 
twelve years, costing a great deal of work, 
worry and money, and although he lost in 
the lower courts and finally compromised 
by paying a considerable sum, it was not all 
loss for the suit tended to deter others from 
going into the business in competition with 
him. In 1890 he built the first addition to 
the factory and among other improvements 
put in an electric lighting plant and in put- 
ting up fixtures for holding the lamps he 
devised an adjustable bracket for shifting 
and holding the lamp where put. He had 
before this been doing considerable brass 
work in the way of store window display 
fixtures and working lamp fixtures in with 
these and by continually adding to them, 
the company has worked up a very large 
electric and gas fixture business. Most of 
this fixture business has been worked up 
since the business was incorporated in 1894. 
Since the beginning twenty years ago, Mr. 
Paries and the Paries Manufacturing Com- 
pany have made several important special 
machines, the chief of which are automatic 
checkrower wire machines and machines 
for spinning lamp shades. 

A couple of years ago, 1900, Mr. Paries 
got up a little device for automatically 
tripping of a camera shutter and which he 
calls an "Autopoze," by the use of which 
the photographer is enabled to take his own 
picture, or include himself in "the group." 
While this is of not much importance in 
any way, a good many amateurs, and espe- 
cially tourists, find satisfaction in the use 
of it. By putting themselves in the picture 
the)' can prove that "they were there." 

In September, 1901, Mr. Paries, in com- 
pany with others, started the Decatur Re- 



frigerator & Manufacturing Company, but 
as factories are to be written up separately 
little need be said about this here. 

Air. Paries was married in Ohio in 1867 
to Lena Bender. He has two daughters and 
one son, all grown up and the daughters 
married. Mr. I'aries says he was born and 
raised a Democrat and has always been one, 
but as the party of that name has always 
been on the wrong side of the issue ever 
since he has been of the voting age he has 
always voted the Republican ticket. 



JOHN CROCKER. 

The name of John Crocker is a familiar 
one in grain and banking circles throughout 
the state and Maroa owes much of its busi- 
ness activity and consequent prosperity to 
his efiforts and enterprise. The enterprising 
spirit of the west, which has led to the rapid 
development of this section of the country, 
is perhaps his strongest characteristic. 

Air. Crocker is one of Illinois' native sons, 
his birth having occurred in Vandalia, in 
1857, his parents being John II. and Louisa 
V. (Philbrook) Crocker, who arc mentioned 
on another page of this volume. The fam- 
ily removing to Maroa during the early boy- 
hood of our subject, he was educated in the 
public schools of this cit}' until he had mas- 
tered the common branches of learning, 
after which he cpntinued his studies in Illi- 
nois College at Jacksonville, Illinois. Later 
he became a student in Dartmouth College, 
at Hanover, New Hampshire, in the class 
of 1881. On his return to Maroa, he joined 
his father in the banking business and in the 
grain trade. This association was contin- 
ued until the death of the father, Pebruary 
10, 1890, since which time John Crocker 
has continued in the conduct of extensive 
and important interests. He is a member 
of the firm of Crocker & Company, bank- 
ers, one of the soundest financial institu- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



1S5 



tions of this part of the state, its safe, con- 
servative poHcy recommending it to the 
confidence and patronage of the public. He 
is also the president of the Crocker Elevator 
Company and has become widely known as 
one of the extensive grain dealers of the 
state, the company owning six different 
plants in Macon county. The business fur- 
nishes an excellent market to the grain pro- 
ducers and at the same time yields a very 
desirable profit to the stockholders of the 
company. 

Every interest or enterprise calculated 
to prove of benefit to Maroa or promote the 
welfare and prosperity of ■ the city elicits 
his attention and ofttimes receives his 
hearty co-operation and substantial assist- 
ance. He is the president of the Maroa 
Electric Light Company and also of the 
People's Telephone Company, both enter- 
prises of value to the general public as well 
as to the individual stockholders. His abil- 
ity as an organizer is one of the strong ele- 
ments of success. He is quick to note op- 
portunity and to secure the co-operation of 
others in the successful control of important 
undertakings, and he not only forms his 
plans readily but is determined in carrying 
them forward to successful completion. 

On the 2oth of December, 1893, Mr. 
Crocker was vmited in marriage to Miss 
Arabella Baird, a daughter of Peter Baird. 
and unto Ihem have been born four chil- 
dren : Ruth Baird, now eight years of age ; 
John H. and Joan P., twins ; and Thomas 
W., who completes the family. Socially 
Mr. Crocker is connected with the Masonic 
Lodge of Maroa and has taken more ad- 
vanced degrees in the order in Decatur and 
Chicago, being now a well known repre- 
sentative of the craft, whose tenets and 
teachings he exemplifies in his relations 
with his fellowmen. In his political views 
and affiliations he is a Republican, and the 
regard in which he is held by the party and 
by his fellow citizens is indicated by the 



fact that he was elected to the office of 
mayor upon the death of his father, who 
was then filling the position. He gives his 
personal supervision to the extensive and 
important business interests with which he 
is connected, but he has never allowed this 
to interfere with his duties of citizenship 
or to bias his relations with his fellow men. 
With a keen appreciation for upright char- 
acter, he numbers his friends among all 
classes and is himself honored and respected 
by all who know him. 



JAMES W. CARTER. 
Whether the elements of success in life 
are innate attributes of the individual or 
whether they are quickened by a process of 
circumstantial development it is impossi- 
ble to clearly determine. Yet the study 
of a successful life is none the less profitable 
by reason of the existence of this tmcer- 
tainty, and in the majority of cases it is 
found that exceptional ability, supplemented 
by close application and earnest purpose, 
forms the real secret of success which so 
many have envied. This is certainly true 
of James W. Carter, who is now cashier 
and office manager of the Decatur Coal 
Company and also is connected with other 
important interests here. Mr. Carter is a 
native son of Illinois, his birth having oc- 
curred in Sullivan, Moultrie county, on the 
5th of June, 1861. His parents were Charles 
A. and Polly Ann (Waggoner) Carter, who 
were also natives of Moultrie county. The 
paternal grandfather of our subject was 
James K. Carter, a native of Culpeper, Vir- 
ginia, who in early life removed to Moultrie 
county, becoming identified with its agricul- 
tural interests. There he spent some time 
but finally removed to Decatur, where he 
lived until his death, in 1874, when he had 
reached the venerable age of eighty years. 
His political support was given to the Whig 
party and he was a leading and influential 



ISO 



PAST AXI) I'RKSIiXT OF MACOX COUXTY. 



resident (jf llie coniiminily in which he loiifj 
made his liome. J lis wife belonged to an 
ukl Kentucky family. They had three sons, 
Charles A., James W. and Henr^' II.; and 
five daughters: Xancy .\., Emcline, Frances, 
Alary and .Martha. 

Charles A. Carter, the father of our sub- 
ject, was born at the old homestead in 
Aloidtrie count}- and reared amid the wild 
scenes of frontier life there. After attain- 
ing his majority he was for some years en- 
gaged in the hardware business in Sullivan 
and in 1863 he removed to Decatur, where 
he continued in the same line of trade for 
a number of years. He then left Illinois 
for the far west, settling in Fresno, Cali- 
fornia, in 1880. There he still makes his 
home. His political support is given to the 
Republican party and the qualities of his 
manhood are such as command for him the 
respect and admiration of those with whom 
he is brought in contact. In early manhood 
he wedded Miss Polly Ann \\'aggoner, who 
was born in Moultrie count)-, but her peo- 
ple came to Illinois from Xorlh Carolina. 

To the public school system of Decatur 
James \V. Carter is indebted for the educa- 
tional privileges he enjoyed. He entered 
upon his business career in connection with 
the hardware trade, having charge of his 
father's store during the latter's illness, cov- 
ering a period of five and a half years. He 
showed excellent business ability in taking 
up this work and controlling the affairs of 
tlie enterprise. In 1878 he entered the em- 
idoy of ( )vermeyer & Kaufman, who were 
engaged in the fire insurance business. For 
several months Mr. Carter was also book- 
keeper for Peter Loeb, a well known foun- 
dryman, and for three years was bookkeeper 
in the Union Iron Works. lie afterward 
again spent six months in the service of 
Mr. Loeb and then became bookkeeper in 
the Chicago agricultural implement house 
of George D. Haw-orth. Again coming to 
Decatur he accepted the position of book- 



keejier for B. Z. Taylor in the linseed oil 
mill, where he remained for eighteen 
months, and in 1885 he invested his capital 
in the Decatur Coal Compan)-, of which he 
has since been the cashier and office man- 
ager. He is also the secretary of the De- 
catur Milling Company and is director in 
the Savings F'und & Building Association, 
with which he has been associated in this 
manner since 1891. He has also had charge 
of his father's business interests in Illinois 
(luring the latter's residence in California. 
A man of keen insight he readily compre- 
hends business situations and utilizes the 
means at hand to the best advantage. 

On the 28th of June. 1882, Mr. Carter 
married Aliss Idora J. Patterson, a daugh- 
ter of William F". and Melinda (Travis) 
Patterson. Their children are Ralph M., 
w-ho is now a student in the medical depart- 
ment of the State University at Cham- 
paign, Illinois; Neil T., who died at the age 
of two years and eight months; and Alma 
Lois, at home. 

Mr. Carter is a popular and exemplary 
representative of various fraternal organi- 
zations. He belongs to Chevalier Bayard 
Lodge, No. 189, K. P.; W. C. Roe Camp, 
No. 7201, M. \'V. A.; and in November, 
1890, was made 'a Mason in Decatur, join- 
ing Macon Lodge, No. 8, A. 1'. & A. M., of 
which he is a past master. He has also 
taken the Royal Arch degree, belongs to 
Decatur Council, No. 16, R. & S. M., and to 
Jieaumanoir Commander)', No. 9, K. T. He 
is true and loyal to the teachings of the 
craft antl in his life exemplifies the benefi- 
cent spirit. He belongs to the First Baptist 
church of Decatur, in which he is now serv- 
ing as deacon. His loyalt}' to the best inter- 
ests of the commimity has been manifested 
in many ways. He is a public spirited and 
progressive citizen and his labors have ad- 
vanced the material progress and prosper- 
ity, the intellectual development and the 
moral advancement of Decatur. 




^rUvyy y. ^^-TT-C^^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



180 



JOHN H. CROCKER. 

The name of Crocker has been long, inti- 
mately and honorably associated with the 
history of ^Nlaroa, its development and sub- 
stantial progress, and father and sons have 
left an indelible impress upon the city and 
its advancement. He whose name intro- 
duces this review was actively associated 
with business affairs here and his own 
upright career added new luster to an un- 
tarnished family record. 

John H. Crocker was 'born in Derry, New 
Hampshire, on the 9th of July, 1829, a son 
of John and Mary Neal (Pillsbury) Crock- 
er. His father was one of the first settlers 
of Maroa and the city owes its substantial 
upbuilding in no degree to one man as much 
as it does to John Crocker, who not only 
located here when JNIaroa was an embryo 
village but served as the first station agent, 
the first postmaster and was the first banker 
and the first lumber and grain merchajit. 
He realized that business possibilities ex- 
isted here and improved them. He made 
the most of his opportunities and in so 
doing he became one of the builders and pro- 
moters of Alaroa and contributed in large 
measure to its progress. He was one of the 
founders of the Presbyterian church here, 
became one of its first elders and contrib- 
uted generously to its support, while taking 
a helpful part in its work in other ways. He 
died in the year 1879, respected b}^ all who 
knew him. His name should be inscribed 
on the roll of pi'oneers of Macon county 
and he should ever be held in grateful re- 
membrance by the residents of the town, 
who are now enjoying the results of his 
labors. He came of Scotch-Irish descent, 
tracing his ancestry back to colonial times, 
and since that period the Crockers have 
had marked influence in making history in 
the various communities in which they have 
resided. 

John H. Crocker, whose name introduces 
this record, supplemented his early educa- 



tional privileges by pursuing" a course of 
study in Illinois College, at Jacksonville, 
Illinois, and later he engaged in teaching 
school for two years. He then studied civil 
engineering and was then engaged in that 
line of business in connection with the Illi- 
nois Central Railroad until 1857, and with 
the Cairo & Fulton Railroad from 1857 
until the war broke out. He was known as 
a lo3'al advocate of the Union but he could 
not enlist on account of his health. How- 
ever, he rendered valuable aid to his country 
by engineering the erection of the breast- 
works at Birds Point and he was also in- 
spector of cotton in Tennessee. Following 
the close of the war Mr. Crocker turned his 
attention to the grain and lumber business 
and later he joined his father in the lumber 
business. In these connections he became 
widely known as a representative of the 
trade interests in Maroa, and the extent of 
his operations made him one of the leading 
merchants and financiers here. He pros- 
pered in his undertakings because his judg- 
ment was rarely at fault and because he 
possessed a large share of that energy 
which is the foundation of all success. 

On the 23d of January, 1855, Mr. Crocker 
was united in marriage to Miss Louisa P. 
Philbrook, a daughter of Seth and Margaret 
( Ward) Philbrook. She was born in Gran- 
\-ille, Ohio, and was educated in the semi- 
nary at that place. Her father was a farmer 
by occupation and removed with his family 
from the Buckeye state to A'andalia. Illi- 
nois, where he lived until 1865. Unto Mr. 
and ]Mrs. Crocker were born seven children, 
of whom four are living: George L., of 
Springfield, Illinois, who married Elizabeth 
Grimes and has two children: John, who is 
mentioned elsewhere in this work : Mar- 
garet Philbrook, wife of Dr. McLean ; Anna 
Louise, the wife of W. H. Black, of De- 
catur; and three that died in infancy. ^Irs. 
Crocker now has an adopted daughter, Elsie 
May, who lives at home. She is a grad- 



100 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



uate of Monliccllo Seminary, of Godfrey, 
Illinois. 

In his political views Mr. Crocker was 
an earnest Republican and served as the 
first mayor of Alaroa. In matters of citi- 
zenship he was ever found on the side of 
advancement and he labored for the future 
as well as the present welfare of the city 
in which he so long made his home. He 
was chosen to represent his district in the 
legislature, and when concerned with the 
affairs of the same showed the same loyal- 
ty to the public good that he manifested in 
his home town. A strong temperance man, 
he advocated the cause both by precept and 
example and labored untiringly to secure 
the abolition of the liquor evils. He be- 
longed to the Royal Templars and served as 
supreme counselor. Fraternally he was 
connected with the Masonic lodge and with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
His Christian faith was indicated by his 
membership in the Presbyterian church 
and was exemplified in his daih' life. His 
wife shared with him in his interest in 
the church and its work, she being also a 
member and tluis in this as in many other 
things their relation was a most congenial 
one and their married life was fraught with 
much happiness. In the year 1890 ]\lr. 
Crocker was called to his final rest. He had 
started out in life empty handed, having 
nothing save a good education as the foun- 
dation upon which to build, but he achieved 
both character and fortune, leaving to his 
family a handsome competence and an hon- 
ored name. \\^orthy of emulation is his life 
record and honored is his memory. The 
world is better for his having lived and 
Maroa especially benefited by his efforts 
in her behalf. 



REUBEN BETZER. 
The object of this volume is to preserve 
an authentic record, as far as possible, of 
the lives and d6eds of those who have as- 



sisted in the upbuilding of the varied in- 
terests of Macon county. The rank that a 
city or county holds very largely depends 
upon the achievements of its citizens. Some 
add to its reputation by efficient public serv- 
ice, some by professional skill, some by in- 
creasing its manufacturing or commercial 
interests and some by cultivating and im- 
proving its lands. To give a faithful ac- 
count of the lives of old settlers and repre- 
sentative citizens of a community is to write 
its history in its truest sense. Mr. Betzer 
was for long years associated with agri- 
cultural interests and his last days were 
spent in retirement from business cares in 
a pleasant home in Decatur. It would be 
difficult to find a man who had higher re- 
gard from his friends than did Mr. Betzer 
and this was because of a life that mani- 
fested many admirable qualities and sterling 
traits of character. He became a resident 
of Macon county in the year 1865. 

He was born in Ross county, Ohio, his 
natal day being July 5, 1824, and his parents 
were ^^'illiam and Margaret (Harvey) Bet- 
zer. His father was born in New Jersey and 
his mother in Pennsylvania and they be- 
came the parents of eleven children, of 
whom Reuben was the seventh in order of 
birth. It was in the year 1810 that William 
Betzer removed to Ohio and two years later 
he offered his services to the government in 
defense of this country in the second war 
with England. After his return from the 
army he located in Ross county, Ohio, 
where both he and his wife spent their last 
days and their children have also passed 
away. 

Reuben Betzer had the usual experiences 
and advantages of la farmer boy. He worked 
in the fields and meadows through his youth 
and after arriving at years of maturity he 
determined to follow the occupation to 
which he had been reared. He was a young 
man of twenty-five years, when he settled 
upon a farm near the old homestead in Ross 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



191 



county, there remaining until after his 
father^ death. He received from his father 
a tract of land, as did the other, sons, while 
the daughters of the household received an 
equivalent in money to the sum of one 
thousand dollars. Desiring a companion 
and helpmate for life's journey Mr. Betzer 
was joined in wedlock on the 31st of De- 
cember, 1848, to Miss Sarah Evans. She 
was born in Ross county, Ohio, January 9, 
1826, and her parents were John and Sarah 
(Miller) Evans, who were also natives of 
Ohio. The mother died during the girlhood 
days of her daughter and Mrs. Betzer was 
then reared by relatives near Circleville, 
Pickaway county, Ohio. Her father, how- 
ever, continued to engage in farming in 
Ross county throughout his life and at 
length passed away there. 

At the time of his marriage Mr. Betzer 
took his bride to his farm and there they 
resided continuously until 1865, when, be- 
lieving that he might have still better busi- 
ness opportunities in a district farther west, 
he came to Macon county, arriving here in 
1865. He took up his abode on a farm in 
Whitmore township, six miles northeast 
of Decatur and first purchased two hundred 
and fifteen acres of land. There he began 
making improvements and afterward pur- 
chased more land, adding to his place from 
time to time until he had a tract of three 
hundred and twenty-five acres. He was 
progressive in his farming methods, active, 
industrious and honorable in his business 
career, but after residing upon his farm for 
a few years he decided to rent the land and 
remove to Decatur, where he enjoyed rest 
from further labor. He was a man to whom 
indolence and idleness were utterly foreign 
and although he retired from farm life busi- 
ness interests of a different character 
claimed his attention to a considerable de- 
gree. He was a lover of stock and engaged 
to some extent in stock-raising. He also 
worked at the carpenter's trade and aided 



in building many of the bridges near Deca- 
tur. In 1867 he erected a residence now 
occupied by his widow. On account of his 
health he traveled to a considerable extent, 
frequently spending the winter months in 
the south. In the summer of 1892 he vis- 
ited California and at different times went 
to other places of interest in the country, 
visiting its scenes of beauty and many of 
its historic places, gaining thereby the cul- 
ture and knowledge which only travel can 
bring. 

j\lr. and Mrs. Betzer had no children of 
their own but gave homes to two of their 
nieces : Effie A. came to them at the age 
of thirteen years and remained with them 
until her marriage to Amos F. Imboden, a 
policeman of Decatur. They now reside at 
No. 1243 North Edwards street. Another 
niece, Maria L. Evans, lived with Mr. and 
Mrs. Betzer from her seventh to her twenty- 
first year and then became the wife of Frank 
Spillman, a hardware merchant of Macon, 
but both are now deceased. 

During the winter of 1895-6, while going 
from his house to his barn, Mr. Betzer 
slipped on the ice, su.staining a severe in- 
jury. He was carried to his bed and there 
he suft'ered for several weeks, his injury 
combined with other causes, leading to his 
death on the i8th of J\Iarch, 1896. His re- 
mains were interred in the beautiful Green- 
wood cemetery of Decatur. He was never 
an active politician in the sense of office 
seeking and yet after removing to the city 
of Decatur he served as supervisor for one 
year, being elected on the Democratic tick- 
et, whose principles he abv.^_.-s endorsed. 
Both he and his wife were members of the 
Presbyterian churcb of this city and he took 
an active and helpful part in church work, 
while Mrs. Betzer supplemented his labors 
in this regard by her own zeal in the work. 
He left his widow in very comfortable cir- 
cumstances. She now owns a nice home at 
No. 358 East Williams street and in addi- 



192 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



tion owns the old homestead of three hun- 
dred and twenty-five acres of vahiable farm- 
ing hind in W'liilniore townsliip. 

Mr. Betzer was a self-made man and his 
possessions were obtained throuj^h earnest, 
indefatigable effort. He watched closely his 
opportunities for business advancement and 
by the utilization of these and by his per- 
severance and diligence he gained a hand- 
some competence. He won, too, an honor- 
able name in business circles for he was al- 
ways straightforward in every trade trans- 
action. He had many friends "in Decatur 
and Macon county who still cherish his 
memory and no history of this locality 
would be complete without the record of 
his life, for during thirty-one years he lived 
in the county and in many ways assisted 
in its progress and promotion. He was al- 
ways deeply interested in whatever per- 
tained to its welfare and was known ^s a 
public sjiirited citizen. 



WILLIAM R. r.OGGS, M. D. 
Dr. William R. Boggs, who is success- 
fullv engaged in the practice of medicine 
and surgery in Macon, Illinois, was born 
on the 23d of March, 1854, in Noble county, 
Ohio, his parents being Alexander and 
Mary A. (Thompson) Boggs. His father 
was also a native of Ohio, born near Mount 
Vernon, Richland county. March 22, 1827, 
and was a son of Rcul)cn Boggs. whose 
birth occurred in \"irginia in 1800. In early 
life the latter married Miss Ellenor Mar- 
quiss, and from the Old Dominion they re- 
moved to Ohio, being among the first set- 
tlers at St. Clairsville. The grandfather of 
our subject died at Sharon, Ohio, in 1884, 
at the age of eighty-four years. 

Alexander Boggs was reared and educated 
in. the county of his nativity and when a 
young man removed from there to Noble 
county, Ohio, where he engaged in farming 
and stock-dealing throughout the remainder 



of his life, .\bout 1849 he wedded Miss 
Mary .\. Thompson, wlio was born at St. 
Andrews, New Brunswick, March 15. 1832. 
Her parents, Robert and Isabel (McDon 
aid) Thompson, were natives of Ireland, 
where the former was born in 1800. On 
coming to the United States he stopped first 
at Baltimore, Maryland, and in 1835 re- 
moved to Noble county, Ohio. By occu- 
pation he was also a farmer. He died in 
iam R., of this review; John, a farmer of 
1875 and his wife passed away in 1874. 
L'nto .Mexander and Mary .\. (Thomp- 
son) Boggs were born eight children, name- 
ly : Robert T., who was a physician at 
Bloomington. Indiana, and died in 1881, 
when about thirty years of age; Reuben, 
who died of scarlet fever in infancy ; Will- 
Caldwell. Ohio; James Mac, who died in 
infancy: Clement, who follows farming near 
Caldwell. Ohio; Lena, wife of W. O. Keith, 
who resides at A\'arsaw, and is engaged in 
merchandising at that place ; and Elmer F., 
a clothier of Salem, Indiana. The father 
of this family departed this life in May, 
1894, and the mother died in March. 1889. 

Dr. Boggs received his early education 
in the common schools of Caldwell, Ohio, 
and later attended the Northern Indiana 
Normal School, preparing for a medical 
course which he intended to take. After 
leaving that institution in 1875, he engaged 
in teaching school for about five years and 
then entered the Kentucky School of Med- 
icine at Louisville, Kentucky, where he 
was graduated with the degree of IM. D. 
in T883. He was engaged in the practice 
of his profession at Keith,' Ohio, until 1890, 
and the following year came to Macon, 
Illinois, whore he purchased the home, of- 
fice and practice of Dr. R. Tobey, who be- 
gan practice here in 1869. Dr. Boggs has 
since improved the property and has gradu- 
ally extended his practice until it is now 
quite large and profitable. He has the 
largest general library, as well as the larg- 



«ki 



^) 







^^ 



ll.<it<$^-t^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



195 



esL collection of medical works, in central 
Illinois, and derives mnch pleasure as well 
as profit from his books. In 1892 he took 
a post graduate course at the Chicago Poli- 
clinic and is a progressive member of his 
profession, keeping abreast with the late'st 
discoveries and theories by his perusal of 
medical journals. 

At Caldwell, Ohio, in 1875, the Doctor 
was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. 
Barclay, a daughter of Adam and Mattie 
(Miller) Barclay. Her father was born in 
Ireland in 1826 but when a child was 
brought to this country and settled in Cald- 
well, Ohio, where he spent the remainder 
of his life. He made farming his life work. 
Dr. and I\Irs. Boggs have one child, Ola, 
who was graduated at Knox College, Gales- 
burg, Illinois, and has since taken special 
work at the Universit}' of Chicago. She is 
now at home with her parents. The fam- 
ily attend the Presbyterian church, of 
which the wife and daughter are members, 
and the Doctor is connected with South 
Macon Lodge, No. 467, A. F. & A. M., and 
Beacon Lodge, K. P., both of Macon. He 
is also an Odd Fellow, belonging to the 
subordinate lodge. No. 466 and the encamp- 
ment. No. 245, of Keith, Ohio. In the line 
of his profession he holds membership in 
the American Medical Association, the Illi- 
nois Aledical Society, the District Medical 
Society and the Decatur Medical Society. 
He is local surgeon for the Illinois Central 
Railroad Company and examining physician 
for man)^ of the old line insurance com- 
panies. Pleasant and genial in manner he 
makes many friends and has the happy fac- 
ulty of being able to retain them. 



JUDGE WILLIAM E. NELSON. 

Judge William E. Nelson has been one of 

the most conspicuous figures in the history 

of jurisprudence in the fourteenth circuit 

of Illinois. In the long line of the illus- 



trious men of whom the state is justly 
proud the public life of few others has ex- 
tended over as long a period as his and 
certainly the life of none has been more 
varied in service, more constant in honor, 
more fearless in conduct and more stain- 
less in reputation. He is the Nestor of the 
Decatur bar, having engaged in practice 
since August, 1844, while since June, 1857, 
he has been a representative of the legal fra- 
ternity of this city. Upon the bench, too, 
he has won high honors and no resident of 
Decatur is more worthy of mention in this 
volume than Judge William E. Nelson. 

The Judge is a native of Tennessee, born 
in W^hite county on the 4th of June, 1824. 
In the paternal line he comes of Irish line- 
age, but the family was established in Vir- 
ginia at an early day in the history of this 
country. John Nelson, the grandfather of 
the Judge, was born in the Old Dominion 
and at the time of the Revolutionary war 
joined the colonists and aided in the strug- 
gle for independence, serving until victory 
crowned the American army and the Re- 
public was established. He was a mill- 
wright and also the owner of a mill, and 
throughout his business career followed 
these pursuits. Removing to Tennessee, 
he spent his last days in Overton county, 
where he passed away at the advanced age 
of eighty-five years. His son, Richard Nel- 
son, was born in Tennessee and after ar- 
riving at years of maturity wedded Eliza 
McCampbell, who was of Scotch-Irish de- 
scent, and a daughter of Andrew McCamp- 
bell. Her father was born in the 
land of hills and heather and after his mar- 
riage in that country he removed to Ireland, 
where he made his home until he sailed 
for the new world. Taking up his resi- 
dence in Virginia he remained there until 
his removal to Tennessee and he, too, was 
one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war, 
valiantly aiding the colonists in their at- 
tempt to win freedom from British oppres- 



196 



PAST AND I'RI'.SKXT ol' >[AC()X COUXTY. 



sion. Jjccoiiiiiig a resident of Tennessee lie 
carried on farming in Knox county and 
there died at the age of seventy-five years. 

Richard Xeison, the father of the Judge, 
was an attorney and engaged in practice in 
Sparta, Tennessee, from the time of his 
marriage until 1846, when he removed to 
Carrollton, Mississippi, where he spent his 
remaining days. Prominent in public af- 
fairs he left the impress of his individuality 
upon public thought and action and aided 
in large measure in shaping the policy of 
the states, in which he made his home. He 
was a member of the constitutional conven- 
tion which formed the organic law of Ten- 
nessee and for many years he filled the posi- 
tion of judge of the probate court in Missis- 
sippi, and his knowledge of the law was 
broad and comprehensive and his clientage 
was ever of an important and distinctively 
representative character. His death oc- 
curred in 1865 when he was in his sixty-fifth 
year, and his wife passed away in Carroll- 
ton, Mississippi, when more than ninety 
years of age. They were butli members of 
the Presbyterian church and to them were 
born five sons and three daughters, the sur- 
viving members of the family being ^\'ill- 
iam E. ; Marj' F., w'^o is the wife of Charles 
N. Scott, of Carrollton, Mississippi: and 
Emily, the wife of James M. .Moore, of 
College City, California. 

Reared to manhood in the county of his 
nativity, William E. Nelson pursued his lit- 
erary education there, being a student in 
the subscription schools, for at that time the 
public school system had not been estab- 
lished. When sixteen years of age he took 
up the study of law with his father as his 
preceptor and in .\ugust, 1844, when twenty 
years of age he was admitted to the bar. 
Joining his father in practice he was for 
some years connected with the legal inter- 
ests of While county and the a<ljoining cir- 
cuit and his prowess as a lawyer was tested 
in the conduct of trials where he was op- 



posed to man)- older and more experienced 
lawyers. However, he proved his skill and 
capability and successfully handled many 
intricate problems of jurisprudence. Con- 
tinuing in practice in White county, Ten- 
nessee, until June, 1857, he then removed to 
Decatur, which was a small town but 
seemed to have a good future before it. 
Here Judge Xeison opened his law office 
and has since been a representative of the 
bar, covering a period of forty-six years. 
In the preparation of his cases he was al- 
ways thorough and exhaustive. He seemed 
almost to intuitively grasp the strong 
points of law and fact and his reasoning 
thereon was presented so cogently and un- 
answerably as to leave no doubt as to the 
correctness of his views or of his conclu- 
sions. No detail seemed to escape him and 
every point was given its due prominence 
while the case was argued with such skill, 
ability and power that he seldom failed to 
gain the verdict desired. 

It is a noticeable fact that the lawyer 
figures more prominently in public affairs 
than does the representative of any other 
class of business activity. The reason for 
this is evident and needs no explanation. 
The ability and training which qualify one 
to practice law also ciualify him in many re- 
spects for duties which lie outside the 
sphere of his profession and which touch 
the general interests of state. Judge Nel- 
son is a man who has brought keen dis- 
cernment and thorough wisdom to bear not 
alone in professional paths, but also for the 
benefit of the city and state which have so 
long been his home and with whose inter- 
ests he has been so thoroughly identified. 
He was appointed by the governor as one of 
a committee for the revisal of the statutes 
and in 1870 he was elected a member of the 
twcntv-seventh general assembly of Illinois, 
which convened immediately after the adop- 
tion of the constitution. He served through- 
out all the repeated sessions of that long 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



197 



assembly and left the impress of his indi- 
viduality upon the measures adopted by 
that body. To each question which came 
up lor settlement he gave earnest and care- 
ful consideration and never failed in his al- 
legiance to a course which he believed 
would contribute to the welfare of the en- 
tire state. After his retirement from that 
office he was chosen by popular suffrage to 
the position of circuit judge of the four- 
teenth circuit of Illinois and was upon that 
bench for one term. Later he was elected 
county judge of Macon county and by re- 
election was continued in the office for four 
years. C)n the bench he was the very em- 
bodiment of judicial dignity. He was ever 
courteous and considerate and never tried 
to win cheap applause at the expense of an 
inexperienced attorney or overwrought wit- 
ness. A man of unimpeachable character, 
of unusual intellectual endowments, with a 
thorough understanding of the law, pa- 
tience, urbanity and industry. Judge Nel- 
son took to the bench the very highest 
qualifications for this most responsible, of- 
fice in the system of the state government ; 
and his record as a judge has been in har- 
mony with his record as a man and lawyer, 
distinguished by unswerving integrity and 
a masterful grasp of every problem that has 
presented itself for solution. 

Ere leaving his native state Judge Nelson 
was united in marriage .to I\Tiss Mary A. 
Snodgrass, a daughter of Colonel James and 
Margaret (McKinney) Snodgrass, who 
were residents of White county, Tennessee. 
This wedding was solemnized on the 26th 
of February, 1846, and the Judge and his 
wife became parents of five children, name- 
ly : ^Margaret Eliza, James Ridley, Theo- 
dore, Flora and Richard, but with the ex- 
ception of Theodore, all died in infancy. 
Theodore Nelson has become a prominent 
figure in political circles in Chicago, Illi- 
nois, and has been honored with political 
preferment there. He married Augusta A. 



Blaine, a daughter of John R. Blaine, of 
Decatur, and they have one child, Mary 
Lena. Mrs. Nelson was a most estimable 
lady whose life was in consistent harmony 
with her membership in the church of 
Christ. She died in November, 1876, at the 
age of forty-seven j-ears, respected by all 
who knew her. In June, 1889, the Judge 
was again married, at which date Mrs. Lucy 
H. Montgomery became his wife. She was 
the widow of John T. Montgomery and a 
daughter of Judge Jeptha G. Hollingsworth, 
of Elkton, Todd county, Kentucky. 

The Judge is quite prominent in Masonic 
circles, holding membership with Macon 
Lodge No. 8, F. & A. M. ; Macon Chapter, 
No. 21, R. A. M. ; and Beaumanoir Com- 
mandery. No. 9, K. T. He also belongs 
to the Christian church and has been deeply 
interested in the moral advancement of the 
community. His political support has ever 
been given to the Democratic party and it 
has been upon this ticket that he has been 
elected to public office. In local positions, 
political and otherwise, he has served his 
fellow townsmen most capably and accept- 
ably and Decatur owes much to his co- 
operation in its behalf. In his private life 
he is distinguished by all that marks the 
true gentleman. His is a noble character, 
one that subordinates personal ambition to 
])ublic good and seeks rather the benefit of 
others than the aggrandizement of self. En- 
dowed by nature with high intellectual 
qualities, to which we add the discipline 
and embellishments of culture, his is a most 
attractive personality and in Decatur, 
where he has so long made his home, he is 
numbered among the most honored citi- 
zens, receiving the respect and regard of 
people of all classes. 



HENRY C. MOWRY. 
Henry C. Mowry, a prominent citizen of 
Forsj^th, now living a retired life, was born 
on the 1st of March, 1835, in Smithfield, 



198 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Providence couiUy, Rhode Island, in a house 
that had been tlie home of his ancestors for 
three generations back. He is of French, 
English and Welsh descent and is a repre- 
sentative of old and honored colonial fam- 
ilies. His father, Asa Mowry, was also 
born at the old homestead in Smith- 
field, Rhode Island, and in early life 
followed the cooper's trade but later 
turned his attention to the practice of 
law and met with excellent success in his 
undertakings. When a young man he mar- 
ried Miss Louisa Johnson, also a native of 
Rhode Island and a daughter of George W. 
Johnson, who was one of the heroes of the 
Revolutionary war and lived to the ad- 
vanced age of ninety-four years. Asa j\Iow- 
ry died in May, 1841, and his wife who long 
survived him, passed away on the 24th of 
July, 1883. They were members of the 
Society of Friends and were most estimable 
people. In their family were five children, 
of whom one died in infancy, the others 
being Abbie, who is still living in the east ; 
Henry C, of this sketch ; Enos, who died in 
October, 1863; and Edward M., a stone cut- 
ter by trade, who died in 1894 in Rhode 
Island. 

During his boyhood Henry C. Mowry re- 
ceived a good practical education at the East 
Greenwich Academy. He was only seven 
years of age when his father died and when 
still quite young began work in the cotton 
mills of his native state, receiving seventy- 
five cents per week in compensation for his 
service. By the time he was sixteen he had 
thoroughly mastered the business and was 
appointed overseer of the Smithfield Mills, 
with from thirty to sixty operatives under 
his charge. Resigning his position in 1855, 
he engaged in clerking in a clothing store 
for a time and was afterward employed in 
a lumberyard until the Civil war broke out. 

Hardly had the echoes from Fort Sum- 
ter's guns died away when Mr. Mowry of- 
fered his services to the government, en- 



listing on the 17th of April, 1861, in Com- 
pany K, First Rhode Island Volunteer In- 
fantry, as sergeant. This was the first regi- 
ment of which General Burnsides had 
charge and was the third to enter Wash- 
ington. Our subject participated in the 
famous battle of Bull Run and the engage- 
ments at Roanoke, Newbury and Freder- 
icksburg, and was once slightly wounded 
in the left leg by a spent ball. He received 
an honorable discharge in 1863, at which 
lime he was acting as lieutenant of his 
company though never commissioned. 

After his return home Mr. Mowry ac- 
cepted a position as mail agent on the Provi- 
dence & Worcester Railroad, to which he 
had been appointed previous to his enlist- 
ment, and he continued to serve in that ca- 
pacity until coming west in 1867. He lo- 
cated at Forsyth, .Macon county, Illinois, 
where he erected an elevator, cribs and of- 
fice, and was engaged in the grain business 
at this place until 1869, when he removed 
lo Mattoon, Illinois. There he carried on 
the same business for the firm of Day, 
Sprague & Company, of Providence, Rhode 
Island, having entire charge of their west- 
ern department, and in 1874 he changed his 
headquarters from Mattoon to Decatur. 
Four years later ho returned to Forsyth, 
where he continued in the grain trade until 
1896 when he sold out his business and has 
since lived retired, having already acquired 
a comfortable competence which will en- 
able him to spend the remainder of his life 
in ease and quiet. 

On the 2d of August, 1872, at St. Louis, 
Missouri, Mr. Mowry was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Henrietta Flood, a daughter 
of- Dennis and Elizabeth (Fletcher) Flood, 
both now deceased. She has one brother 
living, Henry Flood, who makes his home 
in the state of Washington. Mrs. Mowry 
was educated at Alt. Zion Academy, and 
by her marriage has become the mother of 
two children : Albert E. and Alfred H., but 




_^^not^C^ f(1'^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



201 



the latter died at the age of six years. Al- 
bert E. Mowry attended the public schools 
of this county and later entered the medical 
department of the Northwestern Univer- 
sity at Chicago, where he was graduated in 
189S with the degree of M. D. In April of 
that year he enlisted as assistant surgeon 
in a regiment of Illinois cavalry for service 
in the Spanish-American war and remained 
with his command until hostilities ceased. 
He then returned to Chicago, where he 
opened an office and has since engaged in 
the practice of his profession with marked 
success. He makes a specialty of surgery 
and already ranks high in medical circles. 
On the 29th of July, 1901, he married Miss 
Ruth Lehman, one of the popular young 
ladies of Macon county, who was reared 
in Decatur and educated in the high school 
of that cit3^ Her father was Jacob Leh- 
man, who died of heart disease July 21, 1902. 
He was a veteran of the Civil war, having 
served three years. His wife, who survives 
him, bore the maiden name of Catharine 
\Veaver, and now lives on the home farm 
in this county. Dr. Mowry and his wife 
have a little daughter, Marian. 

Since attaining his majority our subject 
has taken quite an active and prominent 
part in public affairs and in 1858 was elected 
on the Democratic ticket to the state legis- 
lature of Rhode Island. For several terms 
he filled the office of supervisor of Hickory 
Point township this county and has been 
actively identified with school interests. He 
is now independent in politics but still re- 
tains his interest in public matters. He is 
a member of the Unitarian church and for 
many years has been prominent in Sunday- 
school work, serving as superintendent at 
Forsyth. He joined the Masonic order at 
Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in 1865, and at 
present is also connected with the Knights 
of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and the Grand Army of the Re- 
ptiblic, belonging to Donald Post, No. 141, 



of Forsyth. For three years he served as 
secretary of the State Grain Dealers' Asso- 
ciation and in June, 1903, was elected its 
president, which position he is now filling 
in a most creditable manner. He does con- 
siderable writing for eastern papers. His 
public and private life are alike above re- 
jjroach, for his career has been one char- 
acterized by the utmost fidelity to duty, and 
his genial, pleasant manner, has made him 
quite popular in business, social and po- 
litical circles. 



SAMUEL POWERS. 

When Decatur was a village upon a wild 
western prairie Samuel Powers established 
his home here and for many years remained 
a resident of this city. Its advancement 
and growth were the source of deep interest 
to him and he belonged to that class of 
progressive and typical American men who 
are never so engrossed with their own af- 
fairs — however extensive — that they cannot 
aid in measures for the general good. De- 
catur classed him with its leading men 
and benefited by his efiforts in her behalf. 
At the same time he found in the business 
opportunities of the growing west the ad- 
vantages he sought and by the improve- 
ment of these he worked his way steadily 
upward to a commanding position in finan- 
cial circles. 

Mr. Powers was a native of the Empire 
state, his birth having occurred in Saratoga 
county on the i8th of May, 1816. He lived 
through the center of the world's greatest 
progress and advancement along commer- 
cial and educational lines. In New England 
at a very early day the Powers family was 
established. The paternal grandfather of 
our subject was reared in Connecticut and 
William Powers, the father, was there born. 
He spent the days of his youth in Bridge- 
port, that state, at the home of Colonel St. 



202 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



John, whom his mother married after the 
dcatli of her first husband. She bore the 
maiden name of Abigail Hendricks and was 
likewise a native of Connecticut and of 
Scotch and English lineage. William Pow- 
ers devoted his energies to agricultural pur- 
suits for some time after his marriage, car- 
rying on general farming and stock-raising. 
He made his home in Saratoga county, New 
York, when it was a new and unsettled dis- 
trict and when it rc(|uired two or three 
weeks to make a journey by sloop down the 
Hudson river to New York city. Pie died 
in the prime of life, passing away at the 
comparativel}' earl}' age of forty-two j'ears. 

Samuel Powers of this review was then a 
lad of eight summers. His youth was passed 
in the county of his nativity, while his time 
was devoted to farm work and to attendance 
at the district schools. He pursued his 
sttidies during the cold season when it was 
impossible to engage in farm labor, but 
with the early spring planting he took his 
place in the fields and there worked until 
after crops were harvested in the late au- 
tumn. He was but fourteen years of age 
when the management of the home farm fell 
upon liim and he continued its cultivation 
luilil lie attained his majority when the 
property was sold. 

Mr. Powers then determined to go to 
Alabama, where his brothers were success- 
fully engaged in business, one of them being 
a prominent commission merchant and ex- 
change agent in the city of Mobile. Sam- 
uel Powers, therefore, made his way to Tus- 
caloosa, where his brother Orlando Powers 
was conducting a mercantile establishment, 
but he found that commercial life was not 
congenial to him as he needed the freedom 
of outdoor occu]iations. His taste and in- 
clination was decidedly in favor of agricul- 
tural pursuits and he determined to come 
to Illinois, for its broad prairies offered ex- 
cellent opportunities to the farmer and 
stock-raiser. Accordingly in company with 



his next elder brother, George Powers, he 
made the journey from Alabama through 
Tennessee and Kentucky to Illinois. They 
traveled on horseback and crossed the Ohio 
river at Shawneetown, reaching Decatur in 
Jul}', 1839. i'lc traveler of to-day who vis- 
its this city with its extensive industrial 
and commercial interests, its splendid ad- 
vantages and its beautiful homes would see 
no point of resemblance to the little village 
which greeted the sight of Mr. Powers as 
he neared the county seat of Macon county. 
However, with marked foresight he made 
investments in this part of the state. Sev- 
eral railroads had been surveyed with De- 
catur as one of the points upon the i)roposed 
line and Mr. Powers recognized that the 
promises for the future were very favor- 
able and found that the little village was 
destined to become a city of considerable 
importance. Time proved the wisdom of 
his opinions. 

Mr. Powers and his brother made invest- 
ments in real estate and though their cash 
capital consisted of only a few hundred dol- 
lars land values were then very low and 
they were able to acquire a considerable 
amount of realty. From the time of his 
arrival in this locality up to the time of his 
demise Mr. Powers was the owner of a 
tract of land adjoining the corporation limits 
of Decatur on the east and which became 
very valtiable owing to the improvements 
placed upon it and because of the growth 
of this city. For six months after establish- 
ing his home here Mr. Powers carried the 
mail between Decatur and Homer and also 
other points in Champaign county. He 
worked earnestly, indefatigably and ener^ 
getically and as the result of his labor he 
had in a few years accumulated sufficient 
capital to enable him to engage in the stock 
business on a small scale. Prices, too, for 
stock were also very low in comparison with 
tlic amounts given at the present day, hogs 
selling for onlv two dollars, while a four- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



203 



_yt;Kr-oId steer brought from eight to ten 
dollars. ^Ir. Towers was an excellent judge 
of stock and made his purchases so judi- 
ciously that he was enabled to realize good 
profit on his sales. He soon established 
for himself a reputation for fair dealing and 
honesty and also for promptly meeting his 
obligations, which made his name a promi- 
nent one in trade circles and also a valuable 
one upon commercial paper. It was found 
that when the country became involved in 
financial panic dealers preferred to sell 
their stock to Mr. Powers because of his 
known reliability, all feeling sure that they 
would receive their money. Throughout 
his business career he continued one of the 
most prominent and extensive stock dealers 
of this portion of the state and it was 
through this avenue of activity that he won 
the splendid success which made him a 
wealthy man of Macon county. He did 
much to improve the grade of stock raised 
in this section of the state, and was espe- 
cially well known as a breeder of fine horses, 
in which regard he gained a national repu- 
tation. He was the breeder of some of the 
best horses that had been seen in America 
and, by improving the grade raised and 
thereby advancing prices, his labors were 
a direct benefit to those engaged in similar 
enterprises.' 

On the 3d of March, 1846, Mr. Powers 
was united in marriage to Miss Caroline ^I. 
Giles, a native of Massachusetts, and they 
became the parents of eight children : Will- 
iam, Myra, Carrie, George, Theron, Frank, 
Edward and Chauncey. The two oldest 
children are deceased. The family home is 
always maintained in Decatur and its repre- 
sentatives have for many decades figured 
prominently in social as well as business 
circles. 

On attaining his majority Mr. Powers 
proudly cast his first presidential vote in 
behalf of the candidate of the Whig party 
and continued one of its supporters tmtil 



its dissolution, wdien he joined the ranks of 
the new Republican party, continuing to 
follow its banners until his death, which 
occurred February 7, 1885, his remains 
being interred by the side of his children 
in Greenwood cemetery. The magnitude 
and importance of his business interests so 
occupied his attention that he never cared 
for political preferment, but he was elected 
and served as a member of the board of 
■supervisors from Decatur township. Long 
ere death came to him he rounded the 
Psalmist's span of three score years and 
ten and in the evening of life with his men- 
tal and physical vigor -unimpaired he over- 
came the customary and usual infirmities 
and weaknesses of age by active participa- 
tion in the living issues and events of the 
day. In his home- and in the city of his 
adoption he was surrounded by a circle of 
friends who appreciated his true worth and 
admired and esteemed him for his many ex- 
cellent traits of character. His name will 
be honored for many generations as that 
of one of the most enterprising of the early 
settlers of Decatur — a man who acted well 
his part and who lived a worthy and up- 
right life. 



JOHN W. CRANE. 
John W. Crane is well known in the busi- 
ness circles of Decatur, being the district 
agent of the Aetna Life Insurance Company. 
He was born on the 8th of January, 1845. 
in Berea, Ohio. It is believed that the 
Crane family originated in England. Three 
brothers of the name came from that cotm- 
try to America and settled in New Jersey. It 
is to one of these brothers that the subject 
of this review traces his ancestry. The 
grandfather, Elihu Crane, was born in New 
Jersey but spent the greater part of his 
active business life in Berea, Ohio, where 
he followed the occupation of farming. He 
held membership in the Methodist Epis- 



204 



PAST AND PRKSF.XT OF MACON COUNTY. 



copal cliui-ch and had two sons who became 
clcrgvnien of the Congregational church. 
His Hfe was ever honorable and active and 
he passed away at the ripe old age of sev- 
enty-six years. 

R. B. Crane, the father of our subject, 
was born in Ohio and during a part of his 
business career was engaged in the manu- 
facture of grindstones and building stones 
for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern 
Railroad. In 1859 he removed from Ohio 
to Sedan, Indiana, where he began building 
a factory for the manufacture of wooden 
bowls, but he died in i860 just as the plant 
was nearing completion. He, too, held 
membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
church, was greatly interested in its work 
and aided in all possible ways in the devel- 
opment of the church. He was also a trus- 
tee of the Baldwin University. His wife, who 
bore the maiden name of Mary Jane Chaney, 
was born in Pennsylvania in June, 1820, 
and is still living, being in the eighty-fourth 
year of her age. In the family were six 
children, namely: John W., who is the 
eldest; George M. ; Ella, the wife of Albert 
Buchanan ; R. B., who is a banker of To- 
ledo, Ohio; Charles E., of Ashland, Ohio, 
and W. H., who is now the postmaster and 
a merchant at Sedan, Indiana. 

At the usual age John W. Crane began his 
education, becoming a student in the com- 
mon schools of Berea, Ohio. He there con- 
tinued his studies until he had completed 
the high school course with the class of 
1 861 and later he pursued a course in Ober- 
lin College of Oberlin, Ohio. He then en- 
tered a printing office as an apprentice on 
the Lorain County News, continuing with 
that paper for seven years. While in col- 
lege he was converted and was licensed to 
preach by the Methodist Episcopal church. 
He became a minister of that denomination 
in South Bend, Indiana, and joined the 
Northwestern Indiana conference. He was 
afterward stationed at Lake Station, Indi- 



ana, and still later at Kewanna, that stat£. 
Subsequently he became associate editor of 
the Indiana Christian Advocate and located 
in Indianapolis. For some time thereafter 
he was identified with journalistic work and 
in March, 1872, he came to Decatur as city 
editor of the Daily Republican. In the fall 
of that year he joined the Illinois Methodist 
Episcopal conference and has acted as pas- 
tor of the following charges: Maroa, Oak- 
land, Windsor, Kansas, Nokomis and Mo- 
wcaqua, all Illinois towns. In the work of 
the ministry he jjroduced good results, his 
influence being of no restricted order. He 
labored zealously and untiringly, in fact, 
devoted himself so closely to his work that 
at length his health failed and he found it 
necessary to retire from the active minis- 
try. He then purchased the Weekly Mail 
at Mowcaqua, conducting that paper for a 
short time, and in 1887 he became special 
agent for the Aetna Life Insurance Com- 
pany. He has since resided in Decatur and 
during the past eight years has been dis- 
trict agent for the same company. In 1880 
he represented the Indianapolis Journal on 
the_reportorial stafi" during the session of 
the general conference of the Methodist 
Episcopal church in that city, reporting the 
proceedings of the conference. He has also 
written for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. 
He is still a member of the Illinois Meth- 
odist Episcopal conference, holding a super- 
annuated relation and occasionally he sup- 
plies a pulpit in the absence of the regular 
minister. 

On the 1st of September, 1870, Mr. 
Crane was united in marriage to Miss 
Amanda M. Hollctt, a- daughter of Thomas 
and Deborah Ilollett, and their home has 
been blessed with three children: Minnie, 
who is now living in Decatur ; .Albert, who 
died at the age of twenty-five years; and 
Jesse, who is employed as a stenographer 
bv the Pacific Express Company, of Chi- 
cago. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



207 



Mr. Crane was made a Mason in Oak- 
land Lodge of Oakland, Illinois, in 1873, 
and has deep sympathy in that order, which 
is based upon brotherly kindness and help- 
fulness. Both he and his wife hold member- 
ship in the Grace Methodist Episcopal 
church of Decatur and are most deeply in- 
terested in its work, doing all they can for 
the furtherance of its interests. In his bus- 
iness life Mr. Crane is energetic and active 
and is thoroughly conversant with the mul- 
tiplicity of details involved in the success- 
ful conduct of such a position as he is now 
filling. 



ORVILLE B. GORIN. 
Respected by all, there is no man in De- 
catur who occupies a more enviable posi- 
tion than Orville B. Gorin in commercial 
and financial circles, not alone on account 
of the success he has achieved, but also on 
account of the honorable, straightforward 
business policy he has ever followed. He 
possesses energy, is quick of perception, 
forms his plans readily and is determined in 
their execution, and his close application to 
business and his management have brought 
to him the. prosperity which is to-day his. 
For thirty-seven years he has been con- 
nected with the Millikin National Bank, of 
which he is now the vice-president. This 
covers almost the entire period of his busi- 
ness career and his success may be attrib- 
uted in large measure to his persistency of 
purpose and to the thorough mastery of 
the W'Ork which he undertook as a young 
man. 

Mr. Gorin is numbered among the native 
sons of Illinois, his birth having occurred 
in Taylorville, Christian county, on the 25th 
of January, 1849. His father, Jerome R. 
Gorin, was a capable lawyer and afterward 
a distinguished banker of Decatur, whose 
life work forms an important chapter in the 
business history of this city. The mother 



bore the maiden name of Eleanor E. Faw- 
cett and was born in Charleston, Virginia, 
in the year 1820. At an early day she ac- 
companied her step-father, Mr. Walker, to 
Illinois, the family home being established 
near old Fort Dearborn in Chicago. In 
1845 slic became a resident of Macon coun- 
ty, to which place Jerome R. Gorin had re- 
moved in 1840, first locating in Taylorville. 
In 1853 he became a resident of Decatur 
and for many years he bore an important 
part in the work of promoting business de- 
velopment and activity here. He died Sep- 
tember I, 1897, full of years and honors, 
and his wife passed away in 1894. In the 
family were six children, three sons and 
three daughters. 

Orville B. Gorin was a little lad of only 
four years when brought by his parents 
to Decatur, where he has resided continu- 
ously since. At the usual age he began his 
education in.the public schools of this city 
and continued his studies here until he pre- 
pared for collegiate work. He then matric- 
ulated in Knox College at Galesburg, Illi- 
nois, where he remained as a student for 
some time, broadening his mind and gaining 
that mental discipline which is so necessary 
to a successful business career. Upon leav- 
ing college he returned to Decatur and soon 
afterward accepted a position in the private 
banking institution conducted under the 
name of James Millikin & Company and 
from 1865 until the present he has been a 
representative of this institution, gradually 
advancing from one position to another un- 
til he is to-day one of the strong stock- 
holders and the vice-president of the insti- 
tution. He became a partner in 1880 and 
since that time his keen foresight, business 
discrimination and executive force have 
proven important factors in the successful 
conduct of what is now one of the strong 
financial institutions in the state outside 
of Chicago. This bank was established by 
Jatnes Millikin and the firm name of J. 



208 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



MilliUin & Company was assumed in 1866, 
at whicli tlalc Jerome K. Gorin was ad- 
mitted to a partnersliip. It was in 1880 that 
the hitter sold his interest to his son, O. B. 
Gorin, and to Milton Johnson and in turn 
the latter disposed of his interest to Parke 
Hammer. Tn October, 1897, the bank was 
incorporated as the Millikin National Bank, 
with James ■\Iillikin as president ; O. B. 
Gorin, cashier ; and J. M. Brownback, as- 
sistant cashier, the latter having become an 
interested partner in 1896. In 1898 the pres- 
ent officers were elected: James Millikin, 
president ; O. B. Gorin, vice-president ; J. 
M. Brownback, cashier; and S. E. Walker, 
assistant cashier. In a history of the insti- 
tution published in the Decatur Daily Her- 
ald, the following account of the bank and 
its methods was given : " During the entire 
career of the .Millikin National Bank it has 
demonstrated Ijeyond a doubt that it is ably 
managed and that its affairs arc in the 
hands of time-tried men who weigh well 
every act and who depart not from the well 
trodden path of financial safety. All in- 
vestments are most carefully made and no 
unnecessary risks are taken, hence the 
marked favor it enjoys at the hands of many 
of the most conservative depositors. 

" It does a general banking business, 
loans money on approved commercial pa- 
per, issues foreign and domestic exchanges 
and receives the deposits of the manufac- 
turer, merchant, farmer and general de- 
positor. 

" Since its organization the bank has pur- 
sued the way of legitimate and conservative 
business, its able management avoiding the 
dangerous shoals upon which many banks 
iiave foundered and to-day the Millikin Na- 
tional Bank stands as solid and firm in the 
financial world as the most timid and skep- 
tical depositor could possibly desire. It has 
been held high in the people's estimation 
for these years because of the unquestion- 
able character of the men at its head and 



the sufficiency of the capital behind it. 
There is not an officer or director in this 
bank in whom the people have not the ut- 
most confidence, and as a natural result it 
has always enjoyed a large patronage. 

" This bank is a United States depository. 
Its present deposits are about three mil- 
lion dollars and loans and discounts arc 
two millions two hundred thousand. Its 
correspondent banks are the Hanover Na- 
tional Bank and the W'inslow, Lanier & 
Company bank of New York, Merchants' 
Loan & Trust and First National banks of 
Chicago, National Bank of Commerce, St. 
Louis, Merchants' National Bank, Phila- 
delphia, Merchants' National Bank, Cincin- 
nati, besides connections with leading bank- 
ing houses throughout the United States 
and Europe." 

In 1872 was celebrated the marriage of 
Orville B. Gorin and Miss Ella McClellan, 
a daughter of Adminston McClellan, a 
prominent and inlluential citizen of De- 
catur, who served for twenty-eight years 
in the capacity of clerk of Macon county. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gorin has been born 
a daughter, Gussie J., who with her parents 
has enjoyed extensive travel, gaining the 
culture and knowledge which only travel 
can bring. The family lujme is one of the 
most attractive and beautiful residences of 
the city and is the center of a cultured so- 
ciety circle. 

Mr. Gorin is a prominent Mason, be- 
longing to Macon Lodge, No. 8, F. & A. M., 
also to the chapter and to Beaumanoir Com- 
mandery. No. 9, K. T. Not to know Or- 
ville B. Gorin in Decatur is to argue one's 
self unknown, for his connection with busi- 
ness and social interests has been so ex- 
tended that he stands to-day as one of the 
most prominent men of the city. His inter- 
est in his fellow men is sincere and arises 
from a humanitarian spirit which has 
prompted his support and co-operation with 
many movements and enterprises for the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



209 



general good. He might perhaps have won 
high political honor, but he has always 
preferred to devote his energies to his ex- 
tensive business interests and has been in- 
strumental in winning for the Millikin Na- 
tional Bank a reputation which extends be- 
yond the limits of the state. His career 
has ever been such as to warrant the trust 
and confidence of the business world and 
his activity in financial circles forms no 
unimportant chapter in the history of De- 
catur. 



JOHN M. CRARY. 

John M. Crary has passed the eighty- 
fifth mile-stone of life's journey. For many 
years he was connected with agricultural 
interests in Macon county, but is now liv- 
ing retired at his home in Decatur in the 
enjoyment of a rest which he has truly 
earned and richly deserves. A venerable 
citizen of the community, he receives the 
respect and confidence which should ever 
be accorded to those who have advanced 
far on life's journey and whose record is in 
harmony with all that is honorable and up- 
right in man's relations with his fellow men. 

Mr. Crary has the distinction of being 
born in the year in which the state was ad- 
mitted to the Union, his natal day being 
February 4, 1818; his birthplace was the 
city of New York; and his parents- were 
John and Martha (Blakcly) Crary. The 
father was likewise a native of the Empire 
state and throughout his business career 
following merchandising, but both he and 
his wife passed away when their son John 
was a little lad of only seven years. The 
subject of this review then made his home 
among strangers. His privileges and ad- 
vantages in youth were meager because of 
his orphan condition. His youth was largely 
passed in Washington county, New York, 
and at mtervals he had the privilege of at- 
tending school, but worked for much of the 



time in the employ of different parties in 
order that he might provide for his own 
support. Eventually he became connected 
with mercantile interests by accepting a 
clerkship in a general store in New York 
city. The compensation for his labor, how- 
ever, was very small, although for two years 
he remained in the store and from his ex- 
perience there he gained a knowledge of 
merchandising and of men which proved 
of value to him in later years. 

Believing that the new and growing west 
would furnish better opportunities than he 
could secure in the older east where the 
population was greater and where there 
was, therefore, much more competition, he 
came to Illinois in 1840, locating first near 
Springfield. There he helped build a saw 
and flouring mill for John B. Auger and 
afterward went to Mechanicsburg, Sanga- 
mon county, Illinois, where he helped erect 
another flouring mill. On the completion 
of this contract he turned his attention to 
farming and stock-raising, which he fol- 
lowed successfully in Sangamon county for 
several years. It is along this line that his 
prosperity has been won. The broad 
prairies of Illinois furnish ample oppor- 
tunity to the agriculturist, who, if he but 
improves his advantages, can win success 
because of the great fertility of the soil. In 
this state total failures of crops are never 
known and usually the fields yield in such 
abundance that annually Illinois furnishes 
a large amount of the food supplj^ of Amer- 
ica. 

On leaving Sangamon county Mr. Crary 
purchased four hundred acres of land in 
Christian county and began the develop- 
ment of a farm, though at that time the 
tract was entirely unimproved. Later he 
sold that property and purchased what was 
known as the Fullenwider farm of three 
hundred and fifty acres and to its further 
development and cultivation devoted his 
energies untiringly. He also extended the 



210 



PAST AM) I'RESEXT OF MACON COUNTY. 



scope of his labors by dealing in live stock. 
He made a specialty of the feeding of hogs, 
cattle and sheep and annually sent to the 
markets large shipments on which he real- 
ized a good financial return. His next pur- 
chase of land made him the owner of the 
John Johnson farm, comprising a quarter 
section of land, adjoining the city limits 
of Springfield and this he subsequently sold 
for one hundred dollars per acre. His 
money he then invested in three hundred 
and sixty acres of land which he continued 
to cultivate and improve, devoting much 
of the farm to pasture lands, whereon he 
raised a great amount of stock. This farm 
is located in lllini township, Macon county, 
and Mr. Crary was actively and continu- 
ously connected with general farming and 
stock-raising interests at this place until 
1890. He has also bought and sold other 
lands, realizing good profit upon his invest- 
ments and as a stock-dealer he has pros- 
pered, his sales annually adding to his in- 
come. At length, having acquired a hand- 
some competence. Mr. Crary determined to 
put aside further business cares to enjoy the 
fruits of his former toil for he has a capital 
that supplies him with all the comforts that 
go to make life worth the living. Since 1891 
he has made his home in Decatur. 

Mr. Crary has been twice married. He 
first wedded Miss Elizabeth J. Steel, who 
was born in the state of Kentucky, and they 
became the parents of two children: George 
E., who has departed this life; and Annie 
E., the wife of Isaac N. Ransom, who re- 
sides in Springfield. Illinois. It was in 1863 
that Mr. Crary was called upon to mourn 
the loss of his wife, who died on the 24th 
of May of that year. For his second wife 
he chose Eliza Ray, the wedding being 
celebrated on the 15th of September, 1863. 
The lady bore the maiden name of Eliza 
Hill and was born in the city of London, 
England, where she spent her girlhood 
days and acquired her education. She 



came to the United States in 1850 and after 
the death of her first husband, Thomas 
Ray, she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. 
Crary. She is a lady of broad culture, of 
innate refinement and of warm friendship. 
She belongs to several social organizations 
of the city and is deeply interested in church 
work, her co-operation therein proving an 
active factor in the development of the 
moral interests of the community. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Crary hold member- 
ship in the Congregational church of De- 
catur and he has been a liberal contributor 
to its support. His political allegiance was 
given to the Whig party in his early man- 
hood and he is one of the few surviving 
men who voted for William Henry Harrison 
in 1840. Almost a half century later he 
voted for the grandson of the Tippecanoe 
hero, depositing his ballot for Benjamin 
Ilarrison. Mr. and ]\Irs. Crary now occupy 
a very attractive and comfortable home on 
North Union street in Decatur and there 
are quietly passing the evening of life. As 
the day with its morning hope, its noon- 
tide of activity and its evening of completed 
and successful effort, so has been the life 
of Mr. Crary and at all times his has been 
an honorable and upright career. 



WlLLIAxM A. MELTON, M. D. 
Dr. William Alexander Melton is a skilled 
physician and surgeon of Warrensburg, Illi- 
nois, whose knowledge of the science of 
medicine is broad and comprehensive, and 
whose ability in applying its principles to 
the needs of suffering humanity has gained 
him an enviable prestige in professional 
circles. The Doctor is a native of Kansas, 
his birth having occurred in Osage county, 
that state, on the loth of February, 1863, 
and his parents are William A. and Roxie 
(I'.cckes) Melton. The father is now en- 
gaged in farming in Garfield county, Okia- 




^^^-ct-fc/f M (P-?'ccar 



\ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



213 



homa. In liis family are three children: 
William A., of this review ; Mina R., the 
wife of Z. L. Hess, of lola, Kansas ; and 
Luther T., who married Lulu Partridge 
and lives in Garfield county, Oklahoma. 

Dr. ;\Ielton acquired his early education 
in the district schools near his boyhood 
home and later attended the Normal School 
at Paola, Kansas. He was in school dur- 
ing the winter months, while throughout 
the remainder of the year he worked on 
the home farm for some time, and later en- 
gaged in teaching school for seven years in 
Shawnee county, Kansas. He began the 
study of medicine with Dr. W. S. Pickard, 
of Burlingame, Kansas, and in 1892 entered 
the Northwestern School of Medicine at 
Chicago, where he was graduated in the 
class of 1896. That year he opened an of- 
fice in Warrensburg, being in partnership 
with Dr. Allen for a time but is now alone, 
and he has built up a large and lucrative 
practice here. 

In 1898 Dr. Melton was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Olive Lehew, who died Jan- 
uary I, 1901. She was a native of War- 
rensburg and a daughter of Spencer and 
Flora (Stahl) Lehew, the former of French 
and the latter of German descent. Mrs. 
Lehew is still a resident of Warrensburg. 

The Doctor has a well equipped office and 
in connection has a nice operating room. 
He is the owner of a fine medical library, 
laboratory and the latest improved surgical 
apparatus, and he has not only met with 
success in a professional way but has also 
prospered financially, having already ac- 
quired a comfortable competence. He 
gained his start in life by teaching school 
and through his own well directed eflforts 
he has worked his way upward until he to- 
day stands among the leading physicians 
of Macon county. He is a member of the 
Decatur Medical Society; the District Med- 
ical Society of Central Illinois ; the Illinois 
State Medical Society, the American Medi- 



cal Association and the American Associa- 
tion of Life Insurance Examiners, being 
examiner for, a number of the leading com- 
panies of the country and also for the Mod- 
ern Woodmen of America and the Royal 
Circle. He is a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows and the Masonic 
Order, and in politics is identified with the 
Republican party. He is now serving his 
second term as a member of the town board 
of trustees. The Doctor is an active worker 
and prominent member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church of Warrensburg and has 
been connected with the Young Men's 
Christian Association, the Epworth League 
and Christian Endeavor Society. Genial 
and affable in manner, he makes many 
friends and is popular both in professional 
and social circles. 



FRANK M. PRATT. 
The business interests of Frank M. Pratt 
are important and extensive, involving the 
investment of much capital, demanding keen 
sagacity, close application and strong busi- 
ness ability in their control and, while he 
is meeting with splendid success, he also 
belongs to that class of representative 
.•\merican citizens who are promoting pub- 
lic prosperity by pushing forward the in- 
dustrial wheels of progress. The day of 
small undertakings, especially in cities, 
seems to have passed and the era of gigan- 
tic enterprises is upon us. In control of 
mammoth concerns are men of master 
minds, of almost limitless ability to guide, 
of sound judgment and discrimination. 
Their progressiveness must not only reach 
the bounds that others have gained, but 
must even pass beyond into new and broad- 
er untried fields of operation ; but an un- 
erring foresight and sagacity must make no 
mistake by venturing upon uncertain 
ground. Thus continually growing, a busi- 



-214: 



TAST AX I) I'RESF.XT OF .MACOX COUXTV 



ness takes leadership in its special line and 
the men wlio are at its head are deservedly 
eminent in the world of commerce, occupy- 
ing' a position that commands the respect 
while its excites the admiration of all. Frank 
M. Pratt is actively associated with the con- 
trol of enterprises that are so large as to 
be national in their character. He is nov^' 
president of the Pratt Cereal Oil Company 
and Pratt & Company, of Decatur, and is 
actively associated with the American Hom- 
iny Company, which embraces large indus- 
tries in various cities throughout the United 
States. 

The life record of Frank M. Pratt began 
in Litchfield county, Connecticut, January 
21, 1853, his birth having occurred on the 
farm owned and occupied by his father, 
Enos B. Pratt. The family is of English 
lineage and at an early epoch in the devel- 
opment and colonization of New England 
was founded in that portion of America. 
The paternal grandfather was Martin Pratt, 
a native of Connecticut, and among his chil- 
dren was Enos B. Piatt. The latter was 
also a native of the Charter Oak state, born 
in 1828. Throughout his business career 
he carried on farming and in the tilling of 
the soil met with creditable success. For 
a companion and helpmate on life's journey 
he chose Miss F.mcline Bierce, who was also 
burn in Connecticut. The family continued 
to live in that state until 1874, when they 
came to Decatur, Illinois, and here the father 
changed his occupation from agricultural to 
mercantile piu'snits, establishing a grocery 
business on Franklin street, in which he car- 
ried on ojieratioiis along both wholesale and 
retail lines. At the same time he engaged 
in the buying and selling of horses, which 
he shipped to Connecticut, and for fourteen 
years he carried on business here, his life's 
labors being ended in death in 1888. His 
widow still survives him, making her home 
in Decatur at the age of seventy-six years. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Pratt were born eight 



children, four sons and four daughters, seven 
of whom are now living, namely: Martin 
B., who is a prominent merchant and grain 
dealer ; Ralph E., who is engaged in the 
grain business in Chicago and is vice presi- 
dent of the American Hominy Company, 
also interested in the feed and oil business 
and in the I'ratt Cereal Oil Company; Riley 
E., a leading business man of Buffalo, New 
York, and manager of the Pratt & Com- 
pany grain business there ; Nellie, now the 
wife of George Tucker, of Decatur; Abbie 
P., who is at home with her mother; and 
Ada, the wife of Hcston I. Baldwin, a mem- 
ber of H. I. Balwin & Company, of Decatur. 
\\'hen a little lad of about six years Frank 
M. -Pratt entered the common schools of his 
native state and later continued his studies 
in the home academy. He entered upon 
his business career as a teacher, being em- 
ployed in that capacity in the graded schools 
of Connecticut for two years. On coming 
to Decatur he engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness with his father and later located in 
Oreana, Macon county, where he conducted 
a general store and also engaged in the 
grain business for five years. On the ex- 
piration of that period he returned to De- 
catur and entered into partnershi]) v^Ji his 
brother Ralph E. Pratt in the grain busi- 
ness. In 1888 they opened a branch estab- 
lishment in Chicago and in iSip another in 
Buffalo, New York. Riley E. Pratt took 
charge of the last named. From the time 
of his return to Decatur Frank M. Pratt's 
success in business has been uniformly rapid 
and the enterprises of which he is at the 
head have assumed mammoth proportions. 
In 1890 he built the transfer elevator at De- 
catur, and four years later, in connection 
with his brother Ralph E. Pratt built a large 
mill for the manufacture of hominy and 
cereals, the latter business being consoli- 
dated in 1902 with about fourteen different 
concerns of the middle west engaged in the 
manufacture of cereals throughout Ohio, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



215 



Indiana and Illinois, under the name of the 
American Hominy Company, of which 
Ralph E. Pratt is vice president. Their 
headquarters are in Chicago and the busi- 
ness is capitalized for three million five hun- 
dred thousand dollars. Upon the consolida- 
tion of these mills Frank M. Pratt formed 
the Pratt Cereal Oil Company, with a capi- 
tal stock of six hundred thousand dollars. 
the principal stockholders being himself and 
brother Ralph E., and they built a large 
mill for the extraction of corn oil, it having 
a capacity of si.x hundred thousand pounds 
of ground corn and capable of producing 
sixty thousand pounds of oil per day. The 
ground corn is taken from the hominy mill 
and is that part which for a time was looked 
upon as refuse and regarded as of no value 
except for feed, but at the present time it is 
utilized, bringing a good profit. The oil 
mill was put in full operation in Septem- 
ber, 1903, and has become one of the most 
important industries of central Illinois and 
of the western states. The Pratt plant of 
the American Hominy Company is noted in 
milling circles as an example of cleanliness, 
of purity of products and the general ex- 
cellence of its manufactures. It is equipped 
with the latest and best improved machin- 
ery, having several special features, includ- 
ing steel tanks for storage purposes and im- 
mense elevators. 

In 1876 Frank M. Pratt was imited in 
marriage to Miss Mary J. Boyer, of Oreana, 
a daughter of William Boyer, one of the 
prominent old residents of that place. They 
have two children : Mrs. Helen C. \'ance. 
who is now a widow and resides in Deca- 
tur ; and Charles F., who is connected with 
Pratt & Company, of Decatur. ?\Ir. Pratt 
has been prominently identified with both 
the Decatur Club and the Decatur Country 
Club. He has served as president of the 
former and has been vice president of the 
Country Club since its organization and in 
the city where he has long made his home 



he has a wide acquaintance and a large cir- 
cle of warm friends. 

Such in brief is the life history of a man 
who, by his own energy, perserverance and 
indomitable strength of character, has 
achieved a reputation that entitles him to 
rank among the leading merchants of the 
world, due alone to his keen foresight and 
honesty of purpose, and a bright example 
to the rising generation of what can be ac- 
complished by untiring energy and attention 
to business. His success has been truly 
wonderful and due alone to his individual 
efforts. One of the most active of men, 
never idle, and keeping his wealth in mo- 
tion for the interests of the city he lives in, 
his name in commercial circles is a tower 
of strength and with him there is no such 
a word as "fail" in anything he undertakes. 



JOHN G. STOBER. 

John G. Stober, who is a merchant po- 
liceman of Decatur, was born November 
14, 1846, in the town of Silberhausen, in 
the province of Saxony, Germany. He was 
a son of Henry and Elizabeth Stober, in 
whose family were four sons and a daughter, 
two of whom are yet living in the father- 
land. Three of the number emigrated to 
.\merica and one died here. The father 
was a dry-goods merchant and by the capa- 
ble conduct of his business affairs won a 
good living for his family. 

In the public and parochial schools of his 
home town John G. Stober was educated 
and after putting aside his text books he 
received his business training in his fath- 
er's store, becoming associated with his 
father and brothers in this enterprisse. At 
the age of twenty years he was drafted 
into the regtilar army of Germany and six 
weeks after he had joined the service war 
was declared between Prussia and Austria. 
3,lr. Stober was then called to the front and 



216 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



served for six months, participating in a 
number of battles, including the engage- 
ments at Pressburg, Citgin and Ivoemg- 
krat? After the war was over he served 
for three more years. At the end of nme 
months he was made corporal of his regi- 
ment and when two years had passed he 
was made third sergeant. On the 15th of 
Tunc 1869, he received an honorable dis- 
charge and again he engaged in business 
with his father, but on the 15th of June, 
1870, he was recalled to the army and par- 
ticipated in the Franco-German war, serv- 
ing under William I. He fought m four 
battles— Beaumont, Cravette, Sedan and the 
sie-e of Paris, and was present at the time 
that Napoleon HI was taken prisoner. 
For one year he remained with the army 
and then was honorably discharged on the 
15th of June, 1871, his regiment being 
stationed at that time at Erfurt. 

On again returning home Mr. Stober 
joined his brothers in business, his father 
having died in the meantime, his death oc- 
curring February 27, 1869, and on the ist 
of February, 1882, the mother of our sub- 
ject passed away. 

From T871 until 1876 Mr. Stober was 
associated with his brothers in the conduct 
of a successful mercantile enterprise m his 
native land, but the opportunities of the 
new world attracted him and in the latter 
year he decided to emigrate to the new 
world. 

Bidding adieu to friends and native coun- 
try he sailed on the 9th of February. 1876, 
for New York, where in due time he landed. 
He theit made his way across the country 
to Connersville, Indiana, where he lived 
for three years and then again started west- 
ward, locating at Pocahontas, in Randolph 
county, Arkansas. One year was passed 
there, at the end of which time he returned 
to Indiana. While on the return trip, how- 
ever, he passed through Decatur and was 
greatly impressed with the city and its 



prospects. The vision of this place remained 
continually in his mind and in 1883 he re- 
turned here to become one of its residents. 
He was first employed as an engineer by 
the Decatur Brewing Company and later he 
engaged in business on his own account, 
conducting a grocery store on East Will- 
iams street. When Captain Keenan was 
elected mayor of the city in 1887 ^ r. 
Stober was appointed to a position on the 
re-ular police force and has since served 
in that capacity, either as a regular or 
merchant policeman, for the past sixteen 
years. He is now a merchant policeman, 
'although at the present writing he is away 
on leave of absence, having gone to the 
fatherland to visit the country from which 
he has been absent for twenty-eight years. 
He sailed on the 4tb of August, with pleas- 
ant anticipations of again renewing the ac- 
quaintances of his early life and looking 
once more upon the scenes amid winch his 
childhood was passed. 

\t Liberty, Indiana, Mr. Stober was 
united in marriage on the 13th of January 
1881, to Miss Catherine McWalter, of that 
citv Three children have been born unto 
them two sons and a daughter, but all are 
now 'deceased. ^Irs. Stober was born in 
Tuam, Countv Galway, Ireland, and came 
,0 America in 1865. Her parents are now 
deceased. 

Mr Stober is a member of Decatur Coun- 
cil of the Knights of Columbus, having been 
initiated into that order November 24, igo^- 
He is also a stanch Democrat and has taken 
an active- part in the political campaigns 
in this citv. His religious faith in indicated 
bv his membership in St. Patrick's Catholic 
church He has never had occasion to re- 
crret his determination to seek a home m 
America for he has found here the oppor- 
tunities he sought and to-day he is a well 
known and respected citizen of Macon 
county, having warm friends within its bor- 
ders. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



219 



MILTON JOHNSON. 

Milton Johnson is distinctively American 
and so were his ancestors both lineal and 
collateral for generations. It was at a very 
early period in the history of America and 
its colonization that the Johnson family, of 
which our subject is a representative, was 
established in the new world. Only twelve 
years after the landing of the Pilgrims at 
Plymouth Rock the Johnson family was 
planted on American soil by emigrants from 
England and from 1632 down to the present 
time representatives of the name have been 
found loyal in citizenship and honorable in 
business relations so that they have proven 
of worth to the communities in which they 
have made their homes. 

Captain Othniel Johnson, the grandfather 
of our subject, was born in Cuckland, 
Massachusetts, and served his country in 
the war of 1812. He spent his entire life in 
the state of his nativity and passed the 
Psalmist's span of three score years and 
ten, his death occurring at the age of sev- 
enty-three. Edwin Johnson, the father of 
our subject, was one of a large family and 
his natal year was 1818. He, too, was born 
in Massachusetts and as a preparation for 
the practical duties of a business career he 
learned the trades of a stone-mason and 
plasterer. When the tide of emigration 
was steadily flowing westward into the 
states of the Mississippi valley he sought 
a home in Wisconsin, locating there at the 
age of twenty-two years. Settling on a 
farm in the town of Greenfield, five miles 
from Milwaukee, he began the task of cul- 
tivating and improving the land and for 
forty years carried on farming there. He 
afterward came to Decatur to make his 
home with his son Milton and here died in 
August, 1900. He was a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and a man 
whose strong principles and force of char- 
acter gained for him the respect and ad- 
miration of his fellow men. His wife, who 



bore the maiden name of Pauline Howes, 
was also born in Massachusetts and was a 
daughter of Nathan Howes, one of the 
farmers of the Old Bay state. Her death 
occurred in Wisconsin in June, 1864. By 
her marriage she became the mother of the 
following named: Milton Johnson, of this 
review; Franklin, who wedded Miss Mary 
Clark, a niece of Alvan Clark, the famous 
telescope manufacturer, and lives in Bara- 
boo, Wisconsin, where he is engaged in hor- 
ticultural pursuits ; Mary, a resident of Oak 
Park, Illinois, is the wife of I. E. Brown, 
who for the past twenty years has been sec- 
retary of the Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation of the state ; Martha, wife of Rev. 

0. H. P. Smith, a Methodist Episcopal min- 
ister belonging to the Illinois conference ; 
and Anna, who was educated for foreign 
mission work and assigned to the China de- 
partment but after having made all arrange- 
ments to sail from .Seattle she was taken ill 
at the home of our subject while paying a 
farewell visit and it was several months be- 
fore she recovered. She finally resigned her 
appointment and later became the wife of 

1. J. Davis. They make their home in Oak 
Park, Illinois. After the death of his first 
wife, Edwin Johnson was again married, his 
second union being with Mrs. Christiana 
Remington. There was only one son by this 
union, Edwin, who was formerly an archi- 
tect of Chicago, but is now engaged in the 
drug business in Sugar City, Colorado. 

Upon the old home farm near Greenfield, 
Wisconsin, Milton Johnson first opened his 
eyes to the light of day, his birth occurrin.g 
on the 30th of September, 1845. -'^t the 
usual age he entered the district schools 
and therein pursued his studies for some 
time. In the months of summer he assisted 
in the work of field and meadow and con- 
tinued under the parental roof until twenty 
j'ears of age, when as a preparation for the 
responsibilities of later life he pursued a 
course in the Bryant, -Stratton & .Spencer 



220 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



business college of Milwaukee. His first 
independent venture was as a teacher. For 
several terms he taught in the public schools 
where he displayed marked aptitude for the 
work, gaining distinction by reason of his 
skill and zeal. He then became a teacher 
in the college where he had obtained his 
education, Bryant, Stratton & Spencer's, 
and while there was in charge of the bank- 
ing department and thus acquired a keen 
taste for the business which he has made 
his life work. Later he severed his connec- 
tion with educational work and came to 
Decatur, where he has made his home con- 
tinuously since 1866. 

During the first three years of his resi- 
dence in this city Mr. Johnson was in the 
service of the United States Express Com- 
pany and then entered the employ of the 
firm of Powers, Ferris & Company, boot 
and shoe dealers, with whom he remained 
until 1872. That year witnessed the begin- 
ning of his connection with the banking 
business in which he was destined to rise 
imtil he is now one of the most active and 
influential representatives of the financial 
circles of this city. In 1872 he became a 
bookkeeper in the banking house of Mil- 
likin & Company, serving in that capacity 
until 1880, when he became a member of 
the firm and took an active part in its con- 
trol until 1892, when he sold his interest in 
that institution and entered upon his con- 
nection with the Citizens' National Bank, of 
which he is now the cashier. For one year 
he served as vice president and in 1892 was 
elected president, acting in that capacity 
for some time. In 1899 the bank was re- 
organized with Ilarr}' Shlandeman as presi- 
dent; William 11. Starr, vice president; Mil- 
ton Johnson, cashier; and J. N. Baker, as- 
sistant cashier. Mr. Johnson has since 
served as cashier and the prosperous career 
of the bank has been largely due to his ef- 
forts, his thorough understanding of the 
banking business and his sound judgment. 



He has the ability to readily read and un- 
derstand riien and while he is always courte- 
ous in his treatment to the patrons of the 
bank he rarely, if ever, makes a mistake in 
placing trust in one who docs not warrant 
it. During his connection with the Citizens 
National Bank its business has been doubled 
many times and while the policy that is fol- 
lowed is conservative to the point of safety 
it is also progressive to the point of modern 
methods which are fully abreast with the 
times. 

On the 5th of January, 1870, Mr. Johnson 
was united in marriage to Miss Philena A. 
Evans, whose parents, John and Lucy 
(Peckham) Evans, were natives of New 
York, whence they emigrated westward to 
Waukesha, Wisconsin. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Johnson have been born six children : Elbert 
E., who is a resident of Pasadena, Califor- 
nia; Franklin L., who was educated in the 
Northwestern University at Evanston and 
is in the National Bank of Commerce in St. 
Louis, Missouri; Milton, who was also a 
student in the Northwestern University 
and is now teller in the Citizens' National 
Bank of Decatur; Pauline, the wife of R. 
C. Augustine ; Alva M., who is an employe 
of the Merchants' National Bank at Indi- 
anapolis, Indiana ; and Roy G., who com- 
pletes the family. Miss Maude E. Evans, 
a niece of Mrs. Johnson, formerly made her 
home with this family. She is now married 
to Ro}^ Stewart, of Decatur. Mr. and Mrs. 
Johnson have a beautiful residence which 
was erected at a cost of fifteen thousand 
dollars and is built in modern style of archi- 
tecture. It is one of the beautiful homes 
of this city and in its furnishings indicates 
the cultured and refined taste of the in- 
mates. 

In Masonic circles iNIr. Johnson has at- 
tained distinction and is a worthy exemplar 
of the craft. He belongs to Macon Lodge, 
No. 8, F. & A. M.; Macon Chapter. No. 21, 
R. A. M. ; and Beaumanoir Commandery, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



221 



No. 9, K. T. He has been honored with 
official preferment in these various branches 
of Alasonry, serving as eminent commander 
for two years, and he has also held office 
in the First Methodist church, of which 
both he and his wife are members, having 
been steward and president of the board of 
trustees for the past fifteen years. He is 
benevolent, giving liberally of his means to 
the poor and needy, but which is after the 
spirit of the teaching which says "Let not 
your left hand know what your right hand 
doeth." 

Viewed from any standpoint his life might 
be said to be a success ; and it is the success 
not merely of the man who prosecutes a 
prosperous commercial life, intent only on 
winning wealth, but that of the man who 
advances public good in promoting individ- 
ual prosperity. The study of the character 
of the representative American never fails 
to offer much of pleasing interest and valu- 
able instruction, and the life of Mr. John- 
son certainly furnishes food for deep and 
profitable thought. 



ANDREW H. AHLLS. 

Andrew H. Mills is actively connected 
with a profession which has important bear- 
ing upon the progress and stable prosperity 
of any section or community, and one which 
has long been considered as conserving the 
public welfare by furthering the ends of jus- 
tice and maintaining individual rights. His 
reputation as a lawyer has been won 
through earnest, honest labor, and his stand- 
ing at the bar is a merited tribute to his 
ability. He now has a good practice, and his 
careful preparation of cases is supplemented 
by a power of argument and a forceful 
presentation of his points in the courtroom 
so that he seldom fails to impress court or 
jury. 

Mr. Mills is a native of Putnam county, 



Illinois, his birth having there occurred on 
the 6th of October, 1S51. His parents were 
Eli R. and Elizabeth R. (Kimber) Mills, 
who were members of the Society of Friends 
in western Pennsylvania. In early man- 
hood the father left the east, making his 
way to Illinois. He settled in Putnam 
county and became the owner of steamboats 
running on the Ohio, Mississippi and Illi- 
nois rivers, but he died when the subject 
of this review was only four years of age. 
In his boyhood days he was a playmate of 
James G. Blaine. By his marriage to Miss 
Kimber he had nine children, five of whom 
are now living, namely: Susan K., who is 
the wife of Robert N. West; Sarah M., the 
wife of Frederick M. Cox, of Decatur; H. C, 
who is judge of Putnam county, Illinois ; 
Andrew H., of this review ; and Isaac R., 
who is the law partner of his brother 
Andrew. 

Upon the home farm Andrew H. ]\Iills 
was born and reared and his education was 
begun in the district schools. During the 
summer months he assisted in the work of 
the fields and developed a strong, robust 
manhood which has enabled him to apply 
himself closely to his professional duties 
in later years. After gaining his preliminary 
education near his home he entered Lincoln 
University, in which he was graduated on 
the completion of a five years' classical 
course of study in 1875. He then spent two 
years as a member of the faculty of the same 
institution and therein pursued a post-grad- 
uate course. For some time he was a suc- 
cessful educator and became superintendent 
of the city schools of Waverly, Illinois, 
where he remained for three years. In his 
instruction before the class he was always 
clear and concise and forceful, and these 
qualities have likewise been manifested in 
his presentation of a case before court or 
jury. While acting as principal of the 
schools of Waverly he also took up the 
studv of law. In 1880 he came to Decatur 



222 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and completed his reading in the law office 
of the well known firm of Clokey & Mills, 
being admitted to the bar of the state in 
May, 1881. In the following June he en- 
tered into partnership relations with his 
brother, I. R. Mills, and the firm has long 
maintained a high reputation among the 
leading lawyers of the Macon county bar. 
For six j'ears Andrew H. Mills served as 
assistant city attorney and for twelve years 
as assistant states attorney under his 
brother. He now makes a specialty of 
chancery, probate and real estate law, al- 
though he is well informed in all depart- 
ments of jurisprudence. He does not care, 
however, to give much of his time to crim- 
inal law and has gained a good clientage in 
the other branches of the profession, being 
regarded as a wise counsellor and safe ad- 
viser in matters pertaining to corporation 
vT other business interests. The firm of 
Mills Brothers are attorneys for the Citi- 
zens' National Bank of Decatur and they 
occupy a handsome suite of rooms on the 
sixth floor of the Millikin Bank Building. 
Their law librarj' is extensive and with its 
contents Andrew H. ^lills has familiarized 
himself, being a deep student and one who 
has carried his investigations far and wide 
into the realms of judicial knowledge. 

On the 2d of Januar}^ 1877, occurred the 
marriage of Andrew H. Mills and IMiss 
Elizabeth E. Bell, a daughter of the late 
Rev. W. C. Bell, of Lincoln, Illinois. Their 
children are Ralph G., Judith B., Helen E., 
Harold E. and Andrew Hubert. The en- 
tire family hold membership in the P'irst 
Presbyterian church and through many 
)-ears Mr. Mills has been one of its most 
active and helpful workers. He has long 
served as one of its elders and for fifteen 
years has been superintendent of its Sundaj'- 
school. Through a considerable period he . 
has also been chairman of the County Sun- 
day-school Association and is now chairman 
of the executive committee of the Illinois 



State Sunday-school Association, while in 
the International Sunday-school Associa- 
tion he is also serving on the executive com- 
mittee. He has taken a deep interest in the 
welfare of the boys and young men of the 
city and he secured the handsome bequests 
of David F. Hamsher and Reuben Betzer 
for the Young Men's Christian Association 
of Decatur. He is deeply interested in the 
James Millikin University and has rendered 
valuable services to this institution. His 
attractive residence is situated on West 
Decatur street and in addition he holds 
valuable propert)' interests in Putnam and 
Shelb)' counties. A broad minded man, 
while giving his chief attention to his bus- 
iness affairs he has yet found opportunity 
to aid in the material progress, the intellec- 
tual ilevelopment and the moral advance- 
ment, realizing that man's nature should 
grow along all these lines. A man of un- 
swerving integrity and honor, one who has 
a strong appreciation for the higher ethics 
of life, he has gained and retained the con- 
fidence and respect of his fellow men and 
is distinctively one of the leading citizens 
not only of Decatur, but of Macon county. 



H. E. DICKEY. 

H. E. Dickey, a well known farmer re- 
siding on section 36, Friends Creek town- 
ship, is one of i\Iacon county's native sons 
and has been an eye witness of much of 
her development. During his boyhood much 
of the land was still wild and uncultivated 
and Decatur was but a small town. He 
aided in building the railroad through his 
locality in 1873 and in other ways has ma- 
terially assisted in the improvement of his 
native count v, which to-day is one of the 
best in this great commonwealth. 

Mr. Dickey was born in Friends Creek 
townshi]), on the 13th of January, 1859, and 
is a son of William and Sarah Dickey. His 
father was a native of Kentucky and was 




rrJ. /d. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



225 



one of the early settlers of Friends Creek 
township, where he purchased land at the 
government price of one dollar and a quarter 
per acre. He broke and improved his farm 
and for many years was successfully en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits in this local- 
ity. After a useful and well spent life he 
died in 1875. 

H. E. Dickey, of this review, obtained his 
early education in the Newburg schoolhouse 
and when not in school he aided in the work 
of the home farm, "thus early acquiring an 
excellent knowledge of the occupation 
which he has chosen as a life work. At the 
age of twenty-two years he commenced op- 
erating a tract of land belonging to his 
father, and is still engaged in the cultiva- 
tion of two hundred and forty acres be- 
longing to the estate. The place was im- 
proved by the father but our subject has 
made many changes and is now successfully 
engaged in both farming and stock-raising. 

In 1885 iNlr. Dickey married Miss Au- 
gustus, a daughter of Clarke and Margaret 
Augustus, of Friends Creek township, both 
now deceased. Four children blessed this 
union, namely: Nellie, born in November, 
1886; Lula, born in February, 1888; Grace, 
born in September, 1889; and Howard, born 
in July, 1891. Grace is now deceased. Mr. 
and Mrs. Dickey are worthy members of 
the Cumberland Presbyterian church and he 
is also connected with the Modern Wood- 
men of America. In his political affiliations 
he is a Democrat and he has filled the of- 
fices of collector and school director in a 
most creditable and satisfactory manner. 
His children are now attending school in 
Argcnta. 



WILLIAM A. BARNES, M. D. 
No adequate memorial of William A. 
Barnes can be written until many of the 
useful enterprises with which he was con- 
nected have completed their full measure of 



good in the world and until his personal in- 
fluence and example shall have ceased their 
fruitage in the lives of those who were 
about him when he was yet an actor in the 
busy places of the world; yet there is much 
concerning him that can with profit be set 
down here as an illustration of what can 
be done if a man with a clear brain and 
willing hands but sets himself seriously to 
the real labors -and responsibilities of life. 
It can be truthfully said that he was the 
architect of his own fortunes and from the 
time when Decatur was a struggling and 
unimportant little village down to almost 
the present Dr. Barnes was identified with 
its interests. The silent and unwritten his- 
tory of its streets, its railroads and its pub- 
lic institutions is replete with his spirit and 
untiring energy. He gained distinctive 
recognition as one of the leaders in business 
life here, having shown a marked capacity 
for the successful conduct of afifairs of great 
breadth. It is not alone compatible but 
practically imperative that there be incor- 
porated in this volume a review of his life. 

Dr. Barnes was born in New Hampshire, 
his natal place being Claremont, while his 
natal day was the 15th of March, 1824. In 
an early period in the development of New 
England the family was established there. 
The Doctor's paternal grandfather removed 
from Farmington, Connecticut, to Qare- 
mont, New Hampshire, wdien that section 
of the state was almost an unbroken wil- 
derness and amid the hills of New Hamp- 
shire he reared his family. Tra N. Barnes, 
the father of the Doctor, was born in Clare- 
mont and after reaching years of maturity 
devoted his energies to agricullnral pur- 
suits, but his death resulted from an acci- 
dent when he was only about thirty years 
of age. His wife, who bore the maiden 
name of Harriet Eastman, belonged to an 
old New' England family of considerable 
prominence. 

Dr. Barnes, the eldest of five children, 



226 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



was only six years of age at the time of 
his father's death. The following year he 
went to live with his grandfather, with 
whom he remained until he reached the 
age of fifteen years and during that period 
he acquired an excellent education in the 
public schools and also in Claremont Acad- 
emy. ^^'hcn a youth of fifteen he started 
westward for the purpose of making his 
home with a cousin in Dayton, Ohio, with 
whom he lived from 1839 ""til 1844. He 
further continued his studies in that city 
and, well qualified for the teacher's profes- 
sion, he became an instructor in a school- 
room in Montgomery county, Ohio, when 
twenty years of age. In early manhood he 
also engaged in teaching music, in which he 
was quite proficient, but another profession 
seemed to him more attractive and, believ- 
ing that it would be also remunerative as 
a life work, he took up the study of medi- 
cine in 1846, his preceptor being Dr. Van 
Harlingen, of Centerville, Ohio. Later he 
matriculated in the Starling Medical Col- 
lege at Columbus and in the fall of 1849 he 
went to Philadelphia, where he pursued his 
second course of lectures in the University 
of Pennsylvania and in that institution was 
graduated with the class of 1850. 

Returning then to Centerville, Ohio, he 
opened an office and entered upon his pro- 
fessional career, but in the autumn of the 
same year he located in Valparaiso, In- 
diana, remaining a member of the medical 
fraternity there for three years. In 1853 
he became a resident of Decatur and for a 
short time practiced his profession, but also 
became engaged in other lines of business 
which ultimately demanded all of his time 
and attention. Upon his arrival here he 
purchased a tract of land about four miles 
from the town and at once began its culti- 
vation and development. He had been a 
resident of Decatur but two years, when in 
1855 he succeeded Drs. King and Cheno- 
weth as proprietors of a drug store in De- 



catur, which he conducted with success un- 
til 1859. During the period of the Civil 
war his time was largely occupied with offi- 
cial service, for in 1861 he was appointed 
master in chancery. In that office as in 
all other relations in life he was found 
prompt and faithful in the execution of his 
duties and he capably served until 1865, 
when he resigrted. 

Dr. Barnes was among the first to inau- 
gurate the manufacturing interests which 
have made Decatur one of the largest pro- 
ducing centers of the Mississippi valley. In 
1^60 in partnership with William Lintner 
he estal)lished a factory for the manufac- 
ture of hay-presses and when this work was 
placed upon a paying basis it was extended 
in scope by the establishment of a depart- 
ment for the manufacture of pumps and 
agricultural implements. Its trade steadily 
increased, owing to the excellence of its 
product and the reliability of the propri- 
etors, and thus Dr. Barnes became an active 
factor in the manufacturing interests of De- 
catur. After some years he sold it to his 
partner and later the enterprise became 
known as the Decatur Furniture Company, 
under which style it is to-day conducted. 
In 1868 Dr. Barnes decided to devote the 
greater part of his attention to real estate 
operations and to the improvement of his 
lands. In an early day he had invested 
largely in property in Macon, Piatt and 
Moultrie counties. With the increase in 
population, owing to the large emigration 
from the east to the Mississippi valley, 
these lands had risen greatly in value and 
their sale brought to him a handsome for- 
tune. He also added to their market prices 
by the excellent improvements which he 
placed upon the property. His real estate 
dealings were indeed extensive and of an 
important character and annually his oper- 
ations in this direction brought to him a 
splendid financial return. 

In October, 1849, on the completion of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



227 



his collegiate course, Dr. Barnes was united 
in marriage to ^liss Eleanor Sawyer, who 
was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. 
He had formed her acquaintance while she 
was residing in Centerville, Ohio, and the 
inarriage ceremony was performed in 
Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. Unto the 
Doctor and his wife were born the follow- 
ing children : Albert, now a leading busi- 
ness man of Decatur; Charles M., a distin- 
guished attorney of Boston, Massachusetts, 
who died March 9, 1893 ; Mary, wife of 
George R. Stanton, a resident of Decatur ; 
William, a prominent surgeon of this city; 
and one son who died in infancy. 

Along political lines the influence of Dr. 
Barnes has been felt and he was one of 
the first standard bearers of the Republican 
party in Macon county, continuing its sup- 
port until his death, which occurred August 
20, 1897, in Dansville, New York. Noting 
with interest the progress of events he took 
a deep interest in the movements which led 
to the establishment of a political organiza- 
tion for the further suppression of slavery 
in the United States and from 1856 up to 
the time of his demise he gave an unfalter- 
ing allegiance to the party which was the 
cause of the abolition of this great national 
evil. He labored earnestly for Fremont 
during the campaign of 1856 and delivered 
a number of political addresses in his behalf 
throughout the county. He was one of the 
representative citizens of Decatur and filled 
several public positions, his fellow towns- 
men recognizing his devotion to the general 
welfare, as well as his personal worth, 
elected him mayor of the city prior to the 
Civil war and several times he was a mem- 
ber of the city council. Whatever tended 
to promote the welfare and progress of De- 
catur elicited his earnest attention, active 
co-operation and substantial aid. With 
other prominent men he was influential in 



securing to the city the system of railroads 
which has made it an important commer- 
cial center through furnishing an outlet for 
the agricultural and commercial products 
of this locality and bringing it into close 
relations with other trade centers. He was 
one of the active members of the Citizens' 
Association, organized to advance the pub- 
lic interests of Decatur. The cause of edu- 
cation found in him a warm friend and for 
a number of years he took an active part in 
behalf of the schools as a member of the 
board of education and for some time was 
its president. From its organization until 
his death, with the exception of one year, 
he was president of the Decatur public li- 
brary. His benevolence was unostentatious 
and genuine, and there is nothing in the 
story of his life to show that he ever for 
a moment sought to compass a given end 
for the purpose of exalting himself. He 
championed measures and aided men, and 
accepted as his reward that thrill of de- 
light which always accompanies victories 
achieved. Endowed by nature with a sound 
judgment and an accurate, discriminating 
mind, he feared not that laborious attention 
to the details of business so necessary to 
achieve success, and this essential quality 
was guided by a sense of moral right which 
would tolerate the employment only of 
those means that would bear the most rigid 
examination by a fairness of intention that 
neither sought nor required disguise. It is 
but just and merited praise to say of Dr. 
Barnes, that as a business man he ranked 
with the ablest; as a citizen he was honor- 
able, prompt and true to every engage- 
ment; as a man he held the honor and es- 
teem of all classes of people, of all creeds 
and political proclivities ; as a husband and 
father he was a model worthy of all imita- 
tion ; unassuming in his manner, sincere in 
his friendship, steadfast and unswerving in 



228 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



liis loyally to the right. Throughout his 
career of continued and far-reaching useful- 
ness, his duties were performed with the 
greatest care, and during a long life his per- 
sonal honor and integrity were without 
blemish. 



CHARLES E. COXNARD. 

In the pioneer epoch in the history of this 
section of Illinois, Charles E. Connard 
came to Macon county and has since been 
an important factor in its substantial de- 
velopment and permanent improvement. He 
has seen its wild lands transformed into 
fine farms, while industrial and commercial 
interests have been introduced and thus 
towns have become thriving cities. In the 
work of progress he has borne his part and 
has been particularly active as a represen- 
tative of the agricultural interests of the 
community. His home is on section 2, 
South Wheatland township. 

Mr. Connard was born on the 6th of No- 
vember, 1829, in Montgomer}^ county, 
Pennsylvania, a son of John and Dorothy 
(Schriver) Connard and grandson of Ebe- 
nezer Connard. The father was a native of 
Bucks county, this state, and was there 
reared and educated. His wife was of Ger- 
man descent. In 1830 they removed to 
Ross county, Ohio, where the following ten 
years were passed, and in 1840 they came 
by wagon and team to Macon county, Illi- 
nois, locating near where our subject now 
rejsides. The father was an active member 
of the Methodist Episcopal church and was 
a Democrat in politics until 1S56, when 
he joined the newly organized Republican 
party. His death occurred on the 6th of 
November, 1876, when he was seventy-three 
years of age, and his wife passed away 
March 27, 1891, at the age of seventy-nine. 
They were the parents of the following 
children : Sarah Anne, the wife of John 



King, of Elwin ; Hannah, who married 
James Lowry, of Decatur, and died in 1856; 
Mrs. Catherine Widick, who is living in 
Webster county, Iowa ; Maria .Kngeline, 
who died at the age of twenty years ; and 
Charles E. 

The early educational privileges afforded 
our subject were very meager, but by read- 
ing and observation he has become a well 
informed man. During his earlv life he was 
associated with his father in farming, and 
on the death of the latter became the owner 
of four hundred acres of land, the only im- 
provement u])on the place being a log cabin 
and sixty acres under fence. But as time 
])asscd Mr. Coimard placed acre after acre 
under cultivation and erected good and sub- 
stantial buildings, making his farm one of 
the best in the locality. In addition to 
his farming interests he has dealt in grain 
for the past thirty years and is now part 
owner of an elevator at Elwin, being asso- 
ciated with his sons and others in the busi- 
ness. The elevator was erected by him and 
has a capacit}- of fifty thousand bushels. He 
also built a large corn crib i^t that place. 
To his sons he has given a portion of his 
land, but still retains two hundred and forty 
acres, which is under a high state of culti- 
vation and well improved. 

At Elwin, in 1855, Mr. Connard was unit- 
ed in marriage to Miss Nancy A.Eagur, who 
died on the 30th of September, 1878, in the 
faith of the Methodist church, of which 
she was a consistent member. Unto them 
were born the following children : George 
S. ; Milton A. ; Carrie, wife of William 
Wilt, a farmer living near Lake City, Illi- 
nois ; Efifie, who died at the age of ten years ; 
Johnnie, who died at the age of eight ; Mar- 
tin E., whose sketch appears below ; Charles 
H.. a resident of Marseilles, Illinois; and 
llarle)- and Hattie, twins, the former of 
whom died at the age of one year and a 
half, and the latter now the wife of William 
Flovd, of Hollvvvood, California. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



229 



In 1879 ^^^- Connard was again married, 
his second union being with Miss Ehzabeth 
J. Rozzell, a native of Macon county and 
a daughter of Micah and Isabella (Davis) 
Rozzell, who were natives of South Caro- 
lina and Tennessee, respectively, and were 
married November 4, 1845. Her father was 
one of the early settlers of this county and 
was engaged in farming in Long Creek 
township. He died on Christmas day of 
1888, and his wife departed this life in Sep- 
tember, 1880. In religious faith they were 
■Presbyterians. Their children were David, 
a farmer of Tennessee and postmaster at 
Dughill, Tennessee ; Mrs. Connard, who 
was born October 5, 185 1 ; Isabella, wife of 
Scott Satt, a shoemaker of Whiteboro, 
Texas ; Anna, wife of James Withgott, of 
Decatur; and Lily, who is living with her 
sister in Texas. By his second marriage 
Mr. Connard has three children : Curtis, 
Marcus and Walter, all at home. 

Since 1849 Mr. Connard has been an ac- 
tive member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and has been officially connected 
with the same. He cast his first presidential 
vote for General Fremont in 1856 and has 
since affiliated with the Republican party. 
For over sixty years he has been identified 
with the interests of Macon county and is 
justly regarded as one of her honored pio- 
neers and representative citizens who have 
borne an important part in her upbuilding 
and development. He is widely and favor- 
ably known and well merits the high regard 
in which he is held. 

George S. Connard, our subject's eldest 
son and one of the present members of the 
firm of grain-buyers of Elwin, was born on 
his father's farm in this county, March 15, 
1856, and received his early education in the 
district schools of the neighborhood, after- 
ward graduating at Eastman's National 
Business College of Poughkeepsie, New 
York, in 1875. Smce starting out in life for 
himself ho lias engaged in farming, has 



acted as railroad agent for the Illinois Cen- 
tral Railroad Company and has dealt in 
grain at Elwin. He ran the first check-rower 
in the county, which was made by Hay- 
worth & Sons in 1869, and was purchased 
by his father. He continued farming on the 
home place until 1883, when he purchased 
eighty acres of land in South Wheatland 
township which formerly belonged to his 
grandfather. On the 3d of February, 1883, 
he was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca 
Crumm, a native of Dauphin county, Penn- 
sylvania, who came to Macon county with 
her parents. She died April i, 1893, in the 
faith of the i\Iethodist Episcopal church. 
Mr. Connard is also a member of that church 
and has served as superintendent of the 
Sunday-school and as class leader. He cast 
his first presidential vote for James A. 
Garfield but for the past eighteen years has 
suppcJrted the Prohibition party. He served 
as township clerk before he attained his ma- 
jority and has always taken a deep interest 
in public affairs. 

M. A. Connard, the junior member of the 
original firm of M. A. Connard & Company, 
grain buyers of Elwin, was born on the 
old homestead in South Wheatland town- 
ship in 1858. He was married in June, 1885, 
to Miss Eva L. Foster, a native of De- 
catur and a daughter of David and Margaret 
(Price) Foster. She died in December, 
1891, leaving three children: Arthur F., 
Nellie and Mae. 



MARTIN E. CONNARD. 
Prominent among the business men of 
Macon county is numbered Martin E. Con- 
nard, a well known grain dealer of Elwin. 
No one in that locality is better known for 
his entire life has been spent there and all 
his interests from boyhood have been close- 
ly associated with those of his native town- 
ship. In business affairs he has met with 



230 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



good success and b)' the energy and zeal 
whicli he has manifested lie has won the 
confidence and esteem of the public. 

Air. Connard was born in South Wheat- 
land township, May i6, 1868, a son of 
Charles E. and Nancy (Eagur) Connard, 
whose sketch precedes this. After com- 
pleting his common school education he 
attended the Northern Illinois Normal 
School and Dixon Business College for a 
time. In 1886 he became connected with 
the grain business in the employ of the firm 
of M. A. Connard & Company, and in 1893 
became a member of the firm, the name be- 
ing then changed to G. S. Connard & Com- 
pany, as his brother George S. had pur- 
chased Milton A.'s interest in the business. 
On the 1st of November, 1900, William R. 
Hopkins became a member of the firm, 
which still carries on business under the 
name of G. S. Connard & Company, and 
they now have control of the grain trade 
in Elwin, handling one hundred thousand 
bushels of oats and two hundred thousand 
bushels of corn annually. Shipments are 
made to Memphis, Tennessee, New Orleans, 
Decatur and other points, and Martin E. 
Connard has charge of the buying and 
selling of all grain at their elevators. He 
is also interested in a general store at El- 
win and is the owner of the Elwin Tele- 
phone system, which began the building of 
its lines in 1892 and now has over eighty 
phones in operation, practically covering 
the whole of South Wheatland township. 

On the 30th of June, 1898, Mr. Connard 
led to the marriage altar Miss Mae Hop- 
kins, who was born February 20, 1876, and 
they now have two children : Lucile, born 
March 14, 1899; and Harold, born July 20, 
1900. The family have a lovely home in 
Elwin, which was recently erected by Mr. 
Connard and which is supplied with all 
modern conveniences. He is a member of 
the Methodist Episcopal church and a sup- 
porter of the Republican party. In 1903 



he was commissioned notary public for a 
term of four years. .Mlliough comparatively 
a young man he already occupies a prom- 
inent position in business circles and his 
success is largely due to his energ)^ perse- 
verance and progressive ideas, as well as his 
good business ability. 

Samuel S. Hopkins, the father of Mrs. 
Connard, was born near Circleville, in 
Pickaway county, Ohio, November 24, 1846, 
and is of Scotch-Irish descent, though the 
family was founded in this country in colo- 
nial days, one of its members having been 
a signer of the Declaration of Independence. 
In early life Mr. Hopkins came to Macon 
county, Illinois, and was married near 
Boody, November 14, 1872, to Miss Emma- 
retta Williams, who is also a native of 
Ohio, born in Gambler, Knox county, on the 
23d of September, 1848. She was a mem- 
ber of the first graduating class from the 
Decatur high school, which consisted of 
but four members. This was in 1867. For 
three years she successfully engaged in 
teaching in Warrensburg, this county, and 
during the years of 1870 and 1871 had 
charge of a school near Blue Mound. Her 
father, William Henry Williams, is still 
living and has one brother and five sisters, 
the youngest of whom is sixty-three and the 
oldest eighty-two years of age. His father 
was a soldier of the war of 1812 and his 
grandfather took part in the Revolutionary 
war and was with Washington during that 
terrible winter at Valley Forge. 

After his marriage Samuel S. Hopkins 
located on the old Hopkins homestead, 
about two miles southeast of Elwin, and 
from there removed to a farm near As- 
sumption, Illinois, where he spent two 
years. His next home was on a farm near 
Forsyth, and about 1884 he removed to a 
farm near Mount Zion, where he spent ten 
years. The following seven years were 
passed in Decatur, and in the fall of 1901 
he came to Elwin, where he embarked in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTS. 



231 



general merchandising with his son, William 
R., and his son-in-law, Martin E. Connard, 
under the firm name of S. S. Hopkins & 
Company. He has five children, namely: 
William R., Mae, Bessie, Lelah and Tracy, 
and the family circle has never been broken 
by the hand of death. In his political views 
Mr. Hopkins is a Republican and he is now 
serving as postmaster of Elwin. He is a 
prominent and active member of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and is closely as- 
sociated with the work of the Sunday- 
school. Wherever known he is held in high 
regard as a man of ability and sterling 
worth. 



FRED E. SCHROEDER. 
With the business interests of Warrens- 
burg Fred E. Schroeder has been identified 
since attaining man's estate and is to-day 
one of the leading merchants of the place, 
carrying a large and well selected stock of 
hardware and furniture. He was born here 
on the 5th of April, 1875, and is a son of 
Max R. and Marie E. (Hagely) Schroeder, 
both of German descent. His paternal 
grandparents, Mr. and Mrg. Frank Schroe- 
der, were natives of Germany and emigrated 
to America at an early day, being residents of 
Freeport, Illinois, at the time of their deaths. 
Both reached an advanced age, the former 
dying when ninety-one and the latter when 
ninety. Our subject's father came to Macon 
county in 1871 and settled at Warrensburg, 
his home being on the site of the old City 
Hotel, where our subject was born. Here 
he followed shoemaking and harnessmak- 
ing for some years and served as the first 
postmaster of the village, being appointed 
to that ofiice during the administration of 
President Grant, although he was a stanch 
Democrat in politics. At that time he was 
able to keep all of the mail in a sewing 
machine drawer. He also served as justice 
of the peace for several years and was 



holding that position at the time of his 
death, which occurred on the 31st of .Octo- 
ber, 1885. He took a very prominent and 
active part in public affairs and was one of 
the leading and influential citizens of his 
part of the county. His estimable wife still 
survives him at the age of sixty-ni.ne years 
and now makes her home with our subject. 
She is the mother of eight children, two of 
whom are now deceased, those living being 
Rudolph H., a resident of Warrensburg, 
who married Alpha Loretta Acres, the 
camp of Royal Neighbors of this place 
being named Alpha Loretta in her honor; 
Jenny, wife of Frank Kretzer, of Warrens- 
burg ; Louise, wife ot Amos 'Robinson ; 
William R., who married Eva Raymond and 
lives in Warrensburg; Frank, who married 
Lulu Slonaker; and Fred E. 

Fred E. Schroeder was educated in the 
village schools, which he attended until 
fourteen years of age, and then began earn- 
ing his own livelihood by working on a farm. 
In 1892 he accepted a clerkship in the gen- 
eral store of Ed White & Company, where 
he remained for four years, and then in 
partnership with his brother, Rudolph H., 
opened a hardware and implement estab- 
lishment under the firm name of Schroeder 
Brothers. In 1899 he purchased his broth- 
er's interest and has since continued alone. 
He has ceased to handle agricultural im- 
plements but has added a stock of furniture, 
being the exclusive dealer in that line in 
Warrensburg. He has met with marked 
success in his mercantile efforts, having 
built up a large trade which is constantly 
increasing. 

On the 2d of June, 1897, Mr. Schroeder 
was united in marriage to Miss Flora Min- 
son, a native of Macon county, and a daugh- 
ter of Tilden and Emma (Fish) Minson. 
She was educated in the home schools 
and the high school at Decatur and for three 
years successfully engaged in teaching. 
Unto Mr. and ]\Irs. Schroeder have been 



232 



T'AST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



born tliree children, namely: Ixalpli M.. 
Ruth M.. and Mildred II. 

( )ur subject and his wife are members o{ 
the MetlioiHst Episcopal church and he also 
holds membership in the Independent Order 
of Odd Fell(jws and the .Modern Woodmen 
of .America, being past grand in the former 
lodge. His political support is gi^•e^ the 
Republican party and in 1898 he received 
the appointment of postmaster of ^\'arrens- 
burg under President .McKinley and i.s still 
filling that office with credit to himself 
and to the entire satisfaction of all con- 
cerned. He is one of the most progressive, 
enterprising and reliable young men of the 
town and the position he occupies in busi- 
ness circles is well deserved, it having been 
attained through persistent industry and un- 
tiring effort. 



NICHOLAS SCHERER. 

Nicholas Scherer became a resident of 
Decatur in 1882 and at his death was well 
known in business circles. lie was born 
in France on the 4th of June, 1825, and was 
a son of Jacob .Scherer, who was also a 
native of France, .\bout 1865 the father 
sailed for the new world with his family, 
first locating in Lowville, New York, where 
he purchased a farm, carrying on agricult- 
ural pursuits in that vicinity for several 
years. He then took up his abode in the 
village where both he and his wife are now 
living. He has spent his last few years 
in retirement from labor and at the age of 
eighty-one is enjoying a well merited rest 
and also receiving the respect and venera- 
tion which should ever be accorded those 
who advance far on life's journey. 

The educational advantages which Nich- 
olas Scherer received were limited. He 
gained much knowledge, however, from ex- 
perience and through contact with the 



world and when twenty years of age he 
emigrated to America with his parents, as- 
sisting in the development of the home farm 
in New York. There he remained until 
1882, when in connection with his brothers, 
Jacob and Emile, he came to the west, 
settling in Decatur. His brother Jacob is 
now night watchman of the Mueller Man- 
ufacturing Company of this city and Eniile 
is in the shops of the Union Iron Works. 

Nicholas Scherer of this review was first 
employed here by the Decatur Brewery, 
working there for some time. He then had 
charge of an express wagon for the Pacific 
Express Company for about two years and 
after his marriage he embarked in the sal- 
oon business, establishing a retail local 
house on East Eldorado street, conducting 
the enterprise for eight years. On the ex- 
piration of tliat period he sold out and en- 
gaged in tending bar until his death. 

Mr. Scherer was united in marriage to 
-Miss .Anna Frank, a native of Decatur and 
a daughter of John and Theresa (Kepler) 
Frank, who were natives of Germany and 
are represented elsewhere in this volume. 
.Mr. and ;\lrs. Scherer became the parents 
of two children : Frank, who was born May 
19, 1885, and is now telegraph operator at 
Winston ; and Jacob, who was born yVpril 
13, 1887, and is with his mother. They now 
occupy a nice home at No. 350 South Broad- 
way, which was erected by Mr. Scherer and 
in addition to this property Mrs. Scherer 
also owns residence property at Nos. 738, 
746 and 760 Leafland avenue. 

Mr. Scherer was never an office seeker 
nor desired such return for party fealty. 
However, he gave an unfaltering support to 
the Democracy. He belonged to the Cath- 
olic Knights and both he and his wife were 
members of the Catholic church of this city. 
His business career was successful and he 
steadily advanced working his way upward 



i'AST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



23t 



through energ)', determination and fidelity 
to duty. Year by year his financial re- 
sources increased and it was thus that he 
was enabled to make judicious investments 
in real estate which now returns to his 
fainilv a good income. 



GUY ARCHER RANDOLPH. 

Prominent among the young business 
men of ]\Iacon county is Guy Archer Ran- 
dolph, who is now successfully engaged in 
the banking business at Warrensburg and 
is rapidly working his way to a foremost 
position among the able financiers of this 
section of the state. A native of Illinois, 
he was born in Aetna township, Logan 
county, on the 15th of November, 1873, 
and is a son of James M. and Elizabeth G. 
(Jett) Randolph. The birth of the father 
also occurred in that township, June 27, 
1S46, but the mother was born in Bracken 
county, Kentucky, on the 30th of January, 
1855. Her father, William Jett, was killed 
in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, Aug- 
ust 29, 1862, while ser\ing as a private in 
the Eighteenth Kentucky A'olunteer Infan- 
try during the Civil war and the following 
year Mrs. Randolph, who was then a child, 
accompanied her mother on her removal to 
Illinois. James M. Randolph, the father of 
our subject, has spent his entire life in cen- 
tral Illinois and now owns and operates a 
valuable farm of five hundred acres near 
Kenney. He is a well educated man, having 
spent two years at Shnrtleiif College, Alton, 
Illinois, after completing the common school 
course, and he is one of the leading and rep- 
resentative citizens of his community. 

Mr. Randolph is descended from one of 
the oldest and most prominent families of 
tlie south, the progenitors being William 
Randolph and his wife, T^Iary Isham, who 
came to \nrginia in 1673 and settled on 
Turkey island in the James river, becom- 



ing one of the most popular and influential 
men of the early \'irginian colony. He was 
a nephew of the famous English poet, 
Thomas Randolph, and was the father of 
seven sons and two daughters, whose de- 
scendants are now numerous in the Old 
Dominion and are widely scattered through- 
out the other states of the Union. Among 
the most prominent of his posterity were 
John Randolph, of Roanoke, the celebrated 
orator ; Edmund Randolph, first attorney 
general under President Washington and 
secretary of state ; Thomas Jefferson, presi- 
dent of the United States; John Marshall, 
chief justice; and Robert E. Lee, general 
in the Confederate Army during the Civil 
war. Among the most prominent now liv- 
ing are Carter H. Harrison, mayor of Chi- 
cago ; and Isham Randolph, chief engineer 
of the Chicago sanitary canal, now promi- 
nently mentioned as a member of the Pan- 
ama canal commission. 

During his boyhood Guy A. Randolph at- 
tended the common schools near his home 
and at the age of sixteen years entered 
P.rown's Business College at Decatur, where 
he pursued a commercial course and was 
graduated in 1889. After one year spent 
upon the home farm, he accepted a position 
in Scroggin's Bank at Kenney, Illinois, 
where he served as cashier for two years 
and a half, and at the end of that time, 
wishing to obtain a better education, he 
resigned in the summer of 1894 and entered 
the preparatory department of Illinois Col- 
lege at Jacksonville, graduating in June, 
1895, at Whipple Academy. He wished to 
continue the full college course but was 
compelled to abandon it from threatened 
loss of health. In 1895 he spent some time 
in travel, his trip extending into the in- 
terior of the republic of Mexico, and he 
returned home in the fall of that year. In 
October, 1895, he made arrangements to es- 
tablish a bank in Warrensburg, and in the 
following July after the completion of the 



236 



PAST AiVD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



new bank building it was opened for busi- 
ness. In this venture .Mr. Randolph has 
met with marked success. The deposits 
now amount to from one hundred and 
twenty-five to one hundred and fifty thou- 
sand dollars, varying according to the sea- 
son of the year ; the capital is ten thousand 
dollars, and the responsibility of the firm, 
consisting of James M. Randolph, H. C. 
Suttle of Scroggin's bank at Kenney, and 
Lt. a. Randolph, is two hundred thousand 
dollars. 

At Midland City, Illinois, November 19, 
1896, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
Randolph and Miss Mary Jones, a daughter 
of John Jones, an old resident of De Witt 
county, and to them has been born one 
child, Virginia Randolph, whose birth oc- 
curred on the 6th of March, 1899. Frater- 
nally ^Ir. Randolph is a member of War- 
rensburg Lodge, No. 600, I. O. O. F., the 
Decatur Encampment and Canton No. 19, 
Patriarchs Militant. Since attaining his 
majority he has generally affiliated with the 
Democratic j)arty, but is not disposed to 
draw party lines in matters of local interest. 
For one term lu- filled the office of president 
of the village board, being elected on a re- 
form movement, and during his incumbency 
succeeded in regulating certain undesirable 
characters. Systematic and methodical, his 
sagacity, keen discrimination and sound 
judgment have been the means of bringing 
to him success and although he is still a 
young man he has already attained an en- 
viable position in business circles. Pleas- 
ant and genial in manner and of high social 
qualities, he is ver}^ popular and has an ex- 
tensive circle of friends and acquaintances. 



JAMES S. BALDWIN. 
One of the younger attorneys at the bar 
of Macon county is James S. Baldwin and 
although a young man has attained a credit- 
able position at the bar that might well be 



envied b^' many who have practiced for 
twice his years. He was born in New Al- 
bany, Indiana, September 14, 1874, his par- 
ents being Ed and Susan E. (Spittler) 
Baldwin. 'J"he father was a native of Louis- 
ville, Kentucky, born in 1835, and the 
mother's birth occurred in Indiana, where 
both are now living. In 1843 ^^^- Baldwin 
became a resident of that state. He fol- 
lowed the life of a pilot on the river for 
some time and his father, Robert Baldwin, 
was also a steamboat man. Ed Baldwin has 
now for thirty years been identified with the 
quarter-master's department of the army 
and during the Civil war he acted as a pliot 
in conducting vessels which were used in the 
country's service. At the present time he 
maintains his residence in New Albany, 
Indiana. Unto him and his wife were born 
seven children, six of whom reached years 
of maturity, the subject of this review 
being the fourth in order of birth. One of 
his brothers is practicing medicine in Jefier- 
sonville, Indiana, another is living in Tole- 
do, Ohio, and the third is a resident of 
New York, while one sister is married and 
lives in Decatur, and another sister is with 
her parents in Indiana. 

James S. Baldwin completed his literary 
education by his graduation in the high 
school of New Albany, Indiana, with the 
class of 1893. In early life he greatly en- 
joyed taking part in debates and mani- 
fested a deep interest in the work of liter- 
ary societies. He has always directed his 
efforts along intellectual lines and when 
still quite young manifested excellent ora- 
torical ability, a characteristic which has 
been of value to him in his chosen profes- 
sion. Desiring to enter the practice of 
law he then prepared for the bar as a stu- 
dent in the law department of the Michigan 
State I'niversity at Ann Arbor, where he 
was graduated with the class of 1896. In 
June of the same year he was admitted to 
the bar in New Albany, Indiana, and prac- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



237 



ticed in his native town for some time. He 
won his first criminal case in the January 
term of court in 1897, on which occasion he 
defended a man accused of steahng a set of 
harness from a shed and the indictment was 
quashed. On the 30th of March, 1897, Mr. 
Baldwin was admitted to practice before the 
supreme court. In January of that year 
he had formed a partnership with Ed Wil- 
son and practiced under the name of Wilson 
& Baldwin until October, 1897, after which 
he became a partner of Frank Ewing and 
this association was maintained under the 
firm style of Ewing & Baldwin until the 
1st of Ma}', 1903, when Mr. Ewing left for 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. ]\tr. Baldwin is 
now practicing alone and he has met with 
splendid success in his work as a repre- 
sentative of the legal profession. He is now 
the attorne}' for the R. G. Dunn & Com- 
pany and is regarded by that corporation as 
one of the best informed men in his line. He 
has engaged in the trial of two very cele- 
brated will cases, one involving the question 
of insanity and the other that of undue influ- 
ence, and it is the only two cases of the 
kind ever tried in this county in which the 
will was sustained. Air. Baldwin is a very 
hard student, earnest and diligent in the 
preparation of his cases and presenting his 
cause with a clearness and force that leaves 
no doubt as to his view upon the correct- 
ness of his position. He is widely known 
throughout ilacon and other counties as 
a young lawyer of marked ability and one 
who is destined to enjoy a brilliant future. 
He is now the secretary and treasurer of 
the Alacon County Bar Association and he 
occupies an enviable position in the regard 
of his brethren of the legal fraternity. He 
has one ■ of the most complete law offices 
in the county where all work is carried on 
systematically. He can refer in a moment 
to cases tried long years ago because every- 
thing is kept on file. In his office he is 
methodical in all that he does and because 



of this is enabled to accomplish a great 
amount of business with dispatch. 

On the 20th of November, 1901, Mr. 
Baldwin was united in marriage to Miss 
Mary \'. Dishman, a daughter of F. E. and 
Martha (Galbraith) Dishman, the former a 
native of New Albany, Indiana, and the 
latter of Ireland. Mrs. Baldwin is a grad- 
uate of the high school of New Albany, In- 
diana, of the class of 1895 and comes of a 
prominent family there. Her father always 
took a deep interest in affairs of local and 
national importance and was a public 
spirited citizen whose influence was strongly 
felt for good in the community in which 
he made his home. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Baldwin has been born one daughter, Mary 
Virginia, whose birth occurred December 
16, 1902. 

A young man of strong intellectuality, his 
tastes have always been literary and he was 
one of the four who organized the Decatur 
Chautauqua, which was formed in January, 
1903, and which held an assembly at River- 
side Park in the present year. Of the 
society he is now treasurer. He has ever 
been a great reader and is especially fond of 
biography, noting the elements in the lives 
of successful men and the cause which 
formed the striking features in the lives of 
those who have attained distinction and 
honor in various walks of life. He entered 
upon his political career in Indiana by as- 
sisting in the election of Senator Fairbanks 
to the United States senate, being at that 
time president of a young men's Republican 
club. Since casting his first presidential 
vote he has taken a very deep and helpful 
interest in local and national politics, believ- 
ing it the duty as well as the privilege of 
every American citizen to support the 
principles which he thinks are best cal- 
culated to advance the welfare of the 
general public. He is now the secre- 
tary of the Republican central com- 
mittee of Macon county, having acted in 



238 



PAST A\l) PRESENT UE .MACUX COLXTV. 



this capacity ^iiice April, lyoj. Socially he 
is connected with the -Masonic fraternity 
aiul lias attained to the highest office in the 
blue lodge. Ele is also a member of the 
commandery and is connected with the 
Knights of Pythias, the Knights of the 
Maccabees and the Benevolent Protective 
Order o' Elks. Both he and his wife are 
members of the First Presbyterian church 
of this citv. 



JOHN FRANK. 

John Frank was a resident of Decatur 
from 1857 until 1902 and during the long 
years he became widely known and was re- 
garded as a citizen of worth and value. He 
lived in this city -when it was but a village 
and ga\e little [jromise of its jjresent de- 
velopment and prosperity. He was one of 
the first shoemakers and he had a wide 
acquaintance among pioneer settlers not 
only in Decatur, but throughout the sur- 
rounding country. 

A native of the fatherland, John Frank 
was born on the i8th of March, 1831. His 
parents both died in Germany. There he 
spent the days of his boyhood and youth 
and ac(|uired his education and also learned 
the shoemaker's trade. In the year 1857 he 
bade adieu to friends and native country and 
crossed the briny deep to the new world, 
landing in New York city. He came direct 
to Decatur and at once began working at 
his trade in the emiiloy of a Mr. \\'esler. 
He served as a cobbler for a long ]>eriod 
and continued with Mr. Wesler for nine 
years. He then started a shoe shop of his 
own on West Main street, which he con- 
ducted for a short time and then purchased 
the building at No. 317 East Main street. 
Following his marriage he continued to en- 
gage in shoemaking at No. 317 East Main 
street, where he built up a successful and 
large business, employing several hands. 
There he engaged in the manufacture of all 



kinds of boots and shoes and to some ex- 
tent he carried on real estate operations. 
Gradually he worked his way upward. He 
had no friends or inheritance to depend 
upon to assist him at the outset of his 
career, but he placed his dependence upon 
far more substantial qualities — industry, 
perseverance and careful management. 

In 1861 .Mr. Frank was united in mar- 
riage, in Decatur, to Miss Theresa Kepler, 
who was also a native of Germany, born on 
the 5th of September, 1841, and a daughter 
of Enos and Anges (Staley) Kepler. Her 
father came to America in 1854 and, making 
his way direct to Decatur, was here em- 
ployed as a laborer for a time. As his finan- 
cial resources increased, enabling him to 
make investments in property, he pur- 
chased a few houses here and also owned a 
few acres of land near the city, although 
during the greater ])art of his residence he 
was employed by others. Both he and his 
wife passed away in Decatur. The mar- 
riage of Mr. and Mrs. Frank was blessed 
with seven chiMri 11 : Anna, who is the 
widow of Nicholas Scherer, a resident of 
Decatur: Mary, who became the wife of 
J. h. Burtschi and died on the 14th of 
June, 1902; Minnie, who is the wife of Emil 
P. Scherer, of this city; Elizabeth, the wife 
of Paul Kastner ; Theresa, who is at home 
with her mother; and John and Catherine, 
who are both deceased. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Frank were members 
of the St. James Catholic chtu-ch and he be- 
longed to St. James Society here. Industry 
was perhaps his most marked characteris- 
tic. He was a very hard working man, 
lived economically and thus year by year 
he added to his possessions until he was 
enabled to leave to his family a comfortable 
competence. He died July 5, 1902, his loss 
being a great blow to his wife and children 
and also to many who had given him their 
warm friendship and regard. He was very 
well kncnvn in the cit}' where he had resided 



',i>. 



■i5« 




^j,M. 



'1^- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



24:1 



for thirty-five years and he had watched 
with interest the developing of Decatur, 
noting its growth as the years passed by. 
His widow now owns a nice residence at 
No. 303 South Water street, where she and 
her daughter reside, and in addition to this 
she has the business block at No. 317 East 
Main street and also other valuable prop- 
erty in the city. 



GEORGE S. LYON. 

The name of Lyon has long been closely 
and honorably interwoven with the history 
of the lumber business in Decatur and the 
gentleman whose name introduces this 
record was the founder of the enterprise 
which now bears the name of the G. S. 
Lyon & Sons Lumber & Manufacturing 
Company. For many years he was a prom- 
inent and honored resident of Decatur as 
well as one of its leading business men. 

Mr. Lyon was born in Orange, New Jer- 
sey, on the 7th of May, 1832, and was one of 
a family of eleven children, five sons and 
six daughters. Both his parents and grand- 
parents were natives of Jersey, the family 
being an old one in that state. His paternal 
grandfather was a soldier of the war of 
1812 and with other events of importance 
representatives of the name have been ac- 
tively connected. The parents of our sub- 
ject both died in 1877, the father closing 
his eyes in death only a few hours after the 
mother passed away. 

In his early youth George S. Lyon 
learned the carpenter's trade. In his twen- 
ty-fourth year he resolved to try his fortune 
in the west, having heard favorable reports 
of its excellent business openings and trade 
opportunities. Arriving in Decatur in 1856, 
he purchased property here and continued 
to make his home thereon throughout his 
remaining days. For four years he was en- 
gaged in carpenter work in this city and 



then began contracting and building on his 
own account. As the years passed he ex- 
tended his efiforts into a kindred line of 
business — the operation of a planing mill 
and the purchase and sale of lumber. He 
then abandoned his original trade in order 
to devote his entire time and energies to 
the lumber business and as the years passed 
built up a very extensive patronage. He 
was the head of the firm of Lyon, Gibson 
& Company, which existed for a number of 
years and was then succeeded by that of 
Lyon & Armstrong. At length he pur- 
chased Mr. Armstrong's interest and, asso- 
ciating his sons, Fred and Clyde, in part- 
nership with him, the firm style of G. S. 
Lyon & Sons Lumber & Manufacturing 
Company was assumed. Later the business 
was incorporated under that name. George 
S. Lyon long continued an active factor in 
the successful control of the enterprise up 
to the time of his death and had a wide 
acquaintance in business circles, where he 
was known for his honor and strict integrity 
that won for him the highest regard and un- 
qualified confidence of his fellow men. 

On the 3d of July, 1857, Mr. Lyon was 
united in marriage to Miss Susan Ann 
Scott, of La Salle, Illinois. She was born 
on the 22d of February, 1836, in Steuben 
county. New York, and after her marriage 
accompanied her husband to Decatur, where 
she spent her remaining days. She was one 
of ten children and was the last of the 
family to pass away. i\Ir. Lyon's death oc- 
curred March 20, 1899, and his wife sur- 
vived him until the iith of January, 1903, 
when she, too, was called to her final home. 
Both were earnest members of the Univer- 
salist church and took a great interest in its 
work and growth. Mr. Lyon served as one 
of the trustees of the church and was also 
active and prominent in Celestial Lodge 
No. 186, I. O. O. F. ; Decatur Encampment 
No. 37; and Canton Decatur, No. 19, Patri- 
archs Militant. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lyon 



242 



PAST AND PRESKNT Ui-" .MACOX LOUXTV. 



possessed many traits of character which 
endeared them to their friends and won for 
them the respect of those with whom they 
were associated, and in business circles j\Ir. 
Lyon grained for himself a most creditable 
position. I'Yom a humble place in the indus- 
trial world he worked his way steadily up- 
ward until he controlled an enterprise of 
magnitude that brought to him very credit- 
able profit and at the same time was of value 
to the community through promoting com- 
mercial activity. At all times he was public 
spirited and progressive and was a citizen 
whose loyalty to the best interests of the 
county, state and nation was ever above 
question. 

After the death of Air. Lyon the business 
was incorporated with Clyde R. Lyon as 
president ; Fred C. Lyon, vice president ; 
John P.. Robinson, treasurer; and James 
C. Sullivan, secretary. The plant, mill and 
lumber yard covers several acres and the 
building is especially well equipped for the 
conduct of the business, being supplied with 
steam power and furnished with the most 
approved and modern machinery for carry- 
ing on the work along progressive lines, 
luuployment is given to a large force of 
workmen and the company maintains most 
just and considerate relations with those 
who are in their service. Honesty and fair 
dealing have ever been the policy of the 
house and the methods which were insti- 
tuted by the founder have been carried on 
by his successors. 

In June, 1892, Clyde R. I^yon was united 
in marriage to Miss Alinnie Bryant, of 
Chicago, a daughter of Charles Bryant. 
Like his father he has become a prominent 
business man of Decatur and his career has 
ever been such as to warrant the trust and 
confidence of the business world for he has 
ever conducted all transactions on the strict- 
est principles of honor and integrity. 



FRANK P. TOWNE. 

Frank P. Towne, the popular postmaster 
of Harristown and a well known merchant 
of that place, was born on the 6th of Nov- 
ember, 1858, in Danvers, Massachusetts, 
and is a son of Daniel and Paulina (Fer- 
guson) Towne, the former also a native of 
Danvers and the latter of Maine. The 
father was a farmer by occujiation and con- 
tinued to make his home in his native place 
throughout life. Politically he was a stanch 
Republican. The Towne family originated 
in Fngland and the ancestry can be traced 
back to the seventeenth century. 

During his boyhood and youth Frank P. 
Towne attended school in Danvers, Massa- 
chusetts, until seventeen years of age and 
then turned his attention to agricultural 
pursuits. Coming to Illinois in 1875, he 
first located in Harristown, but w-as after- 
ward engaged in farming in Champaign 
county, Illinois, for a short time, and then 
returned to Harristown, where he clerked 
for his brother, C. A. Towne, in the grocery 
business. Subsequently he was employed 
as telegraph operator and station agent for 
the Wabash Railroad at Sangamon, Illi- 
nois, and held a similar position at Wyckles 
and also at Harristown for a short time. 

In 1888 Mr. Towne was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Cora Fyman, who was born 
in mini township, Macon county, Illinois, 
in 1868, and is a daughter of James ]M. Ey- 
man, who is now living a retired life in 
Harristown, having in early life engaged in 
farming with good success. Mrs. Towne's 
mother, who bore the maiden name of Nar- 
cissa Fuller, was a native of Indiana, and 
died in January, 1902. Of the four children 
born to our subject and his wife three are 
now deceased, the only one living being 
Lctha, who is now attending the James Mill- 
ikin L'niversity at Decatur. 

Air. Towne was first appointed post- 
master of Harristown under President Har- 
rison's administration and so acceptably 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



243 



did he fill the office that he was re-appointed 
tinder President AIcKinley and is still serv- 
ing in a most efficient manner. He also 
served as town clerk for a short time. 
Socially he is quite prominent, being an 
honored member of Summit Lodge, A. F. & 
A. M. ; State Center Lodge, K. P., No. 631 ; 
and Harristown Camp, M. W. A. He is 
one of the leading and representative citi- 
zens of his community and is held in high 
regard by all who know him. 



E. H. THOMAS, M. D. 

Those who meet Dr. Thomas in political 
circles and see the energy which he en- 
thuses into his political work and note the 
deep interest which he takes in the success 
of the principles which he advocates would 
think that he devotes his entire attention to 
political labors ; those who see him in the 
sick room, giving thought and earnest at- 
tention to the case, speaking a cheery and 
encouraging word to the patient and giving 
minute and careful directions to the at- 
tendants, would judge that his entire time 
was devoted to his profession — but herein 
lies the secret of his success. It is his abil- 
ity to enter heartily into any work at hand 
and to concentrate his energies during the 
needed time for the accomplishment of any 
purpose that has made him both a leading 
physician and a successful political leader 
in Macon county. He maintains his resi- 
dence in Argenta, but has a very wide and 
favorable acquaintance throughout this por- 
tion of the state. 

The Doctor was born in Yonkers, New 
York, in 1859. His father, George Thomas, 
was a native of London, England, and came 
to America in 1838, settling in the state of 
New York, where he engaged in merchan- 
dising. In the family were nine children, 
of whom the Doctor is the fifth in order of 
birth and the only one living in Illinois. 



In the public schools of his native city 
Dr. Thomas acquired his early education 
and later attended the State Normal School, 
at Albany, New York, where his literary 
course was completed. Having determined 
to engage in the practice of medicine as a 
life work he then began preparation for this 
calling as a student in the University of Col- 
umbia, in New York city, and was graduated 
with the class of 1883. Returning to Yonk- 
ers he opened an office and remained in 
practice there for a few years, after which 
he determined to locate in the west and in 
1891 came to Argenta, where he has since 
remained. After two years he built a drug 
store, which he now owns and conducts, 
having his office in the rear of his store. 
His business in mercantile lines is profit- 
able and his patronage as a practitioner 
is gratifying, indicating the high degree of 
confidence reposed in him by the public. 
He also owns the building occupied by the 
hardware store in Argenta and has a good 
residence property. His practice is large, 
and reading and study keep him in touch 
with the advanced thought of the day. 

In 1884 Dr. Thomas was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Estella Castle, a native of Al- 
bany, New York, in which city her father 
engaged in the printing business. Unto 
the Doctor and his wife have been born five 
children : George, Harry, Charles, Edward 
and Mary E. 

The Doctor is a very prominent Mason, 
having attained the Royal Arch degree of 
the York rite and the thirty-second degree 
of the Scottish rite. He also belongs to the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the 
Knights of Pythias lodge. He is now a 
meml^er of the board of trustees of the Asy- 
lum for the Incurable Insane, near Peoria, 
Illinois. In politics he has always been a 
stanch and active Republican, taking a most 
earnest interest in the work of the party 
and doing all in his power to secure the 
adoption of its principles. He has served 



2U 



PAST AND rRi:SENT OF MACON COUNTY 



as justice of the peace and was school di- 
rector for twelve years. He put forth strong 
effort to secure better schools and has al- 
ways been a warm friend of the cause of 
education, doing all in his power to raise its 
standard in this locality. The Doctor was 
a member of the steering committee for 
Richard Yates during his campaign for gov- 
ernor and he also managed John G. Keller's 
campaign, whicli indicates his influence and 
activity in political circles. A man of strong 
character, of great enthusiasm and of in- 
tense interest in whatever he undertakes. 
Dr. Thomas carries forward to successful 
completion whatever he begins and is a 
power in political, commercial' and pro- 
fessional circles in Macon county. 



GEORGE F. HOSTETLER. 

George F. Hostetler was a representa- 
tive of one of the old and prominent fam- 
ilies of Macon county and because of this 
and because of personal characteristics 
which entitle him to distinctive mention in 
this volume, we present the record of his 
life to our readers. He claimed Indiana 
as his native state, his birth having oc- 
curred in Orange county on the 26th of 
March, 1823. His parents were John and 
Katie (Huffstetter) Hostetler, the former a 
native of Kentucky and the latter of Indi- 
ana. Leaving the south, the father removed 
to Orange county, Indiana, where he en- 
gaged in farming for a few years and then 
came to Illinois, settling in Macon county. 
He purchased a farm in Decatur township 
and continued to engage in the cultivation 
of the fields until after the death of his 
wife, when he removed to Texas, where his 
own death occurred three years later. 

In the common schools of Indiana and of 
Illinois George F. Hostetler acquired his 
education, mastering the branches of learn- 
ing usuallj' taught in such institutions. 



\\'hen his own education was completed he 
began teaching school in Macon county 
near Decatur and afterward assisted his 
father upon the home farm until his mar- 
riage, earl}' gaining practical experience 
concerning farm work by reason of the aid 
which he rendered to his father in the 
months of vacation. In the year i860 fie was 
joined in wedlock to Miss Harriet E. Hes- 
ser, a native of Springfield, Illinois, and a 
daughter of Armstead and Harriet (Evans) 
' Hesser, both of whom were natives of Vir- 
ginia, whence they came to Macon county, 
Illinois, at a very early period in its devel- 
opment. Subsequently they resided at 
Springfield, Illinois, and later removed to 
Taylorville, this state, where both the father 
and mother died. 

The marriage of Mr. and Airs. Hostetler 
was blessed with seven children : Harry F., 
who married Cora Kyte, and resides in 
Omaha, Nebraska, being a traveling sales- 
man for an implement house of that city; 
Katie May, the wife of William Vowell, 
who is engaged in the livery business in 
Decatur; John B., who married Maggie 
Le Forgee, and is an artist of Davenport, 
Iowa ; David F., foreman of the Lyon Plan- 
ing Mill of Decatur, who married Maude 
Williams and has two children : Dyphne 
A., who was born December 29, 1891, and 
David Ulmont, born November 30, 1893 ; 
Eugene F., who married Ella Clothier and 
is a machinist residing in Davenport, Iowa ; 
Gus L., who married Ora Curtis and is now 
an artist living in Fort Dodge, Iowa ; and 
Roger H., who resides in New York city, 
where he is a designer in a wholesale dress- 
making house. 

After his marriage George F. Hostetler 
engaged in teaching school for one year. 
He then removed to Decatur and he and 
his two brothers established a book store 
on Merchant street, where he continued in 
business for six years. He then removed to 
Alount Zion township, where he engaged in 



;^ i^' 






/. 




PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



24:7 



farming until his death. In his business 
affairs he was dihgent, persevering and 
determined and was always a very hard- 
working man, meeting with a fair degree of 
success in his undertakings. His death oc- 
curred on the 26th of March, 1881, and thus 
ended an upright life. He had always lived 
at peace with his fellow men and enjoyed 
their confidence and regard in an unusual 
degree. He was an exemplary member of 
the Masonic fraternity of Decatur and his 
political support was given to the Democ- 
racy for he had firm faith in the princi- 
ples of the party and in their ultimate tri- 
umph in citizenship. Both he and his wife 
were members of the Christian church of 
Decatur and for a long time he served as 
one of its elders. He left to his family the 
record of an untarnished name for at all 
times his life was in consistent harmony with 
his professions. After his death Mrs. Hostet- 
ler removed to Decatur in order to educate 
her children and has since resided in this 
city. She owns a good home at No. 1318 
North College street, where she is living 
with her son, David, and his family. The 
Hostetler family is a prominent one in 
Macon county and its members enjoy the 
merited regard of many friends. 



SAMUEL GERBER. 
A splendid type of the self-made man 
is Samuel Gerber, the well known" banker of 
Argenta. His life history illustrates what 
it is possible to accomplish in a land where 
opportunity is open to all and where merit 
wins its just reward. He started out upon 
his business career empty-handed, but 
working diligently and untiringly he has 
steadily advanced until his possessions are 
now gratifying and valuable and his name 
is a substantial one on commercial paper. 
Argenta's business activity has been largely 
promoted through his efforts, and his work 



in other directions for the city's benefit has 
been far-reaching and beneficial. 

Mr. Gerber is a native of Ohio, born Sep- 
tember 27, 1835. His parents were Peter 
and May Gerber. The father was born in 
Switzerland and in 1830 came to this coun- 
try, hoping that he might thereby benefit 
his financial condition. Settling in Ohio 
he followed cabinetmaking for four or five 
years, after which he established his home 
in Shelby county, Ohio, and opened up a 
farm there, devoting his attention to the 
care and cultivation of the fields from De- 
cember, 1836, up to the time of his death, 
which occurred in 1878. He became a well 
known agriculturist of the community and 
was widely and favorably known because of 
his sterling worth. 

To a limited extent Samuel Gerber at- 
tended the public schools of Ohio but his 
knowledge has been acquired largely 
through experience, observation and read- 
ing, and thus he has gained many valuable 
lessons which have proved of practical use 
in his business career. He started out for 
himself when twenty-one years of age and 
after engaging in teaching school for two 
terms he began operating his father's farm 
in Ohio. Subsequently he removed to near 
where Oreana now stands and securing a 
tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres 
continued to operate this rented farm until 
his labors had brought to him sufficient 
capital to enable him to buy a farm of his 
own. His first purchase consisted of forty 
acres in Whitmore township and from time 
■ to time he added to his property until he 
now owns four hundred and seventy acres 
of land in this locality and a section in 
southern Illinois, which is devoted to stock- 
raising. From 1866 until 1875 he was en- 
gaged in raising hogs and in this way he 
really made his start. He afterward en- 
gaged in the cultivation of wheat and later 
made horse-raising his specialty. In the 
various departments of agricultural work 



248 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



to vvliich he has given his attention he has 
met with success because he has worked 
with a strong purpose and unfaltering en- 
ergy. 

In 1882 he came to Argenta and estab- 
lished a general store, which he conducted 
for three years. He then traded that prop- 
erty and in connection with J. W. Brown 
he erected a building and opened a bank in 
Argenta. This they successfully conducted 
until 1892, when Mr. Brown died, and the 
present firm of Gerber & Son was then 
formed. The safe conservative business 
policy which was inaugurated by the bank 
has always been followed and has been the 
basis of the success which has attended the 
institution. The bank also owns the Ar- 
genta ■ telephone system, which operates 
three hundred and seventy-five telephones 
and to the upbuilding of this enterprise 
Samuel Gerber gives considerable atten- 
tion. He erected a large brick store build- 
ing which is now occupied by W. T. J. 
Cooper and he also owns a nice residence 
in Argenta. 

On the 1 2th of December, 185O, .Mr. Ger- 
ber was united in marriage to Miss Susanna 
Hillbrant, and unto them have been born 
six children, of whom four are yet living: 
Elizabeth, Peter E., S. N. and Alary M. 
Their second and third daughters, Annie 
and Maggie, have passed away. Mrs. Ger- 
ber holds membership in the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church. She has been a faith- 
ful companion and helpmate to her husband 
on the journey of life and is held in high re- 
gard by many friends. Mr. Gerber belongs 
to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
and he votes with the Republican party. 
On its ticket he was elected to the offices of 
supervisor, commissioner and assessor, and 
in the discharge of his official duties has 
been found most reliable and prompt. In all 
his (mdertakings he has been successful 
and throuirh all has sustained an unassail- 



able reputation which makes him one of 
the leading and representative men of his 
adopted county. 



OLI\'ER L. STUART. 
The subject of this sketch is not only one 
of the most highly respected citizens of 
W'hitmore township, but is also a worthy 
representative of one of the honored pioneer 
families of the county. Throughout life he 
has made his home here and is now living in 
honorable retirement upon his farm of 
eighty acres in section 14, Whitmore town- 
ship. He was born in the city of Decatur 
in a log house which stood on the site of 
J. L. Drake's present place of business, his 
natal day being September 15, 1833. His 
parents were David H. and Sarah (Florey) 
Stuart, both natives of Virginia, the former 
of Scotch and the latter of German descent. 
In early life the father was engaged in 
teaming from Tennessee to the far cast with 
four and six horse wagons, the wagons be- 
ing of the old Virginia style. For some 
years he continued to follow that business 
and then came to Illinois in 1829, settling 
in Macon county. He first entered a forty 
acre tract of timber and another forty acres 
of prairie on the southeast quarter of the 
northeast (]uartcr of section 13, Whitmore 
township, and later bought the farm of 
eighty acres where our subject now resides. 
Throughout the remainder of his life he de- 
voted his attention to the improvement and 
cultivation of his farm. In 1856 he was 
accidentally drowned at the old Ray bridge 
north and east of Decatur while on his way 
home. His wife survived him many years 
and passed away in her seventy-fourth year. : 
This worthy couple were the parents of six 
children, three of whom died in infancy, 
those still living being Oliver L., our sub- • 
ject ; John T., who is living on the old home- I 
stead on section 13, Whitmore township; 
and Mary, wife of Ed Kile, of Decatur. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



249 



The boyhood of Oliver L. Stuart was 
passed amid pioneer surroundings and his 
early education was obtained in a little log 
schoolhouse with its primitive furniture, 
though for a short time he subsequently at- 
tended the Illinois Wesleyan University at 
Bloomington, which was then a mere vil- 
lage. He well remembers wdien the houses 
were lighted only by candles, which were 
either dipped or molded at home. He has 
seen the old wooden mold board plows used 
and the first that he used was the single 
shovel plow. He has cut his grain with a 
reap hook and later with a cradle, and after- 
ward became the possessor of a reaper run 
by horse power, which was considered ex- 
tremely fine at that time. 

After leaving school Mr. Stuart engaged 
in teaching in this county for three months 
but with this exception his life has been 
devoted to agricidtural pursuits. .\t the 
time of his marriage he located upon his 
present farm, which had been broken but 
otherwise unimproved. Most of the coun- 
try round about was either covered with 
ponds or sloughs or was regular swamp 
land, and it took much labor to convert it 
into the well cultivated farms which we 
now find in this region. Mr. Stuart labored 
early and late to make his farm one of the 
best and it is to-day worth one hundred dol- 
lars per acre, although the purchase price 
was onty four dollars per acre. 

On the 1st of June, 1854, I\Ir. Stuart was 
united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Kile, 
a sister of his brother-in-law, Ed Kile, and 
a daughter of Josiah W. and ]\Iary (Clark) 
Kile, natives of Ohio and New Jersey, re- 
spectively. .\bout 1850 her parents came 
to Macon county, Illinois, and settled in 
Friends Creek township. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Stuart were born seven children, the 
oldest of whom died in infancy ; Mattie is 
now the wife of Albert C. Scott; Bertha 
Luella married Thomas Draper and died 
of typhoid fever at the age of twenty-eight 



years ; Jessie F. is the wife of William H. 
Smith, a hardware merchant of Argenta ; 
Mary B. is the wife of William M. Lakin, 
of Champaign county, Illinois; Alta G. is 
the wife of Martin Corbett, of Pana, Illi- 
nois ; and Carrie H. is at home with her 
parents. Mr. Stuart has provided his 
daughters with good educational advantages 
and all have been successful and popular 
teachers. He has twelve grandchildren 
living and one deceased. 

Since casting his first presidential vote 
for John C. Fremont, Mr. Stuart has affili- 
ated with the Republican party, and for a 
number of years he filled the offices of town 
clerk, school director and school trustee in 
a most efficient manner. His father sup- 
ported the Whig party. Religiously both 
our subject and his wife are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and helped to 
organize the church at Wesley Chapel, with 
which they at first held membership, but 
they now belong to the church at Argenta, 
and it is safe to say that no couple in the 
community is held in higher regard than 
Mr. and iMrs. Stuart. He is a prominent 
member of the Old Settlers' Association 
and annually attends its reunions, which are 
very pleasant occasions. Here are gathered 
the pioneers of the county, who laid the 
foundation for its present prosperity. 
Through the long years of his residence here 
Mr. Stuart has become widely known and 
his many excellent traits of character have 
gained him the high regard of his many 
friends. 



JOHN W. GRAVES. 
John W. Graves i? now a representative 
of mercantile interests in Decatur, having 
since June, 1902, engaged in the sale of 
aluminum goods and novelties. In this short 
space of time he has built up an excellent 
trade among acquaintances whom he had 
formerly made in a business way and also 



250 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



receives a liberal patruiuige from among 
those who approve of his excellent business 
policy and straightforward dealings. 
Mr. Ciraves is a native of Logan 
count V, Illinois, his birlh having oc- 
curred on the 19th of July, 1850. He is a 
son of Charles and Rachel (Cantrell) 
Graves, whose marriage was celebrated 
October 18, 1840, at Waynesville, Illinois. 
'J'lic father was born on the 30th of April, 
1817, in Vermont, and died in the year 1850. 
lie had started from rooria, Illinois, for 
Cah'fornia and his death occurred on the 
])lains. This left to the widow the care of 
her twi) small children, our subject being 
then but an infant. She supported them 
l)v her own labor, putting forth every effort 
in her power to advance their welfare and 
happiness and during the evening of her 
days she found a pleasant home with her 
son John \V., passing away at his residence 
on the 25th of March, 1892. She was then 
laid to rest by the side of her twin sister, 
Rebecca, who died on the 25th of March, 
184Q. Mr-;, (iraves was a daughter of Ze- 
bulon ti. Cantrell, who settled in Waynes- 
ville, Illinois, in the spring of 1832. Her 
mother bore the maiden name of Sarah 
McCollam, and both were natives of Vir- 
ginia, the father's birtii liaving there oc- 
curred on the 29th of June, 1773, while his 
wife was born February 8, 1779. They were 
married August 31, 1797, and removed from 
the Old Dominion to Kentucky, and after- 
ward to Ohio. Having spent some time in 
the last named state, they then came to 
Illinois, settling in Sangamon county, in 
1833, and in 1834 they removed to DeWitt 
county. Mr. Cantrell died at Waynesville, 
Illinois, September 11, 1845, 'i"d ''•'s wife 
passed away on the 26th of May, 1843. 

John W. Graves pursued his education in 
the public schools. In his early youth he 
went to Wisconsin and at the age of four- 
teen years he enlisted in his country's ser- 
vice as a member of Company K, Forty- 



sixth Wisconsin \'olunteer Infantry, being 
nuistered in on the 22d of February, 1865. 
He remained with the army until after the 
close of hostilities and was honorably dis- 
charged on the loth of October, 1865. Fol- 
lowing his militarjf experience he entered 
Galesville University of Wisconsin and 
was graduated in the class of 1869. He 
then engaged in teaching school for two 
years, after which he entered the employ 
of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in 
the capacity of fireman. He left that service 
in the fall of 1873 and removed to Centralia, 
Illinois, where he entered the employ of 
the Illinois C'entral Railroad Company in 
a similar position, continuing witli that cor- 
poration until the spring of 1877, when he 
came to Decatur. Here he followed carpen- 
tering for a short time and in 1880 he ac- 
cepted a position as engineer with the De- 
catm- Coal Company, with which he was 
connected when it first opened its mines. 
For ten years or until 1902 he was employed 
hv the Union Iron Works of Decatur as 
foreman of the wood department and then 
resigned his position there and opened his 
l)rcsent store in the month of Jiuie, 1902, 
for the sale of aluminum good and novelties. 
From the beginning he has received a lib- 
eral patronage and is now carrying on a 
successful trade. 

On the 8th of March, 1877, Mr. Graves 
was united in marriage to Miss Mattie J. 
Edds, a daughter of Carroll and Elizabeth 
Edds. Their children are Edna C, who 
was born February 8, 1878, and was mai- 
ried on Christmas Day of 1899, to Harry 
R. Griswold, by whom she has two chil- 
dren, John Carroll and Jasper Edwin ; Mat- 
tie .'\.. born January 9, 1883: Walter A., 
born August 10, 18S5 ; and Nina Hazel, born 
January 26, 1888. 

Mr. Graves is an exemplary member of 
Macon Lodge, No. 8, A. F. & A. M., in 
which he is a past master. He has been 
identified with tlu- fr;iternity since 1892 and 




7^^ rr 'ifC-ju 




c 



L 



-L^i CK 



3^ 



/ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



On 



55 



has thoroughly informed himself concern- 
ing its tenets and teachings, while in his 
life he embraces its beneficent principles. 
He also belongs to Macon Chapter, No. 21, 
R. A. M., and to Beaumanoir Commandery, 
No. 9, K. T., while of Dunham Post, No. 
141, G. A. R., he is a charter member. For 
sixteen years he was also a member of the 
famous Goodman Band, being the tuba 
player. He was a member of the band dur- 
ing the period that the organization ad- 
vanced from a country band of sixteen mem- 
bers to one of more than state reputation, 
having a membership of forty. When he 
resigned in 1900 there were only four of the 
original members of the band still with the 
organization. He has always been a lover 
of music and his talent in this direction has 
been of value in musical circles in this city. 
In politics he is a Republican and a strong 
prohibitionist. There are few men of Mr. 
Graves' age who can boast of a military 
record in connection with the Civil war. 
The same spirit which he manifested when 
as a boy he responded to the country's call 
has always been one of his strong character- 
istics. Everything pertaining to the general 
welfare receives his endorsement and he 
has been a co-operant factor in many meas- 
ures for the public good. 



HUGH W. HILL. 
This is a utilitarian age and the man 
whose business is of worth to the world 
is he who wins success. To-day Hugh W. 
Hill is numbered among the capitalists 
and retired manufacturers of Decatur and is 
a venerable citizen of eighty-one years, 
respected and honored not only because of 
his success, but also because of the manner 
in which his prosperity has been won. He 
started out in life a poor boy with limited 
advantages, educational and otherwise, and 
that he is to-day numbered among the 
wealthy men of his adopted city is due to 



his own well directed and enterprising ef- 
forts. He has been a resident of Macon 
county for many years and no history of 
this section of the state would be complete 
without mention of his life. 

Mr. Hill was born in North Carolina, on 
the i8th day of July, 1822, and of that state 
his parents, John and Asenath (Andrews) 
Hill, were also natives. In 1835 the father 
removed with his family from North Caro- 
lina to the new state of Missouri, casting 
in his lot with the pioneer settlers of that 
locality. There he spent his remaining 
days, passing away in the year 1851. His 
wife, however, had died prior to the family's 
removal from North Carolina, her death 
having occurred in 1824. 

In the usual manner of farmer lads Hugh 
\V. Hill was reared. He worked in the 
fields from the time of early spring planting 
until crops were harvested in the autumn 
and it was only for a brief period during the 
winter months that he was enabled to pur- 
sue his education. He mastered the com- 
mon branches of learning in a log school 
house, to which he was compelled to walk 
for a distance of three miles, returning in 
the same manner each evening. He was a 
youth of only thirteen years when his father 
removed to Missouri and there he assisted 
in the arduous task of developing a new 
farm in the timber, sharing with the others 
in the family in the hardships and trials inci- 
dent to frontier life. It was in the year 
i860 that Mr. Hill came to Illinois, locating 
first in Bond county, where he remained 
for eighteen months. In February, 1866, 
he came to Macon county and was first 
identified with farming and stock-raising 
here. As he had no capital with which to 
purchase land he leased a farm located 
about nine miles from Decatur and with 
characteristic energy he began the cultiva- 
tion of crops that he might provide a liv- 
ing for himself and family. For eight years 
he remained upon that, land, devoting his 



'2JG 



PAST A.\U PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



energies lo general farming and stock- 
raising and while there he gave considerable 
attention to the breeding and raising of 
hogs. Certain troubles that he had with his 
hogs led to his success in business life. 
His hogs would root and he felt that he 
was compelled to resort to some measure 
that would prevent this as the animals were 
injuring his pasture lands. Becoming in- 
censed at a hog that was engaged in its 
usual delightful occupation of rooting he 
caught the animal and with an awl punched 
a hole through his snout and inserted there- 
in a piece of wire, after which he twisted 
the ends together. This proved effective 
for the hog could root no longer. This led 
to an invention which has become of world 
wide value and is now in universal use. Mr. 
Hill began studying some method which 
would be an easier and quicker way of 
ringing hogs' noses and as the result of his 
thoughts and e.xperimcnts he gave to the 
world the invention which is known as the 
hog ringer and which is to-day used not 
only extensively throughout the United 
States, but throughout the entire world 
wherever those animals are raised. Imme- 
diate success, however, did not follow his 
work, for after securing a patent on his in- 
vention he found some difficulty in gaining 
co-operation of any one with capital. He 
was himself without sufficient means to 
manufacture the ringer and place it upon 
the market and when he made business pro- 
positions to different men of capital in the 
locality to join him in the work he found 
little encouragement. At length, however, 
he formed a partnership with Charles P. 
Housum under the firm style of H. W. Hill 
& Company. A wide system of advertis- 
ing was entered upon and when the public 
recognized the fact that Mr. Hill possessed 
an article of much value to the farmers the 
business increased with great rapidity so 
that the work continued almost night and 
day in order to meet the demands made 



u])on the house. The patronage came from 
foreign countries as well as from all sections 
of the United States and the business grew 
to mammoth proportions, becoming one of 
the leading industrial concerns of Decatur. 
Each year the sales increased and thus 
Mr. Hill steadil)' added to his capital, meet- 
ing the success which he well merited be- 
cause of his perseverance, his capability and 
his energy. He continued in the business 
until 1894, when he sold his interest in the 
plant and retired to private life with a hand- 
some competence. In the meantime he had 
made judicious investments in real estate, 
becoming the owner of valuable farms in 
Macon county, which is situated in one of 
the richest agricultural districts of this 
entire county. His farms are highly culti- 
vated, being made very productive through 
tiling. He has placed about thirty-six 
miles of tiling upon his land, using pipes of 
four, sixteen, eighteen and twenty-four 
inches. His early experience in farm work 
has made his later labors in this direction 
of value and he became recognized as one 
of the most progressive and capable agri- 
culturists of Macon county. In addition to 
his other business concerns he has been 
largely interested in coal mining, becoming 
the owner of two mines in Decatur and 
another near Niantic, Macon county, from 
which he derives a good income. 

In 1843 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Hill and Miss Eliza J. Stevenson and 
for almost sixty years they traveled life's 
journey together. Mrs. Hill, who was a 
native of North Carolina, proved a most 
faithful companion and helpmate to her hus- 
band and when she was called to the life 
beyond on the 30th of June, 1902, there 
ended a married relation that had been 
almost ideal. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hill were 
born a son and five daughters: Clara, the 
wife of John Biddle ; John N., who is a 
prosperous farmer and dealer in live stock, 
controlling important agricultural interests 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



257 



in Illinois ; Alice, the deceased wife of Jona- 
than Guess; and Catherine Asenath, who 
became the wife of Thomas A. Bone, a 
grain dealer, and died leaving three chil- 
dren : Virginia E., who died at the age of 
two years ; and Augusta, who died at the 
age of twenty-four years. 

Mr. Hill proudly cast his first vote in 
support of the candidates and measures of 
the Whig party and continued one of its 
advocates until the organization of the new 
Republican party, when he joined its ranks. 
He has since followed its banners and yet 
maintains a deep interest in its success. He 
has never been an aspirant for political hon- 
ors or office, preferring to devote his ener- 
gies to his business aiifairs. Although his 
early life was a period of earnest toil, in 
which he was deprived of many of the 
comforts and conveniences which go to 
make life worth the living, he is to-day one 
of the prosperous men of Decatur. A gen- 
tleman of great natural ability his success 
in business from the time of the establish- 
ment of his manufacturing enterprise was 
uniform and rapid. As has been truly re- 
marked, after all that may be done for a 
man in the way of giving him early oppor- 
tunities for obtaining the requirements 
which are sought in the schools and in 
books, he must essentially formulate, deter- 
mine and give shape to his own character ; 
and this is what Mr. Hill has done. He has 
persevered in the pursuit of a persistent 
purpose and gained the most satisfactory 
reward. His life is exemplary in all respects 
and he has ever suported those interests 
which are calculated to uplift and benefit 
humanity, while his own high moral worth 
is deserving of the highest commendation. 



WILLIAM D. CHAMBERLAIN. 
There is no country which oflfers as ex- 
cellent advantages ta young men for ad- 
vancement in business life as America, but 



while this is so, it is also a well known 
fact that "labor is king;" that progress in 
commercial or industrial circles depends 
upon earnest, persistent and honorable ef- 
fort, untiring industry, and these form the 
basis of the prosperity that has come to 
William D. Chamberlain, of Decatur, where 
he is now extensively engaged in the manu- 
facture of awnings and tents. 

Mr. Chamberlain was born near Chapin, 
Morgan county, Illinois, March 26, 1849, a 
son of Griffin and Elizabeth (Averitt) 
Chamberlain. The father was a native of 
Richmond, Virginia, and in 1828 became a 
resident of Morgan county, Illinois, remov- 
ing to the west with his father, whose name- 
sake he was. Griffin Chamberlain, Sr., en- 
gaged in manufacturing, conducting a large 
powder mill in Richmond, Virginia, before 
his removal to Illinois. In the family were 
four children, three sons and a daughter, 
but Peter T. Chamberlain, who is now 
living in Kansas, is the only survivor. The 
father of our subject after attaining his 
majority became a well known factor in 
business circles in this state. In connection 
with his father-in-law, Nathan G. Averitt, 
he was one of the first settlers in Harris- 
town township, establishing his home in the 
locality known as the " prairie." Mr. 
Chamberlain entered a quarter section of 
land from the government and this in 
course of time he brought to a high state 
of cultivation, transforming it into a val- 
uable farm. He erected thereon a fine ten 
room residence, also commodious out build- 
ings for the shelter of grain and stock and 
his farm was recognized as one of the best 
improved in the county. A year after the 
erection of the residence, however, it caught 
on fire and in his efforts to save the build- 
ing Mr. Chamberlain was injured and died 
from the eiifects in 1871, when fifty-three 
j^ears of age. He left a widow who is still 
living and two sons, William D. and James 
H. 



258 



PAST AND PRESEXT OF MACOX COUXTY. 



In the common schools, such as existed 
in the primitive days in Ilhnois, WiUiam 
D. Chamberlain began his education. A 
little later, however, several influential res- 
idents of Harristovvn township, desiring to 
have better educational facilities, leased a 
suitable building, employed teachers and 
established a private educational institution 
which was known as the Ilarristown high 
school, in which a two year's classical course 
might be pursued. Mr. Chamberlain availed 
himself of the opportunity thus afl:"orded and 
later he pursued a three year's course in 
Eureka College at Eureka, Illinois, thus be- 
coming a well informed man, of broad gen- 
eral learning. 

For one year he engaged in teaching 
school and in 1872, following the death of 
his father, he returned to the home farm, 
where in connection with his brother, 
James H., he engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits, conducting the old home place until 
1877. He then purchased a half interest in 
a general store in Harristown, entering into 
partnership with his father-in-law, L F. 
Peck. They conducted that business for 
two years and, still retaining the ownership 
of the store, they formed a partnership with 
T. W. Cann and established a grocery on 
Water street, Decatur. This was con- 
ducted under the firm name of I. F. Peck & 
Company for three years and at the expira- 
tion of that period both stores were sold 
and the partnership was dissolved. 

It was at that time — in the year 1885 — 
that Mr. Chamberlain began the manufact- 
ure of mattresses for the wholesale trade. 
Not long afterward he extended the scope 
of his business by opening a department for 
the manufacture of awnings and tents and 
the trade in the latter was increased so that 
in course of time his entire attention was 
devoted to this line. His business has be- 
come so extensive that Decatur is now 
recognized as a producing center for such 
products. He manufactures awnings and 



tents of every grade and description and his 
sales are very extensive. The firm also 
rents large shipments of stock for camping 
purposes. He sold to Clinton one thousand 
chairs and has furnished chairs to various 
Chautauqua Association, including those of 
Pontiac, Bloomington, Urbana, Danville 
and Shelbyville. In 1903 he made extensive 
shipments to two Chautauqua assemblies in 
Illinois and to the Kentucky State Fair, 
also to the Chautauqua at Jackson, Mississ- 
ippi, and at other places. The business is 
now conducted under the name of the De- 
catur Tent & Awning Company, at No. 
118 East Williams street, with William D. 
Chamberlain as manager. The leading 
partners in the enterprise are Mr. Chamber- 
lain and H. W. Avcritt. The business has 
assumed mammoth proportions and is the 
outcome of the enterprise, clear judgment 
and experience of him whose name intro- 
duces this review. 

On the loth of March, 1873, Mr. Chamber- 
lain was joined in wedlock to Miss Florence 
M. Peck, a daughter of I. F. and Mary 
(Cann) Peck, of Lafayette, Indiana. Mrs. 
Chamberlain died January 12, 1902, at the 
age of forty-seven years, leaving two chil- 
dren, Gertrude and Cecil. In his social re- 
lations Mr. Chamberlain is connected with 
Decatur Camp No. 144, M. W. A., and was 
one of the seventeen charter members 
upon its organization in 1883. He is also 
a charter member of the Fraternal Tribunes 
and he belongs to the Christian church on 
Edwards street in Decatur, of which he is 
now serving as deacon. Having spent his 
entire life in Illinois, he has been a witness 
of much of its development and progress. 
He can recall in his boyhood days the 
howling of wolves and remembers seeing 
deer roam upon the prairies. He also re- 
members the building of the Wabash Rail- 
road in 1854, an enterprise which elicited 
the interest of people throughout this por- 
tion of the countrv. He is now one of the 




^^^^^;^^^~^y^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



261 



prosperous residents of his adopted city and 
the success of his present enterprise has 
more than come up to his expectations. He 
has come to be regarded as one of the influ- 
ential and substantial business men of his 
town. His plant is well equipped and is a 
growing industry, but undoubtedly will in 
time have to undergo enlargement. He has 
excellent financial ability and understands 
the handling of men, a combination of de- 
sirable attributes which invariably insure 
success. 



ROBERT H. WOODCOCK. 

In early manhood Robert H. Woodcock 
became a resident of Macon county and has 
since been largely identified with its de- 
velopment, material upbuilding and business 
growth. He found a district in which the 
land was largely unimproved and its surface 
was dotted here and there with ponds or 
crossed by sloughs. Many changes have 
since occurred and now this is one of the 
richest farming districts of the state and in 
its midst is a thriving commercial and indus- 
trial center and many smaller towns show- 
ing great business activity. Mr. Woodcock 
is actively and successfully engaged in the 
private banking business and in real-estate 
dealing and in both branches is meeting 
with prosperity. 

A native of Westmoreland county, Penn- 
sylvania, Mr. Woodcock was born August 
30, 1835, a son of Edmund and Susanna 
(Funk) Woodcock, the former of English 
lineage and the latter of German descent. 
From Pennsylvania the parents removed to 
Illinois in 1849. The father was a wagon- 
maker by trade and followed that pursuit in 
order to provide for his family, including his 
wife and ten children, nine of whom reached 
years of maturity, the subject of this re- 
view being the third in order of birth. Those 
still living are Mary, Sarah, Robert H. and 



Etta B. The father died in Ouincy, Illi- 
nois, in 1856, and the mother's death oc- 
curred in Carrollton, this state, at the very 
advanced age of ninety-five years. 

Robert H. Woodcock supplemented his 
early educational privileges by a course of 
study in the seminary of Greene county, 
Illinois, and was graduated when twenty- 
one years of age. After leaving school he 
went into a dry-goods store as bookkeeper, 
serving in that capacity for two years and 
then came to Macon county. In 1862 he 
took up his abode in the village of Macon, 
where he established a grocery store, which 
he conducted for three years, selling out in 
January, 1865. The following August he 
entered the employ of the Illinois Central 
Railroad Company as agent, being the third 
man to hold the position at this place, and 
his term continued sixteen years. Two 
years previous he had become agent for 
the American Express Company and acted 
in the latter capacity altogether for eighteen 
years. He then engaged with H. Faling 
for eight months in the banking business, 
then purchased the interest of his partner 
and has since engaged in the banking busi- 
ness, with the exception of a period of two 
years. He has also dealt largely in real 
estate, buying and selling land, and sold 
most of the property belonging to the Illi- 
nois Central Railroad Company for fifteen 
miles on each side of the railroad track and 
fifteen miles north and south. He conducts 
a private bank, which has a good patronage, 
for he is known as a most reliable man and 
has back of his institution ample securities. 

Shortly after coming to Macon county, 
Mr. Woodcock was married October 29, 
1863, to Miss Frances J. Rives, who was 
born in Greene county, this state, IMarch 18, 
1841. Her parents. Rev. James and Eliza- 
beth (Hood) Rives, were from North Caro- 
lina and spent their last days in Greene 
county, Illinois. Her father was a Repub- 
lican in politics and a minister of the Meth- 



262 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



odist church, taking a most active part in 
all church work. ]\Ir. and ^irs. Woodcock 
have one son, Harold R. 

In his political views Mr. Woodcock is an 
earnest Republican, active in the party, and 
has been honored with a number of local 
offices. He served as alderman of Macon 
for two years, was mayor one year, and for 
fourteen years was supervisor, one-half of 
which time he was chairman of the board. 
He has been a delegate to various county, 
state and congressional conventions and has 
exerted a strong influence in the local ranks 
of the party. Socially he is connected with 
South Macon Lodge, No. 467, A. F. & A. 
M., and with one exception is the oldest 
Mason in Macon, having joined the order 
at Lincoln, Illinois, in 1866. He was active 
in establishing the school system and his 
labors have been effective and helpful along 
many lines for the public good. When Air. 
Woodcock came to Macon county he made 
the journey on horseback over the prairies, 
on which the grass grew almost as high as 
the horse's back. There was only one house 
within four miles and a tract of only eighty 
acres was vmder cultivation at that time. 
He has done his full share for the develop- 
ment and progress of the county, has 
watched with interest its growth and as a 
pioneer citizen as well as leading business 
man well deserves representation in the his- 
torv of the countv. 



HAROLD RIVES WOODCOCK. 
Harold Rives Woodcock, who is associ- 
ated with his father in the banking business 
at Alacon, under the firm style of R. H. 
Woodcock & Company, was born in this 
town, June 6, 1871, and in the public schools 
acquired his literary education, while his 
business training was received in I'rown's 
Business College, of Decatur, in which he 
cgmpleted the course in the class of 1890. 



I'revious to this time, however, he had 
served as bookkeeper from 1887 to 1889, in 
the Woodcock & Hight iJank of Macon, 
and following the completion of his school 
course he became cashier in the Heilman 
grocery house of Decatur. In 1891 he was 
cashier in the R. H. Woodcock & Company 
Bank in Macon, and later occupied a sim- 
ilar position in the First National Bank at 
Collinsville, Illinois, from March until July, 
1902. He then returned to Macon and has 
since been engaged in the banking business 
as cashier and partner, being thus associated 
with his father under the business style of 
R. H. Woodcock & Company. 

Politically Mr. Woodcock is connected 
with the Republican party, strongly en- 
dorsing its principles and laboring untiring- 
ly for its success. He has served as town 
clerk of Macon, and in 1899 he was elected 
supervisor for a two years' term. He served 
as chairman of the board in 1900-1 and was 
then re-elected for the term of 1901-2, but 
resigned in June of the latter year. His 
social relations connect him with the Ma- 
sonic fraternity. He was made a Mason 
in South Alacon Lodge, No. 467, F. & A. M. 
and is now a past master. He also belongs 
to Beacon Lodge, No. 434, K. P., of which 
he is a past chancellor and district deputy, 
and thus in both organizations he has been 
honored with official preferment, showing 
the regard in which he is held by his breth- 
ren of the fraternities. 

In 1896, in Indianapolis, Indiana, was 
celebrated the marriage of Harold R. Wood- 
cock and Miss Bertha Middleton, and they 
now have an interesting little son, to whom 
they have given the name of Rives Way. 
The business history of Macon would be in- 
complete without mention of the Wood- 
cocks — father and son — who are prominent 
and worthv representatives of financial in- 
terests and who in social life are also promi- 
nent, both families having many warm 
friends here. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



263 



JAMES S. C. CUSSINS, M. D. 

The city of Decatur, with its pulsing in- 
dustrial activities and rapid development, 
has. attracted within its confines men of 
marked ability and high character in the 
various professional lines and in this way 
progress has been conserved and social sta- 
bility fostered. He, whose name initiates 
this review, has gained recognition as one 
of the able and sticcessful physicians of the 
state and by his labors, his high professional 
attainments and his sterling characteristics 
has justified the respect and confidence in 
which he is held by the medical fraternity 
and the local ptiblic. He has resided in De- 
catur only since 1901, but for twenty-five 
years has been a practitioner of this part of 
Illinois, where he is widely and fa\orably 
known. 

The Doctor was born in the city of Zanes- 
ville, Ohio, on the 24th of March, 1851, a 
son of Samuel A. and Jane (Cairns) Cus- 
sins, both of whom are natives of the Buck- 
eye state, and the latter was a daughter of 
Dr. Cairns. The father of our subject 
learned the carpenter's trade in early life 
and became a contractor and builder. In 
1864 he removed with his family to Deca- 
tur, where he became actively identified 
with the building interests, continuing his 
work along that line until a short time prior 
to his death. In this way he did much 
for the improvement of the city and many 
evidences of his handiwork are still seen in 
substantial structures here. He passed 
away in 1869. 

The Doctor was a youth of thirteen years 
when he accompanied his parents to this 
city and his youth was here passed, his early 
education being acquired in the schools of 
Decatur under the direction of Professor 
E. A. Gastman, a most thorough and com- 
petent teacher, who for more than forty 
years has been principal of the Decatur 
schools. He was also a student in the Uni- 
versity of Illinois for two years. On the 



completion of his literary course Dr. Cus- 
sins determined to enter upon the study 
of medicine, preparatory to making its prac- 
tice his life work. He became a student in 
the office and under the directioii of Drs. 
E. W. Moore and Ira N. Barnes, who di- 
rected his reading until he entered Rush 
Medical College of Chicago, in which in- 
stitution he was graduated with the class 
of 1877, winnitig the degree of M. D. 

It was in August of the same year that 
he entered upon his professional career as 
a practitioner in the little town of Owaneco, 
Christian county, Illinois. He soon demon- 
strated his ability there and gained a liberal 
patronage which continually grew as the 
years passed by. For twenty-four years he 
conducted practice there and then desiring 
a still broader field of labor he returned to 
Decatur in 1901, opening an office on Prairie 
street over the store of the Decatur Gun 
Company. One of the local papers said of 
him; 'AMth his remarkable physique and 
careful living, in spite of twenty-five years 
of hard practice, the Doctor to-day is active- 
ly practicing his chosen profession and en- 
dowed with all the energy which has char- 
acterized his work in the past." 

In January, 1878, the Doctor was united 
in marriage to Miss Ella Lord, of Decatur, 
a daughter of Thomas Lord, one of the old 
and prominent residents of this city and of 
Macon county. They began their domestic 
life in Owaneco and there two children were 
born unto them : Lelah, who died at the 
age of twelve years, and Minerva May. 
Bessie Marie and James S. C, Jr., were horn 
in Decatur. The Doctor and his wife oc- 
cupy an enviable position in social circles 
and their own pleasant home is noted 
for its cordiality and gracious hospitality. 

Politically the Doctor is an ardent Demo- 
crat and has taken quite an active and 
prominent part in public affairs, serving as 
a member of the board of supervisors in 
Christian county for eleven years and wms 



26i 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



its chairman for eight years of that time. 
He was also postmaster of Owaneco dur- 
ing both of President Cleveland's adminis- 
trations. 

Not only has he attained success in his 
profession but is also a popular and promi- 
nent member of the Masonic fraternity, in 
which he has attained the Knight Templar 
degree. His membership is now with Lo- 
cust. Lodge, No. '623, F. & A. ^L; Chapter, 
No. 102, R. A. yi., at Taylorville, Illinois, 
and Beaumanoir Commandcry, No. 9, K. 
T., of Decatur. In the line of his profession 
he is connected with the Decatur Medical 
Society and through the interchange of 
thought and experience in its meetings 
keeps in touch with the methods which the 
various members of the fraternity are fol- 
lowing and also gives of his own know'Iedge 
for the benefit of his professional brethren. 
He has followed along the line of general 
practice in medicine and surgery and is 
recognized as a man of marked ability in 
his profession, of keen intellectuality and 
of cultured tastes. He has made an honor- 
able name for himself not only in pro- 
fessional circles, but in the community in 
which he makes his home and has many 
friends. He is a valued acquisition to the 
medical circles of the city, in which his boy- 
hood was passed and already in Decatur he 
has gained a liberal patronage which is in- 
dicative of his superior skill and of the con- 
fidence reposed in him by the general pub- 
lic. 



JAMES H. PARKER. 
It was the commonly accepted belief in 
olden times that labor was the source of 
success ; to-day the world demands another 
element — that of sound judgment. Both 
qualities are possessed by James IT. Parker, 
now one of the most extensive landowners 
of Macon county and the president of the 



Citizens' Bank of Maroa. With few advan- 
tages in youth, depending upon his own re- 
sources as the years have gone by, he has 
risen to a prominent position among the 
prosperous men of the county and by the 
most honorable and businesslike methods 
has gained his prosperity. A native of 
Ohio, he was born in 1846, a son of James 
S. and Rachel (Hankinson) Parker. The 
father, a farmer by occupation, was born in 
New Jersey and removed to Ohio when a 
young man of twenty years. In 1853 he be- 
came a resident of DeW'itt county, Illinois, 
where he purchased one hundred and si.xty 
acres of land, which he sold a year or two 
later. He then came to Macon county and 
purchased a tract of land west of Maroa, 
where he carried on farming until three or 
four years prior to his death, when he re- 
moved to the town and lived retired until 
called to his final rest on the 5th of May, 
1880. His wife long survived him and died 
in 1901. This was an old and highh' re- 
spected couple. 

James H. Parker attended school in Ma- 
con county, but is largely self-educated, 
reading, observation and experience adding 
greatly to his knowledge. Nature also en- 
dowed him with a good degree of common 
sense — a quality very essential in the busi- 
ness world and too often lacking. He did 
not fear that laborious attention to labor 
which is the basis of prosperity and in his 
early manhood, as in his more ma- 
ture years, labored earnestly and per- 
sistently. He started out for himself at 
the age of twenty-one years and at first 
operated his father's land. The training 
which he had received in the work of the 
fields now stood him in good stead. He dili- 
gently and energetically carried on his work 
and in the course of a few years had saved 
enough money to purchase a farm of his 
own. With renewed energy he began its 
cultivation and as the years passed he added 
to his landed possessions from time to time 



I 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



267 



until he now has about two thousand acres, 
mucii of which Hes within ?*Iacon county 
and is therefore in one of the richest farm- 
ing belts of the entire country. His home 
farm, lying west of IMaroa, comprises five 
hundred and forty-five acres. He formed 
a partnership with the man who now lives 
upon the place and operates it, and the re- 
mainder of his land he rents. His pos- 
sessions represent years of earnest, con- 
secutive toil and show what may be attained 
through enterprise and industry. His busi- 
ness interests, however, have not been con- 
fined entirely to agricultural pursuits Init 
liave gone beyond and embraced otlier fields 
of labor. He is now the president of the 
Citizens' Bank of JNIaroa, a reliable financial 
institution receiving a good patronage, and 
is also the president of The Farmers' Mer- 
cantile .Association. 

In 1871 Mr. Parker was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Emma A. Shaw, a daughter 
of William G. Shaw. They visited Chicago 
on their wedding journey and had just left 
that city when the great fire occurred. L^n- 
to them were born two children, but both 
died in infanc}'. Mr. and Mrs. Parker own 
and occupy one of the handsome residences 
of Maroa and its hospitality is one of its 
most marked and pleasing features. They 
belong to the Methodist church, taking an 
active part in its Avork, and Mr. Parker is a 
member of the blue lodge of Masons in 
Maroa and of the commandery of Clinton, 
Illinois. He also holds membership rela- 
tions with the Knights of Pythias here. 
In politics he is a Republican and 
once served as supervisor, but would never 
consent to hold other office. His best public 
service is rendered as a private citizen and 
he is found as the advocate of many pro- 
gressive and beneficial measures. With lit- 
tle assistance from his father, James H. 
Parker has won for himself an enviable 
position in financial circles and in public 
regard and stands to-day as one of the 



strong men of Maroa, the possessor of a 
\ery handsome competence and also of an 

untarnished name. 



CHARLES F. RUEHL. 

Almost a half century has passed since 
Charles F. Ruehl became a resident of Ma- 
con county. He is now a retired farmer 
and merchant, making his home in Decatur, 
and the rest which has been vouchsafed to 
him has been justly earned and is there- 
fore richly merited. It is a fact of which 
perhaps due recognition has not been given, 
that a large majority of the valued citizens 
of this portion of the state have had their 
nativity in or trace their lineage to the great 
German empire. Mr. Ruchl is a native of 
Hesse-Darmstadt, his birth having there 
occurred on the 31st of August, 1832. His 
parents, Ernst and Elizabeth Ruehl, never 
left the fatherland, but spent their entire 
lives in their native country. When their 
son Charles was a little lad of six years they 
sent him to the public schools, where he 
continued his studies until he reached the 
age of fourteen and afterward he became a 
student in a gymnasium which is ecjuivalent 
to a high school in this country. Entering 
upon his business career he was first em- 
plo3"ed as a farm hand and afterward be- 
came manager of an estate belonging to a 
nobleman, in which capacity he served for 
four years. He had acquired a practical 
knowledge of farming as it was then con- 
ducted in the old country and his services 
were of value to the gentleman by whom 
he was employed. 

The land of the free, however, was to him 
a source of attraction and since 1852 he 
has been allied with .American interests. No 
native son of the country is more loyal to 
the United States and her welfare than is 
Charles F. Ruehl. In 1852 he took passage 
on a westward-bound sailing vessel that 



268 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



weighed anchor in the harbor of Bremen 
bound for the port of Baltimore, Maryland. 
He did not tarry long, however, in the lat- 
ter city, but went almost at once to tlamil- 
ton, Ohio, and in that vicinity secured work 
as a farm hand. Afterward he removed to 
Logansport, Indiana, where for three years 
he followed various pursuits. In 1856 he 
arrived in Decatur, Illinois, and having in 
the meantime saved .some of hisearnings, he 
established a retail grocery store on Water 
street. For eight years he conducted the 
business, being one of the early merchants 
of the city. He then sold out and removed 
to Forsyth, Macon county, where he not 
only conducted the railroad office, but also 
handled grain, carrying on his store there 
for twenty-four years. His business grew 
to an important one and he realized a hand- 
some annual income as the result of his la- 
bors. While a resident of Forsyth, in 1874 
he went to Iowa, where he purchased eight 
hundred acres of valuable land, which he 
rented. For some time he visited Iowa 
once or twice each year to superintend his 
property interests, but made his home in 
Decatur. In 1892, however, Mr. Ruehl sold 
his Iowa property for sixty-five dollars per 
acre, which was an excellent advance upon 
the purchase price. He is now practically liv- 
ing retired, loaning his money and merely 
devoting his attention to this work and the 
collection of its interest. 

The home life of Mr. Ruehl has been very 
pleasant. He married Miss Thekla Stommel 
and they became the parents of two chil- 
dren: Ernst, who is now residing in Cham- 
paign county, Illinois ; and Lillie, who is 
the \vife of Perry Lashier, of Sac county, 
Iowa. After the death of his first wife 
Mr. Ruehl wedded her sister, Otella, and 
four children graced this marriage, namely: 
Carl, who resides in Centralia, Illinois ; 
Louis, who is manager of a lumber yard at 
Freeport, Illinois; Max, a practicing physi- 
cian who is employed by the McCormick 



^lanufacturing Company, in Chicago, Ill- 
inois, devoting his entire time and attention- 
to professional work among the McCormick 
employes, numbering several thousand; 
and Harold, who is a bookkeeper in the 
Citizens' National Bank of Decatur. Otto 
Link, who follows farming, is a son of Mrs. 
Ruehl's first marriage. 

In his political views Mr. Ruehl is an 
earnest Republican, but without the party 
bias or aggressive spirit which many polit- 
ical workers show. He forms his ideas in- 
dependently and is firm in support of his 
honest convictions. In matters of citizenship 
he has always been loyal and true to the 
best interests of the city, state and nation. 
He may well be termed one of the pioneers 
of Macon county, for through almost a half 
century he has witnessed its growth and 
development. He has seen Decatur grow 
from a small town to one of the leading met- 
ropolitan centers of the state, becoming an 
industrial city second to none in Illinois, 
save Chicago. He has a wide acquaintance 
throughout the county and wherever he 
has gone he has won friends, who recognize 
his worth and accord him their warm re- 
gard. 



WILLIAM CLARK. 
William Clark, who is engaged in the real 
estate business in Decatur, has resided in 
this city since February, 1890, previous to 
which time he was for some years connected 
with agricultural interests in Illinois. His 
birth occurred in Clinton county, Pennsyl- 
vania, on the 27th of April, 1827, his parents 
being William and Sarah (Hayes) Clark, 
who were natives of the Keystone state. 
The family is of English lineage, but both 
the father and grandfather of our subject 
were born in this country. The grandfather 
also bore the name of William Clark and 
he was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, 
enlisting at the asre of sixteen vears. He 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



269 



did valiant service for the country and after- 
ward devoted his energies to agricultural 
pursuits. The father of our subject was 
also a farmer by occupation. He followed 
that pursuit in Pennsylvania throughout 
his entire life and in 1847 he passed away, 
being then sixty-five years of age. In early 
manhood he had wedded Miss Sarah Hayes, 
who was of Scotch-Irish extraction and who 
was also a native of Pennsylvania. She 
proved to her husband a faithful companion 
and helpmate on life's journey, and her 
death occurred in 1850. 

At the usual age William Clark entered 
the public schools and afterward attended a 
subscription school, thus fitting himself for 
teaching. He followed that profession in 
his localit}'- for a number of years and also 
continued to engage in the operation of the 
old home farm during the periods of vaca- 
tion. He continued to reside in Pennsyl- 
vania until 1856, when he came to Illinois, 
locating first in Kendall county, where he 
secured a tract of land and successfully en- 
gaged in farming. After a period of twenty 
years he went to Mecklenburg county, Vir- 
ginia, spending a few months in the Old 
Dominion. Preferring Illinois, however, as 
a place of residence, he then returned to 
this state and located in Champaign county, 
where he purchased a farm, which he owned 
and operated for eighteen years. He was a 
progressive agriculturist and everything 
about his place indicated his personal super- 
vision. Neatness and thrift characterized 
the farm and he annually harvested good 
crops as the result of the care and labor 
which he bestowed upon the fields. In Feb- 
ruary, 1890, however, he rented his farm 
and removed to Decatur, where he has since 
made his home, residing at No. 619 West 
Wood street. For some time he has en- 
gaged in the real estate and fire insurance 
business here and has secured a good client- 
age in both lines, having- negotiated a num- 



ber of realty transfers and at the same time 
written quite a large amount of insurance. 
In 1855 Mr. Clark was united in marriage 
to Miss Charlotte Hall, of Clinton county, 
Pennsylvania, a daughter of Jesse Hall. 
They became the parents of four children: 
Everett Howard, v;ho is now living in west- 
ern Kansas ; Jesse Hall ; Minnie Belle, who 
is residing in Decatur, and Emma, who is 
now in Chicago. The parents are members 
of the First Presbyterian church of Deca- 
tur and Mr. Clark has been a stalwart Re- 
publican since the organization of the party, 
when questions of national importance are 
involved, but at local elections he votes in- 
dependently. His residence in Illinois cov- 
ers a period of almost a half century and his 
labors aided in making this state the splen- 
did agricultural district which it is to-day. 
His many admirable characteristics, his 
steadfastness of purpose and the genialty of 
his temperament have made him an integral 
part of the prosperity and general develop- 
ment of the communities in which he has 
made his home. 



WILLIAM B. HUNTER. 
Throughout the years of his manhood this 
gentleman has been actively identified with 
the agricultural and industrial interests of 
Macon county and is to-day a prosperous 
citizen of IMount Zion, where for the past 
three years he has engaged in the nursery 
business, owning a one-third interest in the 
Mount Zion Nursery. He claims Illinois 
as his native state, his birth occurring in 
Bond county, November 25, 1850. His 
father, James B. Hunter, was born in Ken- 
tucky and at an early day came to Illinois, 
being engaged in farming in Macon county 
for some years. He entered the army dur- 
ing the Civil war as a member of Company 
I, One Hundred and sixteenth Illinois Vol- 
unteer Infantry and when hostilities ceased 



270 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



he returned to this state, where he regided 
for a time, but is now living in Arkansas. 
He married Miss Nancy Griggs, and to 
them were born four children, as follows: 
Jennie, wife of Henry Eruit, of Decatur; 
Emma, wife of Jackson Hanks, also of De- 
catur; Lucy, wife of Thomas Elker, who 
makes his home in California, and William 
B., of this review. 

William B. Hunter spent his boyhood and 
youth upon a farm and in 1862 began earn- 
ing his own livelihood. For three years he 
was employed on a farm near Elwin and 
then came to Mount Zion township, where 
he worked as a farm hand by the month 
until he had accumulated sufficient capital 
to buy a tract of land and engage in farming 
on his own account. For a short period 
during his early life he was employed as a 
clerk in a general store but with that ex- 
ception his time and attention have been 
wholly devoted to agricultural pursuits, in 
which line he has prospered, becoming 
owner of over four hundred acres of rich 
and arable land in this county. In con- 
nection with his farming operations he has 
been engaged in the nursery business for 
the past three years in partnership with E. 
K. Hurlbert and George Spitler and this 
venture has been a success from the start. 

Mr. Hunter is a man of untiring disposi- 
tion, and although safe and conservative in 
his business methods, he is yet energetic 
and progressive, and to these elements in 
his character he owes his success in life for 
he started out for himself with no capital 
and has made his way in the world unaided 
from the age of twelve years. In politics 
he is a Democrat but at local elections gen- 
erally votes independent of party lines, en- 
deavoring to support the best man for the 
office. 

NOAH D. MYERS, M. D. 
One of the most prominent and successful 
physicians and surgeons now engaged in 



practice in Decatur is Dr. Noah D. Myers, 
who has that love for and devotion to his 
profession which have won him a place 
among the ablest representatives of the med- 
ical fraternity in this section of the state. 

The Doctor was born in Fountain county, 
Indiana, Februar}' 17, 1843. His grand- 
father, Jacob Myers, was a resident of North 
Carolina and in the spring of i8n removed 
to Indiana. He found that the red men 
were so numerous at that time that he con- 
sidered it unsafe to reside in such close 
proximity to them and, accordingly, re- 
turned to the south. In 1829, however, he 
again ventured to the frontier and remained 
a resident of Indiana until his death. John 
Myers, the father of our subject, was also 
born in North Carolina and died April I, 
1903, at the residence of the Doctor in De- 
catur. He wedded Catherine Fine, who 
died in 1892, at the age of seventy-nine 
years. Both were of German lineage. In 
their family were eleven children, of whom 
four are now living, namely: Noah D. ; 
Peter, who resides in Gila, Illinois; Susanna, 
the wife of M. M. Sowers, of Gila; Amanda 
C, who is the wife of J. A. Sanders, of 
Covington, Indiana. 

Upon the home farm in his native state 
Dr. Myers spent the days of his boyhood 
and youth. He attended the public schools 
and he worked in the first steam sawmill in 
his locality, this having been erected by his 
father near Wallace in Fountain county. 
Later he became a student in Harmonia 
College at Russellville, Indiana, and subse- 
quently matriculated in the State Univer- 
sity at Bloomington, Indiana, where he pur- 
sued a scientific course. With broad gen- 
eral knowledge to serve as the foundation 
upon which to rear the superstructure of 
professional learning, he took up the study 
of medicine in the office and under the di- 
rection of Dr. A. T. Steele, of Waveland, 
Indiana, and in 1870 he became a student in 
Rush Medical College of Chicago, but that 



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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



273 



institution was burned during the great Chi- 
cago lire in 1871 and Dr. Myers therefore 
completed his course in the medical college 
of Ohio at Cincinnati, where he was grad- 
uated with the class of 1872. Being now 
well equipped for his chosen profession 
the Doctor opened an office in Veedersburg, 
Indiana, where he remained for a short 
time, removing then to Browns Valley in 
the same state. In 1874 he came to Illinois, 
locating at Gila, Jasper county. He built 
the first house in the village there and prac- 
ticed in that locality for thirteen years, 
having a large country practice which was 
of a varied and important character. In 
1887, however, desiring a broader scope for 
his labors, he came to Decatur, where he 
has since carried on general practice and 
has won for himself a place among the lead- 
ing and successful physicians of the city. 
He belongs to the Decatur Medical Society 
and the members of the medical fraternity 
acknowledge his worth and capability. 

In 1873 Dr. Mj'ers was united in mar- 
riage to Miss I\[attie J. Ward, a daughter of 
Samuel and Sarah (ISIusgrove) Ward, of 
Parke county, Indiana. They now have 
four children : Bessie Lee, the wife of W. 
H. Peters; Minnie M.; Lulu P., the wife of 
William A. Shorb ; and Merle M. 

The Doctor is a valued representative of 
the Masonic fraternity. He was made a 
Mason in 1889 in Ionic Lodge, No. 312, F. 
& A. M., with which he is still affiliated. 
He is also a member of the Order of the 
Eastern Star and holds membership rela- 
tions with the Modern Woodmen of Amer- 
ica ; the Fraternal Tribunes and the Yeo- 
manry. His political support has ever been 
given to the Democracy and he has taken an 
active part in politics. He was a member 
of the pension board during President 
Cleveland's administration. The Doctor 
deserves credit for what he has accom- 
plished. He earned a portion of the funds 
necessary for his college expenses as a 



"Hoosier schoohiiaster" in the rural dis- 
tricts of Indiana. He has throughout hiS" 
professional career advanced steadily by 
reason of his close application, his zeal and 
interest in his work and his broad study 
and thorough investigation. He is con- 
nected with a calling wherein advancement 
is won through merit and it is because of his 
capability that he is justly regarded as a 
prominent practitioner here. 



IRA N. BARNES, A. M., M. D. 
Dr. Ira N. Barnes was born in Claremont, 
New Hampshire, December 19, 1829, and 
was the youngest of the five children born 
to Ira Norton Barnes and Harriet Eastman. 
His father died when he was four months 
old. He spent his youth attending school in 
his native town and at an early age became 
a clerk in a drug store. He fitted for col- 
lege at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, 
New Hampshire, and entered Dartmouth 
College in 1851, graduating therefrom in 
1855 with the degree of A. B. He was a 
classmate of the late Nelson Dingley, of 
tariff fame, and of Chief Justice Field of 
the superior court of Massachusetts. He 
first came to Decatur in November, 185S, 
and spent the following year in the drug 
business with his brother, the late Dr. W. A. 
Barnes. In 1858 he received the degree of 
Master of Arts from Dartmouth College 
and in the same year attended his first 
course of medical lectures at Dartmouth 
Medical College and read medicine with 
Drs. Dixi Crosby and E. R. Peaslee at Han- 
over, New Hampshire. He spent the sum- 
mer of 1859 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
attending the clinics at the hospitals and in 
the autumn of the same year matriculated 
at the Jefferson ^Medical College and grad- 
uated therefrom in March, 1862. He then 
located in Decatur, Illinois, and formed a 
partnership with the late Dr. E. W. Moore 



an 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



for llie practice of medicine, which conliii- 
ued for t'lirty-si.x years. 

In 1863 he was commissioned as surgeon 
of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regi- 
ment, Illinois Volunteers, which was at- 
tached during the whole war to the First 
Brigade, Second Division of General Sher- 
man's famous Fifteenth Army Corps. He 
served with his regiment at the various bat- 
tles around Vicksburg, Champion Hills and 
Jackson, Mississippi, -Missionary Ridge, 
Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta, Georgia. 
February 22, 1864, he was appointed sur- 
geon in chief of the Second Division, Fif- 
teenth Army Corps, on the staff of Brigadier 
General Morgan L. Smith. He was on the 
famous march to the sea and at the storm- 
ing of Fort McAllister, Georgia, and 
thence marched through the Carolinas and 
Virginia to Washington, D. C, where with 
his regiment he took part in the grand re- 
view and was mustered out of the service 
June 9, 1865, by reason of the close of the 
war. 

He married Diantha G. Sargent, of Clare- 
mont. New Hampshire, September 25, 1861, 
who died May 10, 1879. One son was born. 
Dr. Lynn M. Barnes, who graduated at 
Harvard University in 1896 and at Harvard 
Medical School in 1900, and is now a prac- 
titioner of medicine. At Decatur, Illinois, 
July 8, 1886, Dr. Barnes was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Mary 
Wilder. 

Dr. Barnes is an honored and respected 
resident of Decatur, where he has practiced 
for so many years, becoming the loved fam- 
ily physician in various households. Man's 
worth in the world is determined by his use- 
fulness — by what he has accomplished for 
his fellow men — and he is certainly deserv- 
ing of the greatest honor and regard whose 
efforts have been of the greatest benefit to 
his fellow citizens. Judged by this stand- 
ard Dr. Barnes may well be accounted one 
ol the distinguished residents of Decatur, 



for throughout his professional career, cov- 
ering many decades, his labors have been 
of a most hel|)ful nature. Certainly his life 
work has been of the greatest practical ben- 
efit and the world is better for his having 
lived. Although he is now seventy-four 
years of age he is yet connected with affairs 
of moment to the city of Decatur, where he 
has long made his home, although in recent 
years he has retired from the active prosecu- 
tion of his profession. 



J. \V. WILLIAMS. 

Prominent among the successful men of 
Friends Creek township must be numbered 
J. W. Williams, who is known far and wide 
as a breeder and shipper of thoroughbred 
Poland-China hogs. His home is on sec- 
tion 17, about two and a half miles west of 
Cisco. He was born in this township in 
1859, his parents being Jackson and Lavina 
Williams. His father's birth occurred in 
Ross county, Ohio, in 1826, and in that 
state he spent his boyhood and youth. He 
commenced life for himself by working as 
a farm hand by the month. On leaving 
Ohio, he came to Macon county, Illinois, 
in a one-horse buggy and settled in Friends 
Creek township, becoming one of its 
pioneers. Throughout his active business 
life he gave considerable attention to the 
raising of stock, making a specialty of hogs, 
and he became quite well-to-do, owning 
three hundred acres of land at the time of 
his death, which occurred in 1901. His 
wife, who came to this county when only 
nine years old, is still living, and continues 
to reside on the old home place. 

During his boyhood J. W. Williams at- 
tended the public schools of Friends Creek 
township and under the able guidance of 
his father he early became familiar with the 
best methods of farming and stock-raising, 
which he has continued to follow up to the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



275 



present time with marked success. At the 
age of twenty-three years he commenced 
operating a part of his father's place and in 
1885 he pvirchased one hundred and ten 
acres on section 17, Friends Creek township, 
where he now lives, paying for the same 
forty-four dollars and a quarter per acre. 
This land was entered by his grandfather, 
who at one time owned twenty-five hun- 
dred acres of land in this locality. Our sub- 
ject has made ail of the improvements upon 
his place. He has a good hog barn, well 
equipped for breeding purposes and has one 
of the best systems of water works in cen- 
tral Illinois. There is running water in 
eight different lots, a gasoline engine for 
pumping the water and over one thousand 
feet of pipe have already been laid. Mr. 
Williams is fast gaining a wide reputation 
as a breeder of fine thoroughbred hogs and ' 
for the past five years he has shipped forty 
hogs annually to different parts of the 
United States. He raises pumpkins, which 
mixed with mill feed he considers the very 
best feed for breeding purposes and he also 
feeds his hogs oats and corn in equal pro- 
portions. He uses all the grain raised on 
his own place. As previously stated his 
specialty is thoroughbred Poland-China 
hogs and he now has some fine males, four 
of whom are from Chief Perfection, the 
Second, which was sold for forty thousand 
dollars, that being the highest price ever 
paid for a hog in the world. He was owned 
by a stock company in Indiana. Air. Will- 
iams owns hogs by Top Chief, a half inter- 
est in which was sold for twenty-five thou- 
sand dollars and he also has five hogs by 
Perfection Bloom, No. 53037, which is at 
the head of his herd. He also has some fine 
sows, sired by T. C. U. S., which is one 
of the greatest show hogs in the world and 
is owned by Burgess Brothers of Bement, 
Illinois. Mr. Williams aims to get as good 
a constitution in a hog as possible to guard 



against disease and he tried to develop both 
bone and muscle. 

In 1890 was celebrated his marriage to 
Miss Alice Piper, who was born in Decatur 
and is a daughter of Edmond and Sarah 
(Querrey) Piper. They have one child, 
Zora, who was born November 17, 1893. 
Mrs. Williams is a member of the Presby- 
terian church and our subject belongs to the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Cisco. 
He votes with the Democratic party but 
takes no active part in politics, preferring 
to give his entire time and attention to his 
business interests. He is a man of marked 
ability and executive force and has met with 
most excellent success in the occupation to 
which he devotes his energies. He is quite 
popular personally and makes friends easily. 



LOUIS A. MILLS. 

Louis A. Mills is numbered among the 
members of the bar of Macon county and is 
now successfully practicing in Decatur with 
offices at No. 507 Millikin Building, in this 
city. He was born in Putnam county, Illi- 
nois, on the 15th of October, 1864, and is a 
son of Joseph and Mary E. (Merritt) Mills. 
The father was a native of Pennsylvania and 
in the year 1845 ^^^t the east for Illinois. 
He established his home in Putnam county, 
where he secured a tract of land and carried 
on farming for many years, being a well 
known and respected agriculturist of that 
community. He died in 1884 at the age of 
forty-three years and is still survived by 
his wife. In their family were six children, 
namely : Jessie L. ; Louis A. ; Mary ArT 
villa ; Mabel, the wife of S. E. Walker, of 
Decatur; Elizabeth, the wife of O. W. Daw- 
son, of this city; and Maud, the wife of 
C. F. Parker, a resident of Julesburg, Colo- 
rado. 

It is a noticeable fact that the great ma- 
jority of men who have become prominent 



S76 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and successful in cuinmercial, industrial and 
professional circles have spent their early 
years upon farms and from the free and 
outdoor life they gain the strength and 
steadfastness of purpose which enables them 
to cope with the strenuous duties that come 
during their connection with other fields of 
lahor in later yeais. -Mr. Mills was a farmer 
boy in his youth and attended the country 
schools near his home. After acquiring his 
j)roliniinary education he became a student 
in the Decatur high school and later pur- 
sued a course in Lincoln University. For 
a time he resided in this city and afterward 
went to South Dakota to look after his 
father's interests in that state, his father's 
death having occurred there. Upon return- 
ing to Illinois Mr. Mills of this review be- 
came a student in the office of the firm of 
Mills Brothers of Decatur, the partners be- 
ing Isaac R. and Andrew H. Mills. When 
he had continued his reading until his 
knowledge of the law was broad and com- 
prehensive he was admitted to the bar in 
1890 and became a member of the firm of 
Mills Brothers, thus joining his old pre- 
ceptors. In 1893 he became associated with 
the Columbia Manufacturing Company as 
a- partner and on the 1st of May, 1896, he 
formed a partnership with J. R. Fitzgerald 
for the practice of law with offices in the 
Millikin Building. He has since carried on 
general practice and has been connected 
-with considerable important litigation in 
the courts of this district. During the year 
1898 he was appointed assignee for the 
Farmers' Bank and is still acting as such. 

In 1889 Mr. Mills was united in marriage 
to Miss Anna Hill, a granddaughter of H. 
"W. Hill, by whom she was reared. They 
now have two children: Margaret and 
Walker H. Socially Mr. Mills is a Mason, 
having been initiated into the order in Ma- 
con Lodge, No. 8, F. & A. M., in 1894. He 
has since taken the Royal Arch degree in 
Macon Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M. ; and be- 



longs to Beaumanoir Commandery, No. 9, 
K. T. He has a general law practice and a 
good law library, with the contents of which 
he has made himself familiar. While yet 
a young man he has taken high rank among 
the attorneys of Decatur and the position 
which he has gained through meritorious 
endeavor is an enviable one. 



D. E. DENISE. 

D. E. Dcnise, one of the representative 
young farmers of Illini township, residing 
on section i, was born in Middletown, Ohio, 
on the i6th of August, 1871, and is a son 
of Garrett G. and Rebecca (Brown) Denise, 
who are now living on a farm east of Ma- 
roa in this county. The paternal grand- 
father was a native of Pennsylvania, where 
his ancestors located on coming to America 
at an early day. The mother of our sub- 
ject was born in Ohio and is of English 
lineage. During his early life Garrett G. 
Dcnise was engaged in the dry goods and 
clothing business at Middletown, Ohio, but 
since coming to Illinois in 1884 he has 
turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, 
purchasing a farm of eighty acres in Macon 
county, which he still owns and operates. 

The subject of this review was a lad of 
thirteen years when he accompanied his pa- 
rents on their removal to the Prairie state 
and Macon county has since been his home. 
He received a good practical education in 
the district schools and afterward entered 
Mann's Commercial College at Dayton, 
Ohio, where he pursued a commercial and 
banking course and was graduated in 1893. 
After leaving that institution he engaged in 
bookkeeping in Dayton for a time but in 
1894 returned home and has since devoted 
his energies mainly to farming, though he 
has other interests. He has taken general 
statistics of thunder storms in a territory 
covering Macon and DeWitt counties, mak- 




"HOMAS DA/IS 




MRS THOMAS DAVIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



281 



ing a scientific demonstration of the laws 
and nature of lightning, and he takes a deep 
interest in demonstrating the utility and 
efficacy of good roads rightly constructed 
for the preservation of life and property. 

On the 6th of October, 1896, Mr. Denise 
led to the marriage altar Miss Grace Corn- 
well, whose parents are William and Mar- 
tha (Nichols) Cornwell, the former of Eng- 
lish and German descent and the latter of 
Irish origin. Mrs. Denise acquired her early 
education in the country schools of Macon 
county and later attended the Normal 
School at Decatur. Prior to her marriage 
she successfully engaged in teaching school 
in this county for two years. Unto our 
subject and his wite have been born four 
children, namely : Chester Leone, who was 
born July 8, 1897, and died July i, 1899; 
Harold Edward, born July 11, 1899; Gar- 
rett William, born Way 13, 1901 ; and Rob- 
ert Arnold, born March 4, 1903. The family 
have a nice home where hospitality reigns 
supreme and i\Ir. Denise is regarded as one 
of the leading young men of his locality. He 
is a member of the Presbyterian church of 
]\raroa and is an ardent Republican in his 
political views. He has efficiently served 
as school trustee and takes an active inter- 
est in any measure for the public good. 



THOMAS DAVIS. 
Fifty-six years have passed since tliis 
gentleman arrived in INIacon count)" and 
he is justly numbered among her lion- 
ored pioneers and representative citizens. 
Throughout the years of his active business 
life he was prominently identified with her 
agricultural interests, but is now living n 
retired life on section 27, South Macon 
township. His is an honorable record of 
a self-made man, who has not only won a 
handsome competence through his own well 
directed efforts but has also gained the con- 



fidence of those with whom he has come in 
contact by his upright life. 

Mr. Davis was born on the 12th of Sep- 
tember, 1819, in an old log cabin in Wash- 
ington county, Pennsylvania, which was de- 
stroyed by fire when he was nine years of 
age. His parents, George and Hester 
(Wheelman) Davis, were natives of the 
same county, the former born in 1774 and 
the latter in 1778. The father was a brick- 
maker by trade and in connection with that 
occupation he also operated a farm in 
Washington county. He died when our 
subject was only nine years old but his 
wife survived him for some years, passing 
away at Belleville, Pennsylvania, at the age 
of sixty-five. They had a family of seven 
children, but only our subject and his sister 
Mary Jane are now living, the latter being 
the widow of John Craft and a resident of 
Millsboro, Pennsylvania. 

Among the earliest recollections of our 
subject is that of the old log house in which 
he was bon\ with its puncheon floor and 
large fireplace around which the family 
would gather in the evening when the day's 
work was done. The school which he at- 
tended was also built of logs, with greased 
paper windows, slab seats and other prim- 
itive furniture. It stood on Coon Island 
and was known as the Coon Island school 
in those days. After the death of his father 
Mr. Davis commenced learning the cooper's 
trade with Joshua Stoolfire, with whom he 
remained until he attained his majority, and 
then went to Licking county, Ohio, where 
he commenced work for his employer's 
brother, Jacob Stoolfire, a farmer and ex- 
tensive sheep raiser. During the five months 
in his employ he saved some money, which 
he invested in sheep and put them out to 
feed on shares. He next rented a farm near 
Zanesville, Ohio, for one year and engaged 
in sheep raising. 

Selling his property in the Buckeye state, 
Mr. Davis came to Illinois on the 30th of 



282 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



December, 1847, '"iJ ''^ partnership willi 
Philo Buckingham bought a flock of sheep 
at Todd's Point, where they spent the win- 
ter, and then rented what was known as the 
Hale farm in South Macon township, this 
county, consisting of fourteen hundred 
acres. Here they commenced sheep raising 
in earnest and in a short time had between 
six and eight hundred sheep. This business 
they successfully carried on together for 
twelve years, under the firm name of Davis 
& Buckingham, becoming the largest buy- 
ers and shippers in their line in this part of 
the country, and when Mr. Buckingham 
died at the end of that time he was suc- 
ceeded by his father, who passed away a 
few years later and was in turn succeeded 
by his youngest son, James Buckingham. 
Subsequently Mr. Davis purchased the lat- 
ter's interest in the business, which he car- 
ried on alone and under his own name until 
his retirement. There was a time when he 
did not know how much he was worth or 
what amount of land the firm possessed, as 
they had taken up property in various parts 
of the country on land warrants and had 
sheep and cattle on every farm. In April, 
i860, he removed from the Hale farm to 
his present place of residence in South Ma- 
con township, where he owned a whole sec- 
tion of land, besides several other farms, but 
he has since disposed of most of his prop- 
erty, keeping only one hundred and sixty 
acres in the home place, eighty acres in 
Nebraska and some city property in De- 
catur. Besides this, however, he holds 
mortgages on a large amount of property 
tliroughout the country. About twelve 
years ago he sold out the sheep business, 
but continued to engage in general farm- 
ing, stock-raising and the buying and sell- 
ing of horses and mules for some time, 
gradually disposing of his business and 
landed interests, and for the past two years 
he has practically lived retired on his farm. 
Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss 



Elizabeth Rogers, also a native of Wash- 
ington county, Pennsylvania, who died 
about fourteen months later, and the only 
child born of that union died in infancy. 
Mr. Davis subsequently married his first 
wife's sister, Miss Margaret Rogers, who 
was born June 3, 1824, and by whom he had 
two children, but the)-, too, died in infancy. 
Mrs. Davis is the youngest in a family of 
ten children and the only survivor. Her 
parents were Francis and Elizabeth (Hupp) 
Rogers, the former a native of Ireland and 
the latter of Washington county, Pennsyl- 
vania. The family lived in that county 
prior to the Revolutionary war and it was 
sometimes ^necessary for them, together 
with the other early settlers, to seek pro- 
tection from the Indians in block houses 
that had been erected for that purpose. Mr. 
and Mrs. Rogers both died and were buried 
on the old home farm in the Keystone state. 
When Mr. Davis came to this county he 
found the homes of the early settlers widely 
scattered, most of them being from eight 
to ten miles apart, and much of this region 
was then under water and seemed unfit for 
cultivation, but as the years have passed it 
has been transformed into fine farms which 
are the homes of a happy and prosperous 
people. In the work of improvement he has 
ever borne his part and has aided in the 
building of schoolhouses and supported the 
first school law introduced in the state, 
though he had no children to receive any 
benefit therefrom. For many years he ef- 
ficiently served as school director and also 
filled the office of road commissioner. Po- 
litically he is now a Populist. He is one of 
the distinguished and honored residents of 
Macon county and his history contains 
many elements well worthy of emulation. 
He has passed the eighty-fourth milestone 
on life's journey and now receives the ven- 
eration and respect which should ever be 
accorded those who have advanced thus far. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



283 



ROBERT F. KINCAID. 

History is no longer an account of battles 
fought or won, or peoples conquered and of 
lands destroyed by large armies, but has be- 
come the record of the work of an enlight- 
ened people who put forth their best ener- 
gies to utilize the natural resources of a 
country and to promote business activity 
so that the general welfare will be advanced 
as well as individual prosperity. Robert F. 
Kincaid was one well known in the business 
circles of Decatur and his activity and en- 
ergy was so directed along honorable lines 
that he gained the good will and confidence 
of his fellow men. He was known as one 
of the pioneer settlers of Decatur ior he 
located here in 1850, finding a village, which 
bore little resemblance to the present splen- 
did city of to-day. He became connected 
with its business interests and spent his 
remaining days here. 

Mr. Kincaid was a native of Kentucky, 
born on the 26th of July, 1847, his parents 
being Asa and Margaret (House) Kincaid, 
who were likewise natives of the Blue Grass 
state. They removed to Macon county, 
Illinois, about 1850 and settled upon a farm 
in Decatur township, where they resided 
throughout their remaining days, the father 
being engaged in general farming. He was 
among the early settlers of this locality who 
shared in the work which was necessary in 
laying the foundation for the present devel- 
opment of the county. Hardships and trials 
were endured but as the years passed the 
comforts and accessories known to the older 
portions of the country were introduced 
here. Both the parents spent their remain- 
ing days in the old homestead in Decatur 
township and there they reared their family 
of eight children, but only four of the num- 
ber are now living, namely: Oliver W., 
who is a retired farmer residing at 865 East 
Williams street, Decatur; Charles, who is 
employed in a furniture house in Chicago ; 
David, who is farming near Decatur; and 



Nellie, the wife of William Stearns, a farmer 
living near Lincoln, Nebraska. 

Robert F. Kincaid was but an infant 
when his parents came to Macon county and 
on the old homestead farm he was reared. 
His mind bore the impress of many of the 
historic annals of the county and he could 
relate many interesting incidents of the 
early days. He attended the district schools 
through the winter months and in the sum- 
mer aided in the work of plowing, planting 
and harvesting until on leaving home he 
came to the city and opened a meat market. 
For many years he conducted this business, 
enjoying a large trade. He always made 
it a point to carry a good line of meat and 
in his dealings he was not only straightfor- 
ward and honorable, but was also obliging 
and very courteous in his treatment of his 
fellow men. After long years connection 
with that trade he sold his market and be- 
gan taking contracts for street work, which 
business occupied his time and attention 
until his demise. 

In was in Decatur on the 26th of June, 
1876, that Mr. Kincaid was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Libbie Robinson, a native of 
Ashland county, Ohio, born on the ist of 
October, 1855, a daughter of Charles H. and 
Margaret (Bowman) Robinson, both of 
whom were natives of Ohio, whence they 
came to Macon county at a very early day. 
The father was a farmer by occupation and 
after following that pursuit for many years 
in this locality he lived a retired life in 
Maroa until called to his final rest. Both 
he and his wife died in that village. Unto 
Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid were born six chil- 
dren : Bertha, now deceased ; Robert, who 
died at the age of eighteen years ; Hattie 
and Walter, both at home ; one that died in 
infancy unnamed ; and Charles Wilbur, who 
died in childhood. Mr. Kincaid passed 
away on the ist of May, 1906. 

His business career was crowned with 
success for gradually he added to his pos- 



284 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



sessions, his iiiifaltcrinj,'' application and his 
unremitting diligence bringing to him the 
financial reward which always comes as the 
logical result of such efforts. He was never 
an office seeker, but he gave a stalwart sup- 
port to the Democracy. He held member- 
ship in the Masonic lodge of Decatur and 
his life e.xemplified the spirit of fraternity, 
which is based u])on mutual helpfulness and 
brotherly kindness. His widow and chil- 
dren now lia\o a nice home at No. 907 East 
Eldorado street and in addition J\Irs. Kin- 
caid owns a large business block near her 
residence, which she rents, the income sup- 
plying her with many of the comforts of 
life. The world passed favorable judgment 
upon Robert !■'. Kincaid in the early years 
of his manhood and never saw occasion to 
set aside or modify this judgment, because 
in all life's relations he was a true man, 
having due regard ft^r upright princi])les 
and for his obligations of citizenship. He 
cared more for his reputation than for wel- 
fare, more for the regard of his fellow men 
than for distinguished social position and to 
his family, because of his upright life, he 
left the priceless heritage of an untarnished 
name. As long as those who knew him re- 
main he will be held in grateful remem- 
brance by the citizens of Decatur as well as 
by his immediate family. 



C. R. BAUER. 
A work devoted to the past as well as the 
present of Macon county should not fail to 
make reference to C. R. Bauer, who was a 
highly respected farmer of the county and 
one whose life record would bear the closest 
investigation and scrutiny for at all times 
it was guided by honorable and manly prin- 
ciples. Pennsylvania was the state of his 
nativity, his birth having occurred there, in 
Northampton county, near Nazareth, No- 
vember 26, 1S47. Plis parents were William 



and Lydia (Miller) liauer, alscj natives of 
the Keystone state and of German descent. 
The father was a farmer and weaver and 
owned a tract of land in Northampton coun- 
ty, which he continued to cultivate until his 
death, which occurred when he was fifty- 
four )-ears of age. His wife died of apoplexy 
many years ago. In their family were eight 
children, of whom C. R. Bauer was the fifth. 
These are Marietta A.; James, who lives on 
the homestead farm ; Aaron, of South Beth- 
leham, Pennsylvania; Lucy, who lives in 
Nazareth: C. R., of this review; Polly, who 
died in infancy; Josiah T., who owns and 
conducts a drug store in Stonington, Illi- 
nois ; and Andrew, who died in Rising City, 
Nebraska. 

In the district schools of his native state 
C. R. Bauer pursued his education but his 
privileges in that direction were very lim- 
ited as he was early thrown upon his own 
resources and had to earn his living by 
working upon a farm in Ohio. He also 
spent one year as an employe in a shoeshop 
in Tiffin, Ohio. About 1868 he came to Illi- 
nois and began working on a farm in Chris- 
tian county, while in the winter months he 
again followed the shoemaker's trade. He 
was thus employed until 1876, when he re- 
turned to his native state and visited the 
Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. 
After his return he purchased forty acres of 
land in Stonington township and when he 
had cultivated it for a time he sold that 
and purchased two hundred and forty acres 
in Mosquito township, Christian county, 
which remained in his possession until his 
demise and which is now rented, the family 
enjoying a good income therefrom. In his 
farm work he was very active and energetic 
and his labors resulted in the production of 
good crops which found a ready sale on the 
market. 

On the nth of February, 1877, Mr. Bauer 
sought a companion and helpmate on life's 
journev and was married to Miss .Mice K. 




<f 




J-i 




PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



287 



\\'all, a daughter of Paul and Kitty N. (Sei- 
berling) Wall, the former a native of Ohio 
and the latter of Pennsylvania. Her ma- 
ternal grandparents removed to Ohio at an 
early day in its development, settling near 
Akron, in Summit county. Mrs. Wall was 
the eldest of a family of fifteen children. 
The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Bauer 
lived in Medina county, Ohio, where Mrs. 
IJaucr was born. Her father was a farmer 
by occupation. He was seventy-three years 
of age on the 6th of August, 1903. By his 
first marriage he had but one child, Mrs. 
Bauer, and by his second wife he had one 
son, H. L. Wall, who resides in Muncie, In- 
diana, and has two children, both deceased. 
The mother of Mrs. Bauer died September 
4, 1854; and was buried in the W'altz ceme- 
tery in Wayne count)', Ohio. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Bauer were born five children : Wal- 
ter W., who was born June 6, 1878, and 
died January 4, 1885 ; Lena G., who was 
born October 28, 1881, and died January 15, 
1885: Frederick C, who was born May 7, 
1886, and is now attending Millikin Uni- 
versity at Decatur ; Frank S., who was born 
November 27, 1888, and having finished 
eight years of common school work, is now 
a student in Millikin University; and Harry 
U.. who was born June 14, 1892, and is with 
his mother. The family home is a fine resi- 
dence in Blue Mound situated in the midst 
of nine acres of valuable land, the entire 
place being worth forty-five hundred dol- 
lars. 

Mr. Bauer gave his political allegiance to 
the Republican party and served as a school 
director but was never active in politics as 
an office seeker. While in Pennsylvania he 
belonged to the Lutheran church but after 
coming to the west united with no church 
organization. In his business afifairs he 
prospered and deserved much credit for 
what he accomplished for at an early age he 
was forced to earn his own living and what- 
ever he possessed was acquired entirely 



through his own eliforts. Industry and per- 
severance enabled him to overcome the diffi- 
culties and obstacles in his path and work 
his way steadily upward to the ])lane of af- 
fluence. His death occurred June 15, 1896, 
and his remains were interred in Hall ceme- 
tery northwest of Blue Mound. With his 
family he was a devoted husband and father 
and in matters of citizenship and of friend- 
ship he was ever reliable and trustworthy. 



FRANK W. HAINES. 

It would perhaps be difficult to find a resi- 
dent of Decatur more widely known than 
was Frank W. Haines, for during many 
vears he was connected with the theatrical 
business of the city and in that way became 
widely known to professional people as well 
as to his fellow townsmen. He was a man 
whose sterling traits of character gained for 
him the warm friendship of those with 
whom he was associated, and the favorable 
judgment which the world passed upon 
him during the early years of his residence 
in this city was never set aside or in any 
degree modified but in fact was heightened 
as time passed. 

Mr. Haines was born in St. Louis in the 
year 1851, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. 
Richard Haines, who were Virginia people, 
having removed from the Old Dominion 
to the Mississippi valley. Soon after the 
birth of their son Frank, however, they took 
up their abode in Trenton, Tennessee, 
and afterward returned to their old home 
in Charleston, Virginia, where the death 
of the father occurred in the year 1859. It 
was not long after this that the mother 
came to Decatur to make her home with 
her brother, Charles Milton, and in this 
city she died in i860. 

Frank W. Haines came to Decatur with 
his mother and his boyhood and youth were 
largelv passed in Macon county. His edu- 



288 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COtJNTY. 



cational privileges were somewhat meager. 
He attended school to a limited extent, 
but being left an orphan he found it neces- 
sary to provide for his own support and 
worked in various shops and factories of 
Decatur. At different times he was em- 
ployed in tlie Ward & Haskell Woolen Mills 
in the plant now owned by the firm of Cham- 
bers, Bering & Quinlan, and in the Decatur 
Union Iron Works. At length, however, he 
inherited from Virginia relatives some 
money that enabled him to carry out his 
cherished desire of obtaining a more ad- 
vanced and complete education and he en- 
tered the Sangamon street school, which 
was then under the direction of Professor 
David E. Bigelow. 

Throughout the greater part of his busi- 
ness career he was connected with the man- 
agement of the theatrical interests of De- 
catur, in fact, his work in this direction cov- 
ered twenty-seven years. He did not leap 
with a single bound, however, from his 
entrance into this business to a managerial 
position, but steadily worked his way up- 
ward. He was first employed as a bill- 
poster and advertising agent at a time when 
the opera house interests of Decatur were 
represented by the old Macon Hall situ- 
ated on Merchant street, where the Salva- 
tion Army barracks are now located. The 
place seated between four and • five hun- 
dred people and was the only place in De- 
catur adapted to theatrical productions, hav- 
ing a stage and scenery, but was very prim,- 
itive in comparison to the beautiful theaters 
of the present time. Mr. Haines, however, 
became acquainted with notable personages 
who played in Macon Hall, including Ed- 
win Forrest and McKean Buchanan. In his 
business connection with the theater inter- 
ests he displayed marked capability in the 
way of making theatrical attractions known 
to the public through the medium of adver- 
tising and of bill-posting. When the ac- 
commodations of Macon Hall became too 



small for this city and the building was re- 
placed by Smith's Opera House with Hiram 
Brown as its first manager, Mr. Haines was 
])romoted from the position of bill-poster 
to assistant manager. The house was 
opened in the fall of 1869 and during its 
existence many stars of considerable mag- 
nitude in ihe theatrical profession stood be- 
fore its footlights. In 1873 Mr. Haines was 
promoted to the position of manager and 
while acting in that capacity he brought to 
the city such well known professional people 
as Lillian Russell, John McCullough, Law- 
rence Barrett, Lotta, Emma Abbott and 
Mrs. Langtry. Henry Ward Beecher also 
lectured in this opera house through the 
instrumentality of Mr. Haines. Again be- 
cause of the growth of the city Smith's 
Opera House was found inadequate to meet 
the public demand and in 1888 the subject 
of erecting a musical auditorium was agi- 
tated, but Mr. Haines was ambitious to 
have a new theater and submitted his ideas 
to Charles Powers, who succeeded in en- 
ticing his father, Orlando Powers, to build 
a new theater. The plan was carried out 
and the Powers' Grand Opera House was 
erected, being opened on the 9th of Septem- 
ber, 1889, by the celebrated comedian W. 
H. Crane in his play "On Probation." At 
one time Mr. Haines secured an engage- 
ment with Edwin Booth and Helen Mod- 
jeska. who presented Hamlet. This is un- 
doubtedly the most notable attraction that 
has ever ajipcared in Decatur and the box 
office receipts for a single night were more 
than twenty-five hundred dollars, the largest 
sum ever received in any theater in the state 
outside of Chicago. On the 4th of Novem- 
ber, 1895, the Powers' Opera House was 
destroyed by fire and Mr. Plaines then de- 
cided to carry out his plans of retiring 
from active business life. He had so man- 
aged his affairs in the meantime that he 
had acquired a comfortable competence that 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



289 



might enable him to put aside the more 
arduous cares of business life. 

Mr. Haines was one of the best known 
theater managers in the entire west and was 
held in the highest esteem by the profession 
and by his comtemporaries in this line of 
work. He gave to the citizens of Decatur 
the best class of entertainments and always 
pointed with pride to the fact that during 
his management the Powers' Opera House 
never presented to the people a per- 
formance which was not clean and whole- 
some and which a lady could not attend 
with propriety. He possessed excellent 
business ability added to his powers of man- 
agement and his work in behalf of the opera 
bouse resulted to the benefit of its owners 
as well as to himself. 

Mr. Haines was for many years a mem- 
ber of what is now known as the Goodman 
Fourth Regiment Military and Concert 
Band, an organization whose reputation ex- 
tends over many states. When Professor 
Goodman died Mr. tlaines accepted the 
leadership of the band and was its musical 
director until his theatrical 'business as- 
sumed such proportions that it took ail his 
time. He resigned and Professor Foster 
was appointed and later Professor Robert 
Walters, who is to-day its director. 

On the 8th of September, 1873, Mr. 
Haines was united in marriage to Miss 
Mollie Jennings, a daughter of Isaac D. 
Jennings, the wedding being celebrated in 
this city. They became the parents of two 
children: Edwin J.; and Ada, the wife of 
Fred Stoner. The home life of Mr. Haines 
was very pleasant and his greatest interests 
centered in his family and he put forth 
every effort in his power to promote the 
happiness and welfare of his wife and chil- 
dren and counted no personal sacrifice on 
his part too great if it would prove of bene- 
fit to those whom he loved. In his political 
views Mr. Haines was a Republican and at 
one time was nominated for collector, but 



could not overcome the usual strong Demo- 
cratic majority. He, however, lived in quiet 
retirement after he gave up his position as 
theatrical manager. He greatly enjoyed the 
companionship of his friends who were 
many throughout Decatur and who enter- 
tained for him the warmest regard. For 
some time prior to his demise he was in ill 
health and at length went to Wauwatosa, 
Wisconsin, in the hope that he might be 
benefited there, but on the 20th of Septem- 
ber, 1900, he departed this life. All who 
knew him remember him as a man of genial 
disposition, kindly spirit and of genuine 
worth, one who was honest and upright 
and who well merited the confidence and 
regard so freely accorded him. 

Mrs. Haines and her children still reside 
in Decatur. The son, Edwin J. Haines, was 
born August 24, 1875, and attended the pub- 
lic school here, pursuing the high school 
course. Between the years 1895 and 1902 
he occupied a position in the collection de- 
partment of the Millikin's National Bank 
and in the latter year he turned his atten- 
tion to the insurance business, representing 
fire, life, health and accident insurance com- 
panies, also doing a liability and bonding 
business in Decatur. He is one of the rep- 
resentative young business men of the city, 
widely known and popular. 



DANIEL WEBSTER TRIMMER. 
Daniel Webster Trimmer, a well known 
farmer of Hickory Point township resid- 
ing on section 27, was born March 29, 1849, 
in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and is a, 
worthy representative of an old and highly 
esteemed family of Macon county, his pa- 
rents being Joseph and Catherine (Fetrow) 
Trimmer. The father was also born in 
Perry county, Pennsylvania, August 26, 
1814, and was reared to farm life. In 1838 
he married Catherine Fetrow, a native of 



200 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the same county, born July 18, 1821, and a 
daughter of Abraham and Mary (Oren) 
Eetrow, of York count)', Pennsylvania. 

^" 1853 Joseph Trimmer came to Illinois, 
in company with liis wife and seven chil- 
dren, the journey being made across the 
country through Ohio and Indiana in a 
prairie schooner. They reached Macon 
county in June of that year and spent the 
first winter in an old log cabin, which was 
built by John Hanks with the assistance of 
Abraham Lincoln. Later Mr. Trimmer 
bought one hundred and sixty acres of land 
on the mound in I lickory Point township, 
eighty acres of which had already been 
placed under cultivation, and to the further 
development and cultivation of his place he 
devoted his energies throughout the re- 
mainder of his life. He died on the 20th of 
July, 1886, and was laid to rest in Boiling 
Springs cemetery. He was an earnest and 
consistent member of the church of Ciod and 
was a Republican in politics. After his 
death the sons, Joseph, Jr., and Daniel W., 
took charge of the place and later our sub- 
ject and Abraham bought it, each takmg 
eighty acres. The latter now resides at the 
old family homestead. A year after her 
husband's death Mrs. Trimmer, with her 
youngest son, George W., removed to De- 
catur and built a pleasant residence at No. 
943 North Water street, where she is now 
living at the age of eighty-two years. 
Grandma Trimmer, by which name she is 
familiarly known to her many friends, can 
relate many interesting incidents of pioneer 
days when this ])art of the country was 
mostly wild and nnimpro\-ed and deer, 
geese, ducks and other wild game was plen- 
tiful. She and her family were forced to 
endure many hardships and privations and 
there was much sickness among the early 
settlers. Decatur was a mere village on 
her arrival in this county and many of the 
thriving towns of this region had not yet 
sprung into existence. Before leaving Penn- 



sylvania she used to spin and weave most 
of the cloth used for clothing for the fam- 
ily. In those days she used to mold all the 
candles for lighting her little home and 
cooked her meals over an old fashioned fire- 
place, doing her baking usually in a Dutch 
oven. Her first cook stove was of primi- 
tive construction and had but three legs. 
She tised to ride to church on horseback 
with one child on her laj) and another on 
the horse behind her. Since the age of 
fourteen years she has been a faithful mem- 
ber of the church of God and has led a con- 
sistent Christian life which has won for her 
the love and respect of all who know her. 

Mrs. Trimmer is the mother of nine chil- 
dren, namely: Andrew J., a resident of 
Hickory Point township ; William, who died 
from illness while serving in the Union 
army during the Civil war ; Abraham, who 
lives on the old homestead : Joseph P., a 
resident of Hickory Point township; Mary 
E., widow of Isaiah Henry and a resident 
of Iowa; Daniel W., of this sketch; Henry 
M., who makes his home in Decatur; John 
P., who is now li\ing in Louisiana : and 
George W., who resides with his mother in 
Decatur. Mrs. Trimmer has thirty-eight 
grandchildren and twenty great-grandchil- 
dren. 

The subject of this sketch was only four 
years old when he accomiJanicd his parents 
on their removal to Macon county and in 
the district schools of Hickory Point town- 
.'ihip he obtained the greater part of his 
education, though for one year he was a 
.student in the ])ublic schools of Decatur. 
Leaving home at the age of twenty-one he 
worked as a farm hand by the month for 
four years, and then went to Iowa, where 
he engaged in farming on rented land for 
one year, .\fter his marriage in 1875 he 
located on a farm one mile northeast of his 
present place in Hickory Point township, 
this county, and operated his father's land 
for eight years. In 1883 he purchased one 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



291 



hundred and sixty acres of land in Green- 
wood county, Kansas, where he was en- 
gaged in farming for five years, and at the 
end of that time he sold out and returned 
to Macon county, renting a farm south of 
Forsyth for seven years. In the spring of 
1896 he removed to a place near Niantic, 
and lived there until 1901. The following 
year was spent near La Place in Piatt coun- 
ty, and in 1902 he returned to the old home 
farm, which he and his brother Abraham 
purchased of the other heirs. They divided 
the property and our subject now owns 
the north half of the southeast quarter of 
section 27, Hickory Point township, where 
he now lives. He has erected all of the 
buildings upon his portion of the farm and 
has made other improvements which stand 
as monuments to his thrift and industry. 

On the 6th of April, 1876, Mr. Trimmer 
was united in marriage to Miss Maggie 
Good, who was born in York county, Penn- 
sylvania, April 20, 1851, and is the fifteenth 
in order of birth in a family of nineteen 
children, fourteen of whom reached man 
and womanhood. Her parents, Peter and 
Catharine (Zorger) Good, spent their en- 
tire lives in York county, the former dying 
at the age of eighty-three years, the latter 
at the age of seventy-six. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Trimmer have been born thirteen chil- 
dren, of whom three, Etta, Pearl and Esther, 
died in infancy. Those still living are Roy, 
a resident of Hickory Point township, who 
married Cora Woodcock and had one child, 
Ada May, who died at the age of eighteen 
months ; Clarence, at home ; x\da F., wife of 
John B. Herr, of York, Pennsylvania ; Eva, 
who is the wife of C. Webb, of Macon 
county, and has two children, Edwin and 
Nora; and Harry, Elma, Frank, Katie, Otto 
and Amelia, all at home. 

Mr. Trimmer and his family are members 
of the church of God and he also belongs to 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
the Modern Woodmen of America at For- 



syth. He votes with the Republican party 
and has filled the office of school director 
in his district. Wherever known he is held 
in high regard and he has a host of warm 
friends in the county where he has so long 
made his home. 



ANDREW J. TRIMMER. 

This well known and highly esteemed citi- 
zen of Hickory Point township, who is en- 
gaged in farming on section 32, was born 
on the 26th of September, 1839, in Perry 
county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Joseph 
and Catharine (Fetrow) Trimmer. His 
father is deceased, but his mother is still 
living and now makes her home in Decatur, 
Illinois. It w^as in 1853 that the family 
came to this county and here our subject 
completed his education, having previously 
attended school in Pennsylvania. During 
early life he worked one summer on a farm 
in Piatt county, Illinois, and after his mar- 
riage located on his present place, where 
he has one hundred and twenty acres under 
a high state of cultivation. He has fol- 
lowed general farming and stock-raising 
quite successfully since reaching man's es- 
tate. His labors, however, were interrupted 
during the Civil war as he enlisted in Com- 
pany E, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Illi- 
nois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain 
\\'est and Colonel Lockey, and was in the 
service for six months. 

On the 6th of March, 1862, Mr. Trimmer 
was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth 
Rife, who was born in the house which is 
still her home, August 30, 1842. Her pa- 
rents were Joseph and Elizabeth (Garver) 
Rife, natives of Pennsylvania, who came 
to Macotl county, Illinois, in 1840 and set- 
tled in Hickory Point township. Her father 
died in July, 1886, and she is now the only 
survivor in his family of three children. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Trimmer have been 



292 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



burn ten children, as follows: Mrs. Mary 
C. Flickinger, of Decatur, who has four 
children; Grant, at home; Airs. Libbie Wel- 
ty, of the state of Washington, who has five 
children; William, at home; Mrs. Ida 
Kiser, of Decatur, .who has two children ; 
Charlie, who married Cora Crossen and has 
three children ; Mrs. Luie Westhafer, of 
the state of Washington, who has two chil- 
dren ; Grace, at home; Mrs. Stella I3anzei- 
sen ; and Irvie, at home. 

Politically Mr. Trimmer is identified with 
the Republican party and fraternally is a 
member of Durham Post, No. 141, G. A. R. 
During the fifty years of his residence in 
this county he has seen the greater part of 
its development and he is widely known as 
a good reliable citizen, one devoted to the 
public welfare. 



ABRAHAM TRIMMER. 

Among the enterprising farmers of Hick- 
ory Point township probably none is better 
known than .Vbraham Trimmer, whose 
home is on section 2"/. He was a lad of ten 
years when he came to this county and here 
he has made his home the greater part of 
the time since. Since old enough to work 
he has given his attention to agricultural 
])ursuits and in his chosen occupation he 
has prospered, becoming a well-to-do citi- 
zen of the community where he resides. 

Mr. Trimmer was born in I'crry county, 
Pennsylvania, on the 31st of January, 1843, 
a son of Joseph and Catharine (Fetrow) 
Trimmer, of whom e.xtended mention is 
made in the sketch of Daniel W. Trimmer 
on another page of this volume. He began 
his education in the county of his nativity 
and after coming to Macon county, Illi- 
nois, he attended school to some extent. He 
remained on the home farm with his parents 
until he attained his majority and then 
worked out one summer, after which he 
engaged in farming for himself upon rent- 



ed laiul in Hickory Point township for two 
years. 

On the 28th of February, 1867, Mr. Trim- 
mer was united in marriage to .Miss Pris- 
cilla Cross, who died in the winter of 1878, 
leaving three children, namely: William 
l--dward, j. I'Vanklin and Lou Mav, now 
the wife of li. Prady, of the state of Wash- 
ington. Mr. Trimmer was again married 
January 17, 1882, his second union being 
with Emma P>inns, a native of Morgan 
county, Illinois. Four children blessed this 
marriage but two are now deceased, those 
living being Leroy and Ethel. 

After his first marriage Mr. Trimmer lo- 
cated north of Boiling Springs in Hickory 
Point township, where he rented a farm 
for two years, and then rented another 
place west of Forsyth for the same length 
of time, (joing to Iowa in 1872, he pur- 
chased land and engaged in farming there 
for fi\-e years, but at the end of that time 
he sold out and returned to Macon county, 
purchasing the Jacob Cross farm in Harris- 
town townsiiip, where his first wife died. 
After his second marriage he rented that 
])lace and removed to his father's farm in 
Hickory Point townshi]), where he lived for 
three years. The following three years were 
spent in Maroa and at the end of that time 
he purchased fifteen acres of land just west 
of Decatur, where he resided for three 
years. On disposing of that place he re- 
moved to Piatl county. Illinois, where he 
bought a farm and o])erated it for four years.- 
His next purchase consisted of a tract north 
of Decatur, where he resided for one year 
and then sold, buying a small farm south- 
west of the cit\-. When he sold the latter 
property he purchased a part of his father's 
farm nn section 27, Hickory Point town- 
shi]), where he has since lived. He has made 
a lumiber of valuable and useful improve- 
ments upon the place, including the erec- 
tion of a new l)arn in 1903. This farm has 
been in ])ossession of the family since 1862, 



I 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



293 



when our subject's father purchased a quar- 
ter section of land on section 27, Hickory 
I'oint township, which has since been 
equally divided between Abraham and his 
brother Daniel \\'. 

Politically our subject is identified with 
the Republican party. During the fifty years 
that ha\e come and gone since he first came 
to iMacon county he has seen wonderful 
changes made in this section of the state 
and he can relate many interesting incidents 
of pioneer life. The first home of the fam- 
ily in this region was an old log cabin very 
poorly constructed. At one time while his 
mother was ill in bed a black snake dropped 
down through the boards of the loft right 
over her head. William Trimmer, the 
second son, used to assist his mother in the 
household duties before the only daughter 
was old enough to aid her and he became 
quite proficient in spinning and weaving. 
The other sons worked with their father 
in the fields, and when in the employ of 
others they would bring their wages home 
to assist in the support of the family, as 
thev were in limited circumstances on com- 
ing to this state. As time passed, however, 
they prospered and became quite well-to- 
do. Wherever known the members of this 
family are held in high regard and they 
have many friends throughout their adopted 
county. 



JOSEPH F. TRIMMER. 

Joseph F. Trimmer, who resides on sec- 
tion 25, Hickory Point township, is a worthy 
representative of the farming and stock- 
raising interests of Macon county. The 
neat and thrifty appearance of his farm 
])lainly indicates the supervision of a care- 
ful and painstaking owner who thoroughly 
understands the vocation he follows and a 
business man of more than ordinary ability 
and executive force. 

IMr. Trimmer was born in Perry county, 



Pennsylvania, March 2, 1845, 1-"-'^ in June, 
1853, came to Macon county, Illinois, with 
his parents, Joseph and Catharine (Fet- 
row ) Trimmer, making the journey in a cov- 
ered wagon. His early life was passed amid 
pioneer surroundings and his education was 
begun in an old log school house. Later 
he attended the district school which was 
established near his boyhood home and 
when not in school aided in the work of 
the farm, thus gaining a good practical 
knowdedge of the occupation which he has 
made his life work. At the age of seventeen 
years he donned the blue uniform of the 
northern army and was in the service for 
one year, under the command of Captain 
William W. Mattox and Colonel Stephen- 
son, the founder of the Grand Army of the 
Republic. He participated in the engage- 
ment at Nashville, Tennessee, and at the 
close of the war was honorably discharged 
in August, 1865. 

After his return home, Mr. Trimmer 
worked for his father one year, and then 
went to Monticello, Illinois, where the fol- 
lowing year was passed, after which he 
spent two years at home. In 1871 he went 
to Madison county, Iowa, where he pur- 
chased land and engaged in general farm- 
ing for some time. While residing there 
Mr. Trimmer was married on the 4th of 
February, 1874, to Miss Diantha Henry, a 
native of Missouri and a daughter of Sam- 
uel and Catharine (Walter) Henry, both 
of whom are now deceased, the former hav- 
ing died at the age of eighty-four and the 
latter at the age of eighty. The children 
born to our subject and his wife are as fol- 
lows: Minnie, now the wife of Peter 
Keister, of Hickory Point township ; Will- 
iam, who died at the age of twenty-one; 
Roe, at home ; Clara, wdio is living with her 
aunt, Mary E. Henry; and Ora, Florence 
and Pearl, all at home. All were born in 
Iowa with the exception of the two young- 
est. 



294 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



In 1888 Mr. Trimmer returned to this 
county and purchased his present farm on 
section 25, Hickory Point township, con- 
sisting of one hundred and twenty acres 
of choice land, partly tiled and under culti- 
vation. Since locating here he has remod- 
eled all the buildings, erected a new barn 
and made many other improvements which 
add greatU^ to the value and attractive ap- 
pearance of the place. In connection with 
the general farming he is engaged in stock- 
raising to some extent, making a specialty 
of shorthorn cattle. 

At national elections Mr. Trimmer always 
supports the Republican party, but at local 
elections where no issue is involved he votes 
for the men whom he believes best qualified 
to fill the offices regardless of party tfes. He 
has served as school director and takes a 
deep interest in educational affairs. Fra- 
ternally he is a member of Durham Post, 
No. 141, G. A. R., and he stands high in 
the esteem of his fellow citizens. 



JOHN P. TRIMMER. 
John P. Trimmer, another son of Joseph 
and Catharine (Fetrow) Trimmer, was 
born on Christmas day, 1853, in this county 
in an old log house that stood south of 
foscph Rite's farm, his birth occurring the 
year of the arrival of the family in Macon 
county. ITc was reared and educated in 
much the usual manner of farmer boys of 
his day, and after reaching man's estate 
he engaged in farming here for many years, 
but in 1902 he and his family removed to 
Louisiana, where he is now operating a 
rice planlalioii and is also engaged in gen- 
eral farming. He married i\Iiss Clara 
Stephenson, by whom he had seven chil- 
dren, those still living being Ina, Joseph 
Ren, Orril, Harlcv, Katie and Jimmy. 



FRANK W. LEHN. 

Among the young men of enterprise and 
perseverance who are devoting their atten- 
tion to agricultural pursuits and are meet- 
ing with success in their chosen calling is 
Frank \V. Lehn, who owns and operates a 
good farm on section 12, Illini township. 
A native of Macon county, he was born in 
that township on the 17th of February, 
1879, and is the third in order of birth in 
a family of six sons, five of whom are still 
living, their parents being John P. and 
Tabitha (Jones) Lehn, both natives of Car- 
lisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. 
The father came to Illinois in 1856 and lo- 
cated in Illini township, Macon county, 
where he worked by the month for a time. 
He took the first forty dollars which he 
earned to Decatur but the banking con- 
cern there refused to accept so small a de- 
posit. Later he purchased one hundred and 
sixty acres of land on section 12, Illini town- 
.ship, from the Illinois Central Railroad 
Company, paying fifteen dollars per acre. 
As time passed he prospered in his farming 
operations and was able to add to his landed 
possessions until he owned five hundred and 
sixty acres of land in this county, now 
worth seventy-five thousaiul dollars. He 
made many excellent improvements upon 
the place, which is still owned and occupied 
by his widow, who is now fifty-six years of 
age. Mr. Lehn died January 14, 1899, hon- 
ored and respected by all who knew him. 

Frank ^^^ Lehn passed his boyhood and 
youth ui)on the home farm and early ac- 
quired an excellent knowledge of those 
duties which fall to the lot of the agricult- 
urist. He pur'^ucd his studies at Rolling 
school, which acquired its name by being 
moved so often, the building having been 
formerly used as a store and church. Later 
our subject attended Brown's Business Col- 
lege at Decatur for six month's during the 
school year of 1895-96, and for three months / 
in 1897. He commenced farming for him- 





t^^ 




PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



297 



self upon his mother's place, which he oper- 
ated for two years, and then removed to his 
present farm of eighty acres on section 12, 
lUini township. The improvements he has 
made upon the place have amounted to 
twenty-five hundred dollars, and he now has 
one of the most desirable farms of its size in 
the county. In politics Mr. Lehn is inde- 
pendent and he has never sought or cared 
for office. 

On the i8th of December, 1901, he mar- 
ried Miss Ada Moore, a daughter of Francis 
M. and Emma R. (Metlen) Moore, in whose 
family were eight children, four sons and 
four daughters, all living. Her parents 
make their home near Newton, Jasper 
county, Illinois. During his boyhood her 
grandfather, Alexander F. Metlen, walked 
from Pennsylvania to Illinois and in due 
time acquired a farm at Hickory Point, 
where he is still living at the age of seventy- 
two years. Mrs. Lehn is the oldest in her 
father's family and was educated in the 
Dingman and Stringtown schools near Ni- 
antic, Illinois. 



GEORGE B. SHORT. 
George B. Short, an old and honored 
resident of Maroa township and a veteran 
of the Mexican war, was born on the 12th of 
August, 1826, in St. Clair county, Illinois, 
his parents being William B. and Nancy 
(Hill) Short, who died and were buried 
south of Belleville, Illinois. During the 
boyhood of our subject this state was large- 
ly wild and unimproved and game of all 
kinds abounded, furnishing the pioneers 
with most of their meat. He has seen the 
prairies transformed into fine farms, while 
industrial and commercial interests have 
been introduced and thus towns have be- 
come thriving cities. In the work of prog- 
ress he has borne his part and has been 
particularly active as a representative of 
the agricultural community. 



Mr. Short received his early education in 
the district schools near Belleville, but his 
school privileges were limited and the 
knowledge there acquired has been greatly 
supplemented by reading, observation and 
experience in later years. In 1848 he com- 
menced farming upon a tract of two hun- 
dred and six acres in St. Clair county, Illi- 
nois, given him by- his father, turning the 
first furrow upon that land, which was a 
wild tract when it came into his possession. 
To the improvement and cultivation of that 
farm he devoted his energies until 1863. 
when he came to Macon county and pur- 
chased his present farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres in Maroa township. He has 
improved his place by the erection of good 
and substantial buildings and the planting 
of trees, and in connection with general 
farming he carries on stock-raising. 

On the 19th of December, 1848, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Mary Emeline 
Stookey, who died leaving one child, Bar- 
bara, now the wife of Peter Bowler, who is 
living at Jerseyville, Jersey county, Illinois. 
Mr. Short was again married September 30, 
1866, his second union being with Miss 
Sarah E. Thrift, by whom he has had six 
children, namely ; Isalina ; James Monroe ; 
Lottie; Elizabeth, who died in infancy; 
Henrietta ; and Golda. 

During the Mexican war Mr. Short put 
aside all personal interests and entered the 
United States army as a member of the 
Second Illinois Volunteers under Captain 
Lemon and Colonel Bissel. He was in the 
service five months and now receives a pen- 
sion of twelve dollars per month from the 
government. In religious faith he is a Bap- 
tist and in politics a Democrat. His life 
has been one of industry and usefulness and 
he has won the confidence and respect of 
all with whom he has been brought in con- 
tact. 



298 



PAST A\I) I'RESEXT OF MACON COUNTY. 



BENJAMIN l". Sir.LlA', M. D. 

There are few men who live longer in the 
remembrance and kindly regard of those 
with whom they have been associated than 
the physician. He holds a peculiarly close 
relation with his patrons because in time of 
illness all masks are cast aside and the true 
nature shines forth, it is certain that there 
has been no medical ])ractitioner of Macon 
county who has more justly been numbered 
among her honored and leading citizens 
than was Dr. Sibley. He practiced here for 
thirty years and not only maintained a 
foremost ])lace in the ranks of the medical 
fraternity because of his skill and rdiility, 
but also in the public regard because of his 
conscientious life, his career being such as 
to merit the confidence and good will of all 
with whom he came in contact. 

Dr. Siblej' was a native of .Ashford, Wind- 
ham county, Connecticut, born on the 8th 
oi April, 1827. His parents were Samuel 
and Hannah (Harvvood) Sibley, both of 
whom were of Scotch lineage. The father, 
however, was born in Massachusetts, while 
the mother's birth occurred in the Charter 
Oak state. Removing to Connecticut, Sam- 
uel Sibley carried on agricultural pursuits 
there for many years. His wife died when 
thirty-eight years of age, leaving a family 
of eight children, of whom six reached adult 
age. 

It is a noticeable fact that many of the 
men who have become most prominent in 
political, military, professional and com- 
mercial life have spent their boyhood days 
upon farms. They seem there to gain the 
strength of mind and body necessary to 
cope with the arduous duties of a career 
in cities. Dr. Sibley passed his boyhood 
days in the usual manner of farmer lads, 
working in the fields when not engaged in 
the duties of the schoolroom. He began his 
education in the district schools and when 
a youth of sixteen he entered the W'ilbraham 
Academy, where he spent two years, being 



graduated in that institution at the age 
of eighteen. He did not care to make the 
occupation to which he had been reared 
a life work, but instead sought a profes- 
sional field of labor and began preparation 
for the practice of medicine, becoming a 
student in Long Island, New York, with 
Dr. Louis Sibley, his brother, as his pre- 
ceptor. For three years he continued his 
reading there and then in order to further 
I)erfect his knowledge he entered the Berk- 
shire Medical College, in which he com- 
pleted the prescribed course at the age of 
twenty-three. 

Dr. ."^ibky was well e(|ui])])ed for the 
practice of his chosen profession and, more- 
over, he had not only a comprehensive 
knowledge of the science of medicine, but 
possessed also a broad humanitarian spirit 
and a deep human sympathy without which 
success in this line can never be achieved. 
Opening an office in New York, he there 
remained for five years, following which he 
established an office in Erie, Pennsylvania. 
On leaving the latter city in 1856 he came 
io Decatur. In the meantime, however, 
he had investigated the subject of Home- 
opathy and became convinced that its meth- 
ods were better calculated to check the 
ravages of disease and restore health than 
those in use by the .Allopathic schools. He 
was one of the first Homeopathic physicians 
in Illinois. He spent the winter of 1858-9 
in attending a course of lectures in the 
Homeojjathic Medical College of St. Louis, 
He found new patients in Macon county 
as the years jiasscd by and his skill in cop- 
ing with the intricate ])roblems that contin- 
ually face the physician was demonstrated. 
His was a ]xUicnlarly tender and sympa- 
thetic nature and also a cheery presence 
that made his visit like a ray of sunshine 
in the sickroom. He was always encourag- 
ing and ho])cful and these elements in his 
professional career were strong ones in 
his success. .\t the time of the Civil war he 






PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



299 



rendered important duty to his country as 
surg-eon of the Twenty-first Illinois In- 
fantry, which was General Cranl's first 
command. 

In Ithaca, New York, in 1850. Dr. Sibley 
led to the marriage altar Miss Fannie Cole, 
who was born in .Genoa, New York, on the 
nth of July, 1824, a daughter of Azor and 
Fannie ( Locke) Cole, who were likewise 
natives of the Empire state. The father 
engaged in merchandising in Genoa and 
both he and his wife died in New York. 
The Doctor and his wife became the parents 
of four children : Minnie Ella, who was the 
wife of Charles Simmons, of St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, and died December 11, 1889; Gene- 
vieve, who died in infancy ; A\'illiam S., who 
was born in i860, married Miss Anna Pur- 
sell, and is now employed in the Patterson 
shops of Peoria, Illinois; and Fannie E., 
who is the wife of William Slater. She 
is now employed as a clerk in the general 
store of Linn & Scruggs, of Decatur, and 
makes her home with her mother. 

After establishing his residence in this 
city Dr. Sibley enjoyed a large practice 
of an important character and one that 
brought to him good financial return. He 
voted with the Democracy in his later years, 
although in early life he was a stanch .Abo- 
litionist and, when the Republican party 
was formed to prevent the further exten- 
sion of slavery, he joined its ranks, casting 
his ballot for its presidential candidates 
from 1856 until 1872. In the latter year he 
s.upported Horace Greeley and afterward 
voted with the Democracy. He was for six 
years a member of the board of health of 
Decatur and was county physician for two 
years. He belonged to the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, to the Grand Army 
of the Republic, but his attention was 
chiefly given to his practice and for some 
time he was a member of the firm of Sib- 
ley & Wood, of Decatur. \\'hatever per- 
tained to public progress and improvement 



received his endorsement and many times 
his active and helpful co-operation. He 
passed away January 9, 1899. Who can 
measure the regret that was felt throughout 
the community in homes where his labors 
were so beneficial. He was known and 
honored far and wide. He always kept in 
touch with the best methods of medical 
practice and was conscientious in his work, 
following closely the strictest .professional 
ethics. Many a poor family has reason to 
bless his memory and wherever known he 
was held in high esteem, because the qviali- 
ties of his manhood were in keeping with the 
highest principles. He left to his family a 
nice residence at No. 424 Morgan street, in 
Decatur, where Mrs. Sibley and her daugh- 
ter now reside. His unswerving purpose, 
his unquestioned fidelity, his tmfaltering 
honesty and his unchangingwill commanded 
the highest respect of all. He was a be- 
lie\-er of the cause of liberty, of freedom 
and of progress and his hearty co-operation 
was ever given to that which tends to ele- 
\'ate mankind. 



CLEMENT C. WALTERS. 

In the legal profession which embraces 
manv of the most brilliant minds of the 
nation it is difficult to win a name and a 
place of prominence. Many aspire but few 
attain. In commercial life one may start 
out on a more elevated plane than others ; 
he might enter into a business already es- 
tablished and carry it still further forward, 
but this is not trtie in the case of the law- 
ver. He must commence at the initial 
point, must plead and win his first case and 
work his way upward by ability, gaining 
his reputation and success by merit. It is 
in this way that Mr. Walters has become 
well known as an able lawyer of the Macon 
county bar, practicing in Decatur, where 
he maintains his residence. 

.\ native of Indiana, Mr. Walters was born 



300 



PAST AXI) l'Ki:SK.\T ()F aIAC(JX COL'XTV. 



near Lafayette, in Tippecanoe county, Sep- 
tember 22, 1867, his parents being Samuel 
and Barbara (Rutter) Walters, both of 
whom were natives of Ohio. Both the \\'al- 
ters and Rutter families came originally 
from I'ennsylvania, however. Soon after 
their marriage the parents of our subject 
removed from the Buckeye state to Indiana 
and the father died when the son Clement 
was only about a year old, leaving to the 
widow the care of their eight children. She 
bravely took up the difficult task that 
awaited her and supported her growing 
children by her own hands, washing or 
doing other work that would yield a living 
for the little ones. She made every personal 
sacrifice possible in order to provide 
well for them, and gave them good 
advantages, and to-day Clement C. 
Walters speaks with pride of her struggles 
and takes great satisfaction in providing for 
her comfort':, surrounding her in his own 
home with all that can go to make life 
pleas.int for her. She is now living, at the 
age of seventy-two years — a most highly 
esteemed lady. The children of the family 
are Simon ; Florence, who is the wife of 
John V. Boyles ; Angeline, the wife of Orace 
F. Cole; Frank; Lewis; Mark; Clement C. ; 
and Orsamus, who died at the age of nine 
years. After the death of her first husband 
Mrs. Walters married Jacob Tidrow, and 
in 1875 they started with their household 
goods and three children of the mother's 
first marriage for Kansas, intending to pro- 
ceed across the country to that state. On 
reaching Macon county, however, they were 
so well pleased with the locality that they 
decided to go no farther and Mrs. Tidrow 
purchased a tract of land near Rea's Bridge, 
seven miles northeast of Decatur. There 
she founded the new home of the family 
and began the cultivation and improvement 
of her land. . The first home of the family 
was a log structure, but afterward she built 
a more commodious and modern residence. 



Clement C. \\'alters was a lad of about 
eight years when he accompanied his 
mother and step-father to Illinois. Soon 
after arriving here he began to work out, 
earning at first ten dollars per month by 
chopping wood through the winter seasons. 
He was thus deprived, however, of educa- 
tional privileges. He continued to work 
in this manner until twenty-one years of 
age, by which time he had managed to save 
from his earnings some three hundred dol- 
lars, lie then determined to use this 
amount in the acquirement of a needed edu- 
cation. He devoted long hours to diligent 
study and after seven and a half months 
he had qualified himself in such a way that 
he was granted a teacher's certificate. He 
then engaged in teaching for four terms in 
the Peck district and with the money thus 
earned he was able to further pursue his 
own studies, taking a scientific course in 
Bushnell College. Before the completion 
of the entire course, however, he was 
stricken with malarial fever. After his re- 
covery he studied evenings in order to make 
up for the time during his illness and thus 
was able to complete his course at the regu- 
lar season and secure a first grade teacher's 
certificate. Mr. Walters soon became recog- 
nized as a capable and successful educator. 
He taught for four terms in the Walnut 
Grove district and one term in the Enter- 
prise district. It was with the greatest re- 
luctancy that the directors of the school ac- 
cepted his resignation when he determined 
to devote his energies to the study of law, 
preparatory to making its practice his life 
work. Before he had completed his last two 
terms of school he had begun the stitdy of 
law in the periods of vacation and on re- 
signing his position as teacher he entered 
the office of M. C. Outten and Henry P. 
Page of Decatur, as a law student. Not long 
afterward Mr. Page died and Mr. Outten 
considered Mr. Walter's services so valu- 
able that he secured him as an assistant 



.^Jb 




; 



c.^^-c-^'^y^ 



^y/ ^ 




PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



303 



on a salary before he had been admitted to 
the bar. Later Mr. Outten formed a part- 
nership with Frank C. Roby, and Mr. Wal- 
ters continued with the new firm during 
the years 1896, 1897 and 1898. In 1896, 
however, he was admitted to the bar. In 
1899 he was elected city attorney and dis- 
charged the duties of the position so accept- 
ably that in 1901 he was re-elected on the 
Republican ticket. On the 15th of October, 
1900, he formed a partnership with Jacob 
H. Latham, under the firm style of Wal- 
ters & Latham, which association has since 
been continued. Mr. Walters has made 
a specialty of abstract law and is particu- 
larly proficient along this line. He has 
had a large clientage and has been so suc- 
cessful at the bar in recent years that he 
lias had funds sufficient to invest in other 
business lines. He built a large grain ele- 
vator at Rosemond, Illinois, in 1901, at a 
cost of three thousand dollars, and supplied 
with all modern and improved machinery 
for grinding. This elevator has a capacrty 
of twelve thousand bushels of grain and the 
business is now managed by Mr. Walter's 
brother, Lewis. 

On the 6th of August, 1898, occurred the 
marriage of Mr. Walters and Miss Emma 
Hebel, a daughter of John and Phillippena 
Hebel. They have an interesting little 
daughter, Ruth Lucile. Fraternally Mr. 
Walters is connected with Macon Lodge, 
No. 8, A. F. & A. M. He also belongs to 
Decatur Lodge, No. 65, I. O. O. F. ; Cheva- 
lier Bayard Lodge, No. 189, K. P. ; Decatur 
Camp, No. 144, M. W. A. ; the Fraternal 
Army of America ; the Court of Honor ; 
and Rathbone Sisters. He also takes a deep 
interest in the moral development of the 
communuity as one of the trustees of the 
Christian church and is a director in the 
Young Alen's Christian Association. He is 
a man of broad ideas and humane tendencies 
and he enjoys the high esteem of the com- 
munity in which he is now an honored citi- 



zen. He is a scholar of cultivated tastes 
and thus has become a favorite companion 
with the brighest minds of the city. 



WILLIAM F. BUSHER. 

Those who were residents of Decatur 
when William F. Busher arrived in this city 
almost a half century ago can remember 
him as a humble shoemaker, working at the 
bench, mending shoes and doing other such 
tasks as fell to his lot. To-day he is a cap- 
italist, living retired from labor, for his life 
of industry and strict and imswerving in- 
tegrity, combined with perseverance and 
unremitting diligence, brought to him a 
handsome competence. He is a native son 
of the fatherland. Much of the civilization 
of the world has come from the Teutonic 
race. Continually moving westward, they 
have taken with them the enterprise and 
advancement of their eastern homes and 
have become valued and useful citizens of 
various localities. In this country espe- 
cially have they demonstrated their power 
to adapt themselves to new circumstances, 
retaining at the same time their progress- 
iveness and energy, and have become loyal 
and devoted citizens, true to the institutions 
of the " land of the free" and untiring in 
promotion of all that will prove of benefit 
to their adopted country. The German ele- 
ment in America forms an important part 
of American citizenship, and while they 
cannot attain to the highest civil office in 
the gift of the people they have given ample 
evidence of their power to sustain and up- 
hold the government of the republic and to 
become the factors in various communities 
to whom the locality owes its progress and 
prosperity. 

When William F. Busher was born in 
the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, in De- 
cember, 1831, his parents might have 
dreamed of a brilliant future for their little 



304 



PAST AXD I'RESEXT OF MACON COL'XTY. 



son, l)Ut it is safe to say tliat they never 
thought that he would one day become one 
of the foremost citizens of an enteqirising 
metropolitan center of Illinois. lit.' has, 
however, been associated with Decatur for 
almost a half century and his name occupies 
a conspicuous place on the i)ages of its 
commercial history. His ]>arcnts, Freder- 
ick and Dorothy (Reinier) Bu.sher, were 
both natives of Germany and the father was 
a farmer b\- occupation, to which ])ursuit 
he devoted the best years of his life. Both 
he and his wife passed away in the father- 
land. In the usual manner of farm lads of 
that district and jjcriod William 1'". Bnsher 
was reared. He attended the common 
schools, acquiring a good knowledge of the 
German language and the branches therein 
taught and also a fair knowledge of the 
English tongue, .-\ttracted by the business 
])0ssibilities of the new world he came to 
the United States and in 1849 landed at Bal- 
timore, Maryland, whence he proceeded by 
rail and canal to Pittsburg and thence by 
steamboat to Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 
then in his eighteenth year and for a time 
he attended school in Cincinnati. Prepared 
lor a business career by learning the shoe- 
maker's trade in (iermany, during his first 
few months in Cincinnati he received one 
dollar ])er week and his board. For three 
years he remained in Cincinnati and then 
went to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he fol- 
lowed his trade for twelve months. On the 
expiration of that period he took up his 
abode in St. Louis, Missouri, where he 
worked at shoeniaking until 1853, which 
year witnessed his arrival in Springtield, 
Illinois. In that city he attended the Luth- 
eran College for a time and thus added to 
his knowledge and at the same time gained 
a greater proficiency in the use of the F"ng- 
lish tongue. The development of his char- 
acter was based upon firm Christian faith 
and the princi])Ies with which he became 
imbued through attendance at Sunday 



school and church have been potent factors 
in shaping his entire career. 

In 1855 ^^^- iJtisher came to Decatur and 
here he opened a shoe shop for the purpose 
of making and mending shoes, continuing 
to work on the bench until 1862. He then 
purchased a small stock of read}' made 
goods and finding that there was more 
])rofit to be made in the sale of such goods 
than in making them he entered into part- 
nership with John Black and purchased 
c|uite a large stock. Opening their store 
the firm soon secured a large and growing 
trade and the partnership existed continu- 
ously from 1871 until 1881, when it was dis- 
st)lved by mutual consent. Mr. Busher 
purchased his partner's interest and for 
some time was alone, but afterward became 
associated with Walter Hutchins under the 
firm style of W. F. ISusher & Company. 
This relation was maintained for five years 
and then again .\Ir. Busher became sole 
proprietor. He was then carrying a large 
and carefidl)' selected stock and had an e.\- 
tensi\e patronage, which made the business 
very remunerative. ]*"or almost fiirty years 
he was a re])resentative of commercial in- 
terests in Decatur and in 1894, with a hand- 
some competence as the reward of his 
labors, he retired from mercantile life. In 
1862 he had erected a good business block 
at 152 East Main street. It is twenty-two 
by eighty feet and three stories in height 
and this he still owns. He also has other 
property interests in Decatur, including a 
number of dwelling houses which he rents 
and from which he derives a good annual 
income. 

Mr. Busher has been twice married. On 
the 2ist of F'ehruary, 1856, he wedded Miss 
Louise Bekemyer of Springfield. She was 
born in Germany, spending the greater part 
of her girlhood in Prussia, but was living 
in the capital of Illinois at the time of her 
marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Busher became the 
parents of iour children : Walter, who died 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



305 



in his twenty-first year ; Carrie, who is the 
wife of George P. Zeiss, of Houston, Texas ; 
Sophia B., who is the wife of William P. 
Shade, a prominent business man and mer- 
chant of Decatur ; and Josie, the wife of 
Charles Schuck, a lumber merchant of 
Springfield, Illinois. The wife and mother 
passed away in October, 1897, and in 1898 
Mr. Busher was again married, his second 
union being with Mrs. Mary A. Jones, a 
most estimable lady whose value in social 
and benevolent circles is widely acknowl- 
edged. She is a member of the board of 
managers of the Anna B. Millikin Home, a 
charitable institution, and in her is vested 
the power of admission and dismission in 
connection with this home. She possesses 
not only rare executive ability and marked 
tact in dealing with the unfortunate ones of 
life, but also of most cordial and charming 
manner that has made her a favorite among 
her many friends. She presides with gra- 
cious hospitality over her own beautiful 
home and its good cheer is greatly enjoyed 
by the many who know both Mr. and Mrs. 
Busher in Decatur. 

While actively connected with business 
aflfairs Mr. Busher also finds time to aid in 
the promotion of interests calculated to 
benefit his city and his co-operation with 
movements for the general good has been 
far-reaching and beneficial. His fellow 
townsmen recognizing his worth and ability 
have called him to serve in the city council, 
of which he was a member in 1870-1. He has 
never been an active politician, however, 
and the honors of office have had little at- 
traction for him. Mr. Busher was among 
the first to erect a monument of marked 
beauty to the memory of his family in 
Greenwood cemetery. This is in the form 
of a mausoleum built of granite by most 
skilled workmen, and was constructed at a 
cost of several thousand dollars. About 
1873 Ml"- Busher erected a fine residence 
built of brick and modern in all of its ap- 



pointments. He is now in his seventy- 
second year, a hale and hearty man, and 
though the snows of many winters rest 
upon his head, in spirit and interests he 
seems yet in his prime. He has never had 
occasion to regret his determination to seek 
a home in America for in this land where 
opportunity is open to all he has steadily 
advanced until he now occupies a foremost 
position as one of the wealthy and honored 
men of his adopted city. 



TITUS QUERY. 

.Among the energetic and successful agri- 
culturists of Maroa township whose success 
in life is due to their own well directed ef- 
forts may be numbered Titus Query, who 
now owns and operates a fine farm of two 
hundred acres on section 8. and the neat 
and thrifty appearance of the place plainly 
indicates his careful supervision. He was 
born in Ashland county, Ohio, October 10, 
1850, a son of George and Mahala (Braden) 
Query, who are now deceased. The father 
died in DeWitt county, Illinois, and was 
buried in Maroa cemetery, but the mother 
was laid to rest in Rose cemetery, DeWitt 
county. By occupation he was a farmer. 

Titus Query was reared in much the 
usual manner of farmer boys of his day, his 
time being devoted to the farm work when 
not in school. He attended the district 
schools of DeWitt county and gained a good 
practical knowledge of the elementary 
branches of learning therein taught. On at- 
taining his majority he started out in life 
for himself, working five years as a farm 
hand for twenty to twenty-two and a 
half dollars per month. At the end of that 
time he began operating rented land and 
was thus engaged for eight years. At the 
end of that period he was able to purchase 
a farm of eighty acres on section 8, Maroa 
townshi]), where he now resides, and in 



306 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACOX COUXTY. 



1892 bought anolher eighty acre tract. In 
partnership with his son he bonght eighty 
acres more in 1900, and is now the owner 
of a valuable tract of two hundred acres, 
whicli he has placed under a high state of 
cultivation. He raises both grain and stock 
and is meeting with well deserved success 
in his undertakings. 

Mr. Query was married on the 3d of Sep- 
tember, 1874, the lady of his choice being 
Miss Adeline Bennett, a daughter of Aquilla 
Bennett, and to them have been born eight 
children, one of whom died in infancy, and 
Perry died at the age of one year. Those 
still living are Calvin, Eva, Sylva, Oscar, 
Mahala and Israel. The family are widely 
and favorably known and are people of 
prominence in their community. In politics 
Mr. Query is an ardent Democrat, but never 
sought office. 



ROBERT W. HIGHT. 
Robert \\ . Higlit, one of the representa- 
tive citizens of Macon, who has laid aside 
business cares and is now living a retired 
life at his beautiful home in that village, 
was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, 
June 21, 1830, a son of Samuel and Margaret 
(Rapp) Hight. On the paternal side he 
is of French origin, while his maternal an- 
cestors were of German extraction. He was 
quite young when his father died, and at 
the age of seventeen years accompanied his 
mother, brothers and sisters on their re- 
moval to Tennessee, where the family lived 
for two years. In 1849 they became resi- 
dents of Greene county, Illinois, where the 
mother died, and in 1855 the other mem- 
bers of the family came to Macon county, 
which has since been the home of our sub- 
ject. He is the oldest of six children, three 
of whom are still living, namely: Robert 
AV., James and William. 



Robert \\ . Hight received his education 
in a primitive old log school house with one 
log cut out for a window, slab seats and a 
huge fire place at one end of the building. 
His father being a farmer he early became 
familiar with the duties which fall to the 
lot of the agriculturist. During his boy- 
hood he cultivated corn with a single shovel 
I)low, and the first crop that he raised he 
marked off the ground with a marker, 
dropped the seed by hand and then covered 
it with a hoe, as in those days they had 
not the improved machinery now found 
upon the farms of the twentieth century. 
He has seen this county developed from 
a wild uncultivated prairie, covered with 
sloughs and ponds, and abounding in wild 
game of many kinds. After locating here 
he and his brothers bought an old settler's 
claim and later purchased railroad land in 
partnership with his brother James and a 
Mr. Armstrong, the tract consisting of four 
hundred acres. In connection with these 
gentlemen he engaged in farming until 
i860, but has been alone in business since 
1865, and through his own unaided efforts 
he became the owner of a valuable and well 
improved farm of four hundred acres in 
Alacon township, it being one of the best 
in that locality. 

On the 23d of July, 1863, Mr. Hight was 
married in this county to Miss Martha J. 
Unroc, a native of Virginia, born February 
6, 1848, who came to Illinois when a child 
and grew to womanhood in this county. 
Her parents, J. T. and Sarah (Clark) Un- 
roe, were both natives of Rockbridge coun- 
ty, Virginia, and from that state came to 
Macon county, Illinois, in 1855. For five 
years he acted as overseer of the Law- 
rence estate, one mile north of Pana, and 
later removed to Pittsburg, Crawford coun- 
ty, Kansas, where he purchased a farm, it 
being his home at the present time. His 
wife died there in 1890. Of the eight chil- 




(O ^^^^Uy-<JLyUC^ c7^?~^i-<^^^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



309 



dren born to them Mrs. Hight is the sec- 
ond in order of birth, and two sons and 
three daughters are still living. Mr. Unroe 
has always adhered to the Democratic party 
and for several years has been prominently 
identified with public affairs, serving in a 
great many county and township ofifices. 
He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and the Masonic fraternity. Eight 
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hight, 
five sons and three daughters, seven of 
whom are still living, namely: ]\Iaggie, 
wife of Frank Webb, of Decatur; Florence, 
wife of J. H. Culver, of Decatur; Ervel, who 
is married and living in Assumption, Illi- 
nois ; Nora N., who lives with her sister, 
Mrs. Culver, in Decatur; Robert, who is 
married and also lives in that city ; and 
Clyde and Ray, who now have charge of 
their father's farm. 

In 1895 ]\[r. Hight retired from active 
labor and removed to Macon, erecting one 
of the best homes in the town, it being 
large, roomy and modern in all its appoint- 
ments. It is also well shaded and sur- 
rounded by a beautiful lawn and cement 
walks. While living on the farm Mr. Hight 
served as school director of his district, 
assisted in building the schoolhouse, and 
did much toward promoting educational 
interests. Both he and his wife are active 
and helpful members of the Methodist 
Episcopal church, of Macon, to the erection 
of which they contributed liberally, and he 
is now serving as steward. In all the rela- 
tions of life he has been found true to every 
trust reposed in him and he has a large 
circle of friends and acquaintances through- 
out his adopted county. The prosperity that 
has come to him is certainly well merited, 
for he has led an honorable, industrious and 
useful life and has made his own way in 
the world from an early age. In politics 
he is a Republican but has never cared for 
office. 



EDWARD FOULKE. 

In the early days of Macon county's de- 
velopment Edward Foulke became a resi- 
dent of Maroa township, settling upon a 
farm there. He was long a worthy repre- 
sentative of agricultural interests of the 
community and while his life history con- 
tained no exciting chapters, it yet contained 
lessons of value that might profitably be 
followed by all who wish to gain success 
along legitimate and honorable lines. He 
was a native of Hamilton comity, Ohio, 
born on the 31st of July, 1834. His parents 
were John M. and Ann (Sinclair) Foulke. 
The father was born in ^Montgomery' coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and the mother's birth 
occurred near Baltimore, Maryland. In the 
county of his nativity John M. Foulke car- 
ried on farming for a number of years and 
then removed to Baltimore, where he re- 
sided for a few years. Subsequently he be- 
came a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, where 
through a long period he was engaged in 
the pork packing business, but in old age 
he retired to private life, putting aside all 
business cares, and lived with his two chil- 
dren throughout his remaining days. His 
death occurred at the home of his son Ed- 
ward in Maroa township in 1874, while his 
wife passed away near her native city in 
1844. They had but two children, the 
daughter being Lydia A., who was born in 
Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1S37. She was 
educated in a seminary near Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, and engaged in teaching 
school until the Civil war broke out, when 
she became an army nurse and served in 
that capacity for over three years. In 1881 
she married David Wilson, of Wenona, Il- 
linois, her present home. She is a promi- 
nent and active member of the Woman's 
Relief Corps and department president of 
the National Army Nurses' Association. 

Edward Foulke was reared imder the pa- 
rental roof and was given good educational 
privileges. His preliminary advantages in 



310 



PAST AM) PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



that direction were supplemented by a 
course in Fremont Seminary in Pennsyl- 
vania, lie then went to Baltimore, Mary- 
land, where he studied and worked as a 
florist, remaining in that cit)' for several 
years. He next removed to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, where he engaged in the florist busi- 
ness until 1857. In llial year, attracted by 
the possibilities of .Macon county, which 
was then being rapidly developed, he came 
to Illinois and purchased a farm in Maroa 
township, giving his attention to agricul- 
tural pursuits from that time until his re- 
tirement from active business life. He en- 
gaged in general farming and stock-raising 
and rich fields and meadows returned to 
him good crops of grain and hay. He real- 
ized also a good income from his stock, both 
branches of his business pro\ing profitable. 
Upon the farm he made substantial and ex- 
cellent improvements and added all the 
equipments and accessories necessarx' to a 
model farm of the period. Living on his 
first purchase until i8()4, he then removed 
to Decatur on account of ill health and 
passed his remaining da^s in retirement 
from active labor. 

On October 13, 18O4, .Mr. I'ouike was 
united in mariage in Maroa township, to 
Miss Adelaide Colladay, a native of Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania, born on the 4th of 
March, 1841. Her parents were Jacob W. 
and Julia A. (Stull) Colladay, both natives 
of Philadelphia, where her father engaged 
in business as a contractor and builder until 
1858. That year witnessed his removal 
westward and he established his home upon 
a farm in .Maroa to\vnslii|). Macon county, 
where he carried on general agricultural 
pursuits for many years. His wife died 
upon the old family homestead and he then 
removed to Decatur, where he lived a re- 
tired life until called to his final rest. The 
home of Mr, and Mrs. l'\ndke was blessed 
with five children: Anna F.. the wife of E. 
Arthur Pinkham, who is proprietor of a feed 



store in Indianapolis, Indiana; John M., a 
farmer of South Dakota ; Edward L., who 
married Gynietha Cox and is employed by 
Swift & Company, at Kansas City, Mis- 
souri ; Llewellyn, who married Leila Craig 
and resides upon the old home farm in 
Maroa township; and Caroline E., who is 
a graduate of the Michigan University at 
/Vnn Arbor and is principal of the schools 
of Corunna, Michigan. 

In his political views Mr. Foulke was a 
stanch Republican, believing firmly in the 
principles of the party and doing all in his 
power to secure their adoption. He was 
never an office seeker, but held minor offices 
in his township, such as supervisor and 
school director. He belonged to the So- 
ciety of Friends at Benjaminville, Illinois, 
with which his wife was also a member. 
He became a well-to-do citizen of this coun- 
ty and thus left his family in comfortable 
circumstances, when on the 29th of Octo- 
ber, 1900, his death occurred. During his 
long residence in the county he lived at 
jieace with his fellow men, so honorable 
was he in all his business afifairs, faithful 
in citizenship, and loyal in friendship. Mrs. 
Foulke owns a beautiful residence at No. 
1005 North Church street in Decatur, where 
she resides, and she is also the owner of the 
old home farm of three hundred and eight 
acres situated in Maroa township, three 
miles south of the village of Maroa. This 
is a well improved and valuable ])roperty 
and returns to , her a very gratifying in- 
come. 



MINER R. ALLSUP. 
.Miner R. .Vllsup, who since 1891 has en- 
gaged in the grain business in Maroa and 
is now the vice president of the Citizens' 
Bank, was born in DeWitt county, Illinois, 
in the year 1861. his parents being Wash- 
ington T. and .Margaret .\llsup. The father 
was a farmer by occupation and followed 



I 




(X^.^. 



'JtL£yr^-<^ 



^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



311 



that pursuit in DeW'itt county up to the 
time of his death, which occurred about a 
quarter of a century ago. His widow, a 
native of (.)hio, afterward became the wife 
of L. B. Hobbs and is now Hving in Maroa. 
Mr. Allsup of this review also has a brother 
lix'ing in Maroa and a sister who is married 
and resides in \\'ichita, Kansas. 

Miner R. Allsup acquired his education 
in the schools of his native county and of 
Maroa. Pie was reared to farm life and 
early became familiar with the labors of 
field and meadow. When he was fifteen 
years of age his father died and the follow- 
ing year he started out in life for himself 
and has since been dependent upon his own 
efforts. His present position in financial 
circles is in marked contrast to his condi- 
tion at that time. He began farming and 
stock-raising on his mother's land, and in 
his undertakings met with success. Later 
he gave much time and attention to the 
purchase and ship])ing of stock, and his in- 
vestments yielded him a good financial re- 
turn. About twenty years ago he purchased 
land in DeW'itt county and since that time 
he has increased his landed possession until 
he is now one of the most extensive land- 
owners of this part of the state, having 
very valuable farming property, which re- 
turns to him a gratifying income. At length 
leaving the farm, although not abandoning 
agriculutral interests, Mr. Allsup purchased 
the Midland Elevator of Maroa, which has 
been operated since 1875, ^nd of which he 
has been the owner since March, 1891. He 
handles a large amount of grain annually 
and his business adds to the expansion of 
the business interests of the city. Mr. All- 
sup also feeds hogs, cattle and horses for 
the market and his annual sales of stock 
reach a large figure. His business has stead- 
ily grown since the time, when as a boy, 
he began operating his mother's land. Long 
since it assumed \ery profitable propor- 
tions and t<-)-day Mr. Allsup is numbered 



among the substantial citizens of the coun- 
ty. He is also connected with financial in- 
terests, being the vice president of the Citi- 
zens' Bank of Maroa. 

In matters of citizenship Mr. Allsup is 
equally progressive and Maroa has profited 
h>- his efforts in her behalf. He is a Demo- 
crat in his political views and at the present 
time in serving as mayor of Maroa. He 
brings to the discharge of his official duties 
the same businesslike and enterprising 
methods that have marked his career as an 
agriculturist and stock-dealer and the city 
is therefore enjoying a practical adminis- 
tration and one that is valuable in the pro- 
motion of its substantial progress and per- 
manent improvement. Mr. Allsup is a 
charter member of the Knights of Pythias 
Lodge of Maroa and is well known through- 
out this part of the state because of his ex- 
tensive business connections, his wide ac- 
quaintance and his social relations. He is 
a man of strong character, of marked in- 
dividuality and of sterling worth. His fel- 
low men respect him and the world accords 
him the admiration which is ever given in 
recognition of a purpose accomplished in 
accordance with methods which neither seek 
nor require disguise. 



OLIVER Z. GREENE. 
Since 1873 Oliver Z. Greene has been a 
resident of Decatur and since 1882 has been 
the president of the Decatur Coffin Com- 
pany, one of the leading industrial enter- 
prises of the city. He is a man of keen dis- 
crimination and executive force and in the 
control of important business enterprises 
has shown marked capability. The history 
of mankind is replete with illustrations of 
the fact that it is only under the pressure of 
adversity and the stimulus of opposition 
that the best and strongest in men is 
brought out and developed. Perhaps the 



.312 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



history of no country so forcibly impresses 
one with this truth as the annals of our 
own republic and certainly in our own land 
the palm was awarded to New England's 
sturdy sons. If anything can inspire the 
youth of our country to ])ersistcnt, honest 
and laudable endeavor, it should be the life 
record of such men as he of whom we write, 
for from the age of sixteen years Oliver Z. 
Greene has been dependent upon his own 
resources and to-day is controlling enter- 
prises which make him a pros])erous resi- 
dent of his adopted cit}-. 

Mr. Greene was born in Pittsficld, New 
Hampshire, May 20, 1834. His father, 
Oliver P. Greene, was likewise a native of 
Pittsfield and was a son of Ephraim Greene, 
who was born in the Old Granite state and 
was descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry. 
After arriving at years of maturity Oliver 
P. Greene was united in marriage to Char- 
lotte ^1. Fay, a nati\e of Warwick, Massa- 
chusetts, and in their home the boyhood 
days of their son Oliver Z. were passed. 
He acquired his early education in the pub- 
lic schools of Pittsfield and afterward at- 
tended the home academy in that town im- 
til he reached his sixteenth year, when he 
began learning the carpenter's trade, ^\'hen 
he had largely mastered that jnirsuit he 
went to Lowell, Massachusetts, where he 
was employed as a journeyman for a year, 
working in two of the principal mills in 
that city. In 1853 he went south to Ala- 
bama, where he became foreman of the 
bridge department for the Chattanooga & 
Memphis Railroad Company, acceptably 
serving in that capacity for two years. On 
the expiration of that period he removed to 
Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he engaged 
in contracting and building, erecting a num- 
ber of dwelling houses during his four years' 
residence in the north. 

On leaving ^Minneapolis he came to Illi- 
nois and, establishing his home in McLean 
county, he engaged in general farming, car- 



rying on that ]>ursnit there for several years. 
in i86j he arrived in Macon county, Illinois,, 
where he has since resided, settling first 
at Ilarristown, a small station on the Wa- 
bash Railroad. There he 'engaged in the 
grain business and was also employed as 
station agent by the railroad company. 
Prospering in his undertakings he later 
sought a broader field of labor and in 1873 
removed to Decatur, where he became in- 
terested in the Roberts Greene Company, 
tlu- business being conducted under partner- 
ship relations. The company was engaged 
in the manufacture of coffins, the enter- 
prise having been established by Robert P. 
Lytic, but its founder sold out soon after 
Mr. Greene purchased an interest in the 
business. \\ hen his connections with the 
enterprise had covered nine years the busi- 
ness was incorporated under the firm style 
of the Decatur Coffin Company, with a 
capital stock of eighty thousand dollars. 
At that time Mr. Greene was elected presi- 
dent, while George E. Moeller was chosen 
vice president and Thomas T. Roberts, sec- 
retary and treasurer. This business was 
incorporated for the purpose of manufac- 
turing coffins and the company entered up- 
on a successful career. They now have an 
extensive plant and ship the products of 
the house throughout the country from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific. The plant is 
equipped with the latest and best improved 
machinery, and coffins of all grades are 
manufactured, so that the house is able to 
meet the varied demands of the trade. For 
twenty-one years Mr, Greene has remained 
president of the company and much of the 
successful control of the industry is due to 
his untiring business sagacity and sound 
practical judgment. 

In 1863 Mr. Greene was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Clara .\. French, a native of 
New Hampshire and a daughter of Hiram 
French. Mrs. Greene is a lady of marked 
culture and possesses superior skill and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



315 



talent as an artist, many fine works in both 
portrait and landscape painting which are 
the result of her skill adorning the walls of 
their beautiful home. Unto ^Ir. and Mrs. 
Greene have been born two daughters : 
Myrtle F., who became the wife of William 
D. Harvey, a resident of Boston, Massachu- 
setts, and died in 1893 ; and Clara M., who is 
the wife of Kilburn H. Roby, Jr., who is 
teller in the National Bank of Decatur. 
The wife and mother died in November, 
1901. She was most devoted to her family, 
was a faithful friend and an acceptable and 
conscientious member of the Congrega- 
tional church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Greene 
joined that church upon its organization 
and she aided materially in its upbuilding 
and the extension of its influence. She was 
also a member of the Art Club of Decatur 
and her charming personality made her a 
favorite in social, church and home circles. 
Mr. Greene gives his political support to 
the Republican party and while residing at 
Harristown he served for eight years as 
postmaster, occupying the position under 
the administration of Presidents Lincoln 
and Johnson. His substantial brick resi- 
dence in Decatur was erected in 1882 and 
in addition to this property and to his ex- 
tensive interests here he is the owner of 
good farms which he rents. In the church 
with which he is connected he has held of- 
ficial preferment and is recognized as one 
of its strong working members. Through 
the past five years Mr. Greene has spent the 
winter months in southern California, but 
throughout much of the remainder of the 
year he is located in Decatur, superintend- 
ing his important business interests. His 
history is the record of one who has at- 
tained an honorable position and marked 
prestige among the representative men of 
the middle west. With consistency it may 
be said that he is the architect of his own 



fortunes and one whose prosperity amply 
justifies the application of the somewhat 
hackneyed but most expressive title "a self- 
made man." 



ANDREW ROTHFUSS 
In the year 1863 Andrew Rothfuss, now 
deceased, became a resident of Decatur, and 
the business circles of the city found in 
him a valued addition to their ranks. He 
became well-to-do and his influence and en- 
ergy were the foundation upon which he 
builded his success. A native of Germany, 
his birth occurred on the 3d of April, 1832, 
his father being John Rothfuss, a native of 
the fatherland. There he and his wife spent 
their entire lives and Mr. Rothfuss engaged 
in general farming. He died when his son, 
Andrew, was but two years of age, and the 
mother, long surviving him, passed away 
in 1875. 

In the public schools of his native country 
.\ndrew Rothfuss acquired his education. 
He was the only member of the family that 
ever came to America, but when about 
twenty-two years of age he became imbued 
with a strong desire to seek his home in the 
new world and accordingly made arrange- 
ments for leaving the fatherland. Bidding 
adieu to friends and native country, he 
crossed the Atlantic and landed in the new 
world without funds. He had previously 
learned the baker's trade in Germany and 
after coming to the United States he trav- 
eled all over the country, working at his 
trade in many of the principal cities of 
America. He also followed this pursuit on 
different steamboats on the rivers here and 
finally in 1863 he came to Decatur. He 
then established a saloon in the old public 
square under the Millikin Bank and later 
purchased a building on the south side of 
the square on East Main street. There he 



316 



PAST AXU TRESEXT OF ^LVCOX COL'XTY. 



continued in the saloon business for many 
years. 

During this time .Mr. Rolhluss was mar- 
ried in Decatur to Miss Rosina Keck, also a 
native of Germany, born on the 2d of Sep- 
tember, 1839. Her parents always lived in 
Germany but three of their children came to 
the United States, although all are now 
deceased. There were live children born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Rothfuss : Lillian, who mar- 
ried Iver Phillips and died in 1901 ; Rosa, 
who died at the age of six years; Anna 
Margaret, the wife of J. Casper Bolay, who 
was born in Germany, Xovember 24, 1867, 
and is now- conducting a saloon in Decatur 
where he is living with his wife and two 
children, Andrew and William, one little 
boy having died in infancy ; Andrew 
Lewis, who died in February, 1901 ; WiW- 
iam Jacob, who married Miss Elma Cock- 
rcll and resides in Decatur, being employed 
in the large dry goods store of Bradley 
Brothers. 

After his marriage 2ilr. Rothfuss contin- 
ued in the saloon business until 1891, when 
he sold out to his son-in-law, Mr. Bolay, 
and then lived retired until his death, which 
occurred June 27, 1903. His wife passed 
away in 1879. Li his political affiliations 
Mr. Rothfuss was a Democrat, but never an 
office seeker. Both he and his wife were 
members of the German Lutheran church 
. of Decatur and he took a deep interest in 
the work of the church, contributing gen- 
erously to its support. He was a self-made 
man, having no capital when he came to 
the new world, but gradually he added to 
his possessions and at the time of his death 
he owned the business block from No. 101 
to 1 1 1 inclusive on East Main street, which 
is on the public square and is a very val- 
uable piece of business property. He also 
owned a beautiful residence at No. 305 West 
Wood street, which was the family home 
and which is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. 
J. C. Bolay. All of this property he left to 



his daughter .Mrs. Bolay and his son Will- 
iam Jacob Rothfuss. He was one of the 
leading and well-to-do citizens of Decatur 
and a very prominent representative of the 
German-.American citizenship in Macon 
count}-. 



BARTON S. TYLER. 

.\ deep feeling of sadness spread through- 
out Decatur when it was announced that 
Barton S. Tyler had passed from this life, 
but while those who knew him remain his 
memory will be cherished not so much on 
account of the splendid success which he 
achieved in business, not because he con- 
tributed to the improvement of the city 
and jjromoled its commercial activities, al- 
though they would make him worthy to be 
long remembered, but because of his life 
of helpfulness, of good cheer, of broad sym- 
pathy and his deep interest in and labors 
for the benefit of his fellow men. His na- 
ture was so kindly and genial that he won 
not merely regard but that deeper feeling 
which, call it friendship or love, binds man 
in close relation to his fellow men in ties 
which naught can sever. Thus it was that 
Decatur has seldom so widely and sin- 
cerely mourned one of her residents, but 
for fifty-seven years he was closely asso- 
ciated with the history of Macon county 
and there were few of its citizens who did 
not know .Mr. Tyler — by reputation if not 
personall)-. 

Barton S. Tyler was born on the 19th of 
August, 1845, on the old family homestead 
situated about five miles east of Decatur 
at what is known as .Antioch Station. His 
parents were the Rev. and Mrs. John W. 
Tyler. The father, a native of Fayette 
county, Kentucky, removed to Illinois at an 
early day and in 1836 arrived in .Macon 
county, casting in his lot with its pioneer 
settlers. He was among those who laid 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



317 



broad and deep the foundation for the pres- 
ent development and prosperity of the 
county and for more than a half century 
he made his home within its borders, taking 
a deep and abiding interest in whatever 
pertained to the general good. His death 
occurred in 1888 and his wife passed away 
in 1892. Their family was a large one, of 
whom the following survive: Dr. B. B. 
Tyler, a prominent divine of the Christian 
church now located in Denver, Colorado; 
Rev. J. Z. Tyler, of Cleveland, Ohio ; 
Charles, who is living in Oklahoma; Mrs. 
Stephen Cook, a resident of Denver, Colo- 
rado ; Alice, whose home is in Des Moines, 
Iowa ; Mrs. Sue Odor, of Decatur ; and 
Mrs. J. A. Meriweather, of Decatur. Mr. 
Tyler of this review also had a half-brother, 
John, and a half-sister, Mrs. Nancy J. Hous- 
ley. 

In retrospect one can see Barton S. Tyler 
as a farm boy, working in the fields and 
meadows or attending the country schools. 
He was reared amid the refining influence 
of a good Christian home and while his edu- 
cational privileges did not embrace a col- 
lege course he learned from his parents 
something of far more value, for by them 
he was instructed in lessons of industry, 
honesty and of reliability. After starting 
out upon an independent business career he 
followed various occupations until he took 
up his abode in Decatur. In 1871 in com- 
pany with W. C. Armstrong and James 
Nicholson he made a trip overland in a 
wagon to the west and located in a little 
town in southern Kansas, but after remain- 
ing there for three years he returned to 
Macon county. He first became connected 
with the grain trade at Casner, where he 
engaged in the purchase and sale of the 
cereals raised in this locality. He also con- 
ducted a store there. 

Mr. Tyler finally removed to Decatur, 
where he was first employed by the firm of 
Pratt & Company. On the 5th of August, 



1895, he began the grain business on his 
own account in partnership with T. A. Bone 
and on the 31st of January, 1897, the firm 
of B. S. Tyler & Company was incorporated 
with Frank Evans as a partner of the gen- 
tleman previously mentioned. In the spring 
6f igo2 Mr. Tyler further extended the 
scope of his labors by becoming the senior 
partner in the firm of Tyler, Harney & 
Company, and of both business enterprises 
Mr. Tyler was the president up to the time 
of his demise. His operations in grain 
were extensive, annually increasing both 
in volume and importance. He handled and 
shipped very large amounts of grain and 
his business was so capably and wisely con- 
ducted that it brought to him a splendid 
financial return. Perhaps no representative 
of the grain trade in Illinois was more wide- 
ly known throughout the state or held in 
higher regard by grain dealers than was 
Barton S. Tyler. He was for some years 
actively and prominently connected with the 
Illinois Grain Dealers' Association, of which 
he was one of the founders and in the con- 
trol of its interests he took a most important 
part until about two years prior to his death, 
when on account of ill health he was forced 
to leave the active management of the asso- 
ciation to others. For a number of years 
he served as its secretary and was after- 
ward its president. This was an organiza- 
tion resulting in much benefit to grain deal- 
ers throughout the state and Mr. Tyler 
was also active in bringing about legisla- 
tion favorable to grain men. In all matters 
pertaining to the good of the grain business 
he was an untiring worker and on several 
occasions he labored for measures which he 
believed to be right as a matter of principle, 
but which he knew would be detrimerital 
to his personal success. In his business af- 
fairs he was ever guided by industry, per- 
severance and determination which became 
elements in his character in early life. He 
gained an unassailable reputation and no 



318 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



one ever connected with him in trade trans- 
actions had aught to say against his hon- 
esty and fair deaHng. He was entirely trust- 
wortliy and he would sacrifice his own in- 
terests rather than injure others. His life 
record is another proof of the old adage 
that honesty is the best policy, for his labors 
were crowned with a fair measure of suc- 
cess so that he left his family in very com- 
fortable circumstances. 

On the 28th of October, 1873, Mr. Tyler 
was united in marriage to Miss Josephine 
Jones, a native of Ilhnois and a daughter 
of Hugh and Vandalia Jones, both of whom 
died when Mrs. Tyler was a small child. 
They became the parents of four children, 
but Ralph, Lelah and Gussie are now de- 
ceased. The surviving daughter, Gertrude, 
is with her mother, occupying a pleasant 
home in Decatur, which was left to them 
by the husband and father. Mr. Tyler's 
home life was largely ideal. There was a 
close and most congenial companionship 
between himself and his wife and the activ- 
ities of the one were supplemented by the 
sympathy and encouragement of the other. 

With Mr. Tyler friendship was inviolable 
and he always maintained a most kindly at- 
titude to his fellow men, arising from a sin- 
cere interest in their welfare. He held mem- 
bership with the Benevolent, Protective Or- 
der of Elks and also with the Modern 
Woodmen of America. Decatur profited by 
his efforts and zeal in her behalf and his en- 
couragement and co-operation proved im- 
portant factors in promoting her welfare 
along more than one line. Mr. Tyler was 
largely instrumental in holding the first 
corn carnival of Decatur. He was the first 
to suggest and start the movement and 
labored indefatigably for its success. It be- 
came an event in the history of the city, to 
which the residents of Decatur have ever 
pointed with pride. With the exception of 
the brief period which Mr. Tyler spent in 
Kansas his entire life was passed in the 



county of his nativity and because of his 
many excellent traits of character he gained 
a wide acquaintance and the favorable re- 
gard of all with whom he has associated. 
Thus it was that his loss was deeply felt 
throughout the community when on the 
27th of July, 1902, when nearly fifty-seven 
years of age, he was called to his final rest. 
The histor}' of the county was largely fa- 
miliar to him from an early period in its 
development and he could relate many in- 
teresting incidents concerning this district 
when it was yet upon the frontier. Perhaps 
no better estimate of his character could be 
given than the words of a business man who 
knew Mr. Tyler for years and who said 
"Bart Tyler was a man in the best sense 
that the term implies and I know of no bet- 
ter way of describing his character." 



JAMES N. SAMPSON. 
James N. Sampson, who is now success- 
fully engaged in farming on section 34, 
Friends Creek township, has had a rather 
eventful life. He was born in Gould, York- 
shire, England, in 1851, a son of John and 
Sarah Sampson, and when an infant lost 
his father, who died during the great epi- 
demic of cholera in that country. Our sub- 
ject spent his early life upon the sea, sail- 
ing from England, and in that way he trav- 
eled all over the world. At one time the 
ship on which he sailed was wrecked while 
crossing the North Sea. It was caught in a 
storm and sprung a leak. The sea was very 
high and the engines were all under water. 
Those on board had all given up hope when 
their signal of distress was seen by another 
steamer, which sent a life boat to their as- 
sistance. Mr. Sampson helped lower a life 
boat from their own vessel but it was 
smashed to pieces. A second boat was then 
lowered and after a great deal of difficulty 
all were finally taken on board the other 
steamer. 




^^^oe^iv 




r 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



321 



About twenty-five years ago Mr. Samp- 
son came to the United States and first lo- 
cated in Decatur, Illinois, where he acted 
as sewer inspector for twelve years and built 
the first trap that was ever used in a sewer 
in that city. For the past five years he has 
devoted his time and attention to farming, 
on a fine place of one hundred and sixty 
acres left to his wife on section 34, Friends 
Creek township, where he resides, and a 
forty acre tract just across the road 
from their home. There was nothing on 
the farm when it came into his possession, 
but he has erected a good, substantial resi- 
dence, barn and other outbuildings and now 
has a well improved place under a high 
state of cultivation. He raises grain and 
some stock, and in his farming operations 
has prospered. 

In 1879 ^^r. Sampson was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Elizabeth Hildebright, a na- 
tive of Friends Creek township. Her father, 
Henry Hildebright, was born in Hanover, 
Germany, in 1824, and spent the first eigh- 
teen years of his life in his native land. He 
then came to America, landing in New York. 
Walking across the Alleghany mountains, 
lie first settled in Ohio, where he worked 
as a coal miner for two years, and then 
came to Macon county, Illinois, making his 
home in Friends Creek township through- 
out the remainder of his life. In 1859 he 
married Miss Margaret Hetzel, who was 
from Berlin, Germany, and to them were 
born two children: Elizabeth, now Mrs. 
Sampson, and Mrs. Manford Beckham. The 
mother died in 1870, and in May, 1879, Mr. 
Hildebright was again married, his second 
union being with Mrs. Mary Bayer, who is 
still living. For fifty-three years he was 
a resident of Macon county and during that 
time he steadily prospered in his farming 
operations, owning at the time of his death 
four hundred acres of choice land, which 
was worth about fifty thousand dollars, and 
which has been equally divided between his 



daughters. After a useful and well spent 
life he died December 28, 1897, at the age of 
seventy-four years, honored and respected 
by all who knew him. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sampson were born 
two children : Sarah, who died at the age 
of nine years; and Lizzie, at home. The 
parents are both earnest members of the 
Baptist church and are highly respected 
and esteemed by all who know them. Mr. 
Sampson is a Royal Arch Mason and Sir 
Knight and a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern 
Woodmen of America at Argenta. His po- 
litical support is given the men and meas- 
ures of the Republican party, and he takes 
a deep and commendable interest in the af- 
fairs of his adopted country. 



GEORGE STARE. 
In the history of pioneer development of 
Decatur mention should be made of George 
Stare, for he came to the present site of the 
city when it was all wild prairie land and 
from that period up to the time of his death 
was actively associated with business in- 
terests and with the early substantial de- 
velopment of the county. He was born in 
York county, Pennsylvania, in 1829, and 
there his boyhood and youth were passed. 
On leaving his native state in 1850 he went 
to Ohio, but the following year returned to 
Pennsylvania, and on again coming west in 
1852 spent some time in St. Paul, Minne- 
sota. It was in 1853 that he first visited 
Decatur and the following year located 
permanently here. Believing that the op- 
portunities of the west were better than the 
business privileges of the east he estab- 
lished his home in Macon county, finding 
here a region in which the work of civiliza- 
tion and progress had scarcely begun. A 
few houses were scattered here and there 
through the district, but much of the land 



322 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



was still uncultivated and man}' of the now 
thriving towns and villages had not theu 
sprung into existence. 

Mr. Stare established the lirst planing 
mill in Macon county and engaged in the 
manufacture of lumber for some years, in 
partnership with his brother, the late John 
Stare. The product of their mill was in de- 
mand as the number of settlers increased 
and thev- did a good business. Near their 
plant on Cerro Gordo street, about fifteen 
or sixteen years ago, they made a fruitless 
search for natural gas, sinking from eight 
to nine thousand dollars in the undertaking, 
but the enterprises with which he was con- 
nected generally prospered and he left his 
family a handsome competency. In trade 
circles in Macon county he was prominently 
known and in all his dealings he was found 
to be reliable and upright. 

On the 6th of AJarch, 1856, Mr. Stare 
was united in marriage to Miss Barbara 
Barnett, a native of Lancaster, Pennsyl- 
vania, and they became the parents of five 
children, who are now living, namely: Wil- 
liam, who is engaged in the manufacture of 
tile at Mendota, Illinois ; Mary J., who is 
the widow of Henry Kreidler and is living 
with her mother in Decatur; Emma, the 
wife of A. W. Miller, of Riverside, Cali- 
fornia ; Eva, the wife of Frank M. Butcher, 
a resident of Los Angeles, California ; and 
Nonette, the widow of Herbert Lorraine 
Hovey, of Rockyford, Colorado. Besides 
his widow and children, Mr. Stare had sev- 
eral brothers and sisters living at the time 
of his death, these being Moses Stare, of 
Decatur ; Elias A. Stare, of Waukesha, Wis- 
consin ; Mrs. H. Kain, Mrs. Knapp, Miss 
Nancy Stare and Mrs. Z. T. Blaine, of De- 
catur; Mrs. J. Markley, of Sangamon; Mrs. 
E. B. Eicholtz, of St. Louis; and Mrs. 
Higgins, of Pawnee, Illinois. 

In public afifairs Mr. Stare was prominent 
and during his long residence in Decatur 
was actively identihed with every worthy 



enterprise. He gave an unfaltering support 
to the Republican party, but never sought 
jjolitical honors, though he was a meinber 
of the city council in 1873 and 1874. He 
was a charter member of Grace Methodist 
Ejjiscopal church, being originally con- 
nected with Stapp's Chapel, and it was 
mainly through his efforts that Grace 
church was built. He always took a very 
active and ])rominent part in church work, 
was a teacher in the Sabbath-school, and 
a member of the ofiticial board of the church 
throughout life. A man of considerable 
influence, he left the impress of his indi- 
viduality upon public thought and opinion 
and aided in shaping the public policy as 
Decatur and Macon county emerged from 
primitive conditions and pioneer environ- 
ments to take their place among the leading 
cities and counties of this great common- 
wealth. His life was upright, his actions 
manly and sincere and his loyalty to the 
public good and to straightforward prin- 
ciples was unquestioned. He passed away 
on the 5th of July, 1892, leaving behind him 
a memory that is cheri.shed by his many 
friends. .\t his death the following resolu- 
tions were passed. 

"Whereas. It has pleased Almighty God 
in His wise providence to take from us by 
death our beloved brother, George Stare, 
we therefore adopt the following as a tribute 
to his memory: 

"Brother Stare was a member of Grace 
church from the time of its organization to 
the day of his death. In his private char- 
acter and in his official capacity as trustee, 
steward, class leader and Sunday-school 
worker, he was consistent, earnest, faithful 
and efficient. 

"By his wise counsel, faithful work and 
generous, self-sacrificing devotion, he did 
much to build up the church and make it 
the strong organization it is. 

"We, the members of Grace church, 
greatly respected and loved Brother Stare 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



323 



wliilc Ii\ing; we revere and cherish his 
memory now that he has gone from us. 
We feel that in his death the community 
has lost a highly respected, substantial and 
useful citizen, and we, as a church, have 
lost a faithful and true brother and fellow 
worker in the church. 

"We desire to assure his beloved wife, 
Sister Stare, and all the members of the 
family, that in their deepest affliction they 
have the sincere sympathy and earnest 
praj-ers of the entire members of Grace 
church. 

"Resolved, That a copy of this memorial 
be presented to Sister Stare.." 

(Signed) D. S. Shellabarger, 

J. G. Badenhausen, 
H. H. Oneal. 

Mrs. Stare owns a beautiful home at No. 
538 North Franklin street, where she is 
living with her daughter, Mrs. Kreidler. 



ISAIAH QUERRY. 
Among the native sons of Macon county 
who have witnessed almost her entire de- 
velopment and growth and have aided ma- 
terially in its upbuilding and prosperity, 
especially along agricultural lines, must be 
numbered Isaiah Querry, who was born on 
the edge of the timber in Whitmore town- 
ship, January 6, 1839, and has spent his en- 
tire life in that locality. His parents were 
Elisha and Polly (Florey) Querry, both na- 
tives of Virginia and the latter a sister of 
Mrs. David H. Stuart who is mentioned 
elsewhere in this volume. In 1829 the father 
came west in an old prairie schooner and 
entered a tract of land on section 14, Whit- 
more township, where our subject was born. 
He subsequently bought more land and con- 
tinued his farming operations here until his 
death, which occurred in 1856. His wife 
survived him for some time and died at the 
age of seventy-four years. In their family 



were eight children, all of whom reached 
years of maturity and six of the number 
are still living, namely : Nathaniel, John, 
Isaiah, Loretta, Sarah and Eliza, but our 
subject is the only one residing in Illinois. 

Like most boys of his day Isaiah Querry 
acquired his education in a log schoolhouse 
and his early life was spent in a rather un- 
eventful manner upon the home farm. In 
the spring of 1861 he led to the marriage 
altar Miss Sarah Jane Strope, a native of 
Ohio, and they began their domestic life 
upon a rented farm near the timber, where 
they lived for a year and a half. At the end 
of that time Mr. Querry returned to the old 
homestead and tenderly cared for his mother 
during the last fourteen years of her life. 
Selling forty acres of the home place he 
bought an improved tract of eighty acres 
on section 11, Whitmore township, for 
which he paid fifty-two and one-half dollars 
per acre, but which is now worth one hun- 
dred and twenty dollars per acre, owing 
to the improvements he has made upon it 
and the rise in land values. In early days 
he used a single shovel plow and cut his 
grain with a cradle but as time has passed 
he has equipped his farm with the latest 
improved machinery and to-day has one of 
the model places of the locality. He has 
made a specialty of the raising of full blood- 
ed Poland-China hogs and draft horses and 
as a stock-raiser has met with success. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Querry have been 
born the following children: Mrs. Annie 
Burrows, now a resident of Iowa ; Mrs. 
Laura Mathias, of Hickory Point township, 
this county; Walter, who married Mabel 
Mathias and lives in Whitmore township; 
Nettie, widow of Dave Welton and a resi- 
dent of Argenta ; Edith, a resident of De- 
catur ; Rinda and Lena, both at home; and 
Mary, who died of consumption in the win- 
ter of 1902, her death being a sad blow to 
her parents and many friends. 

Politically Mr. Querry is an ardent Re- 



324 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.' 



publican and has once or twice been a dele- 
gate to the county conventions of his party. 
He attends the Old Settlers' reunions and 
takes an active interest in their meetings. 
P'or sixty-four years he has made his home 
in Macon county and has been an eye wit- 
ness of almost her entire development. The 
difference between the past and the present 
can scarcely be realized, even by those who 
have been active participants in its growth 
and upbuilding, and the present generation 
can have no conception of what was re- 
quired of the early settlers in transforming 
the wilderness into a well settled and 
highly cultivated country. In the work of 
pogress and improvement Mr. Querry has 
ever borne his part. 



FRANCIS M. LOWRY. 
Francis M. Lowry was for a number of 
years connected with agricultural interests 
in Illinois and did his full share in winning 
for the state its splendid reputation as the 
best agricultural district of the country. He 
was a native of Kentucky, born on the 2d of 
September, 1825, and his parents, Eli and 
Elizabeth (Davidson) Lowry, were also 
born in the Blue Grass state. In an early 
day they came to Illinois, establishing their 
home in Fayette county, where the father 
engaged in merchandising for several years. 
He afterward removed to Shelby county, 
Illinois, where his death occurred. The 
mother of our subject died during the early 
youth of her son and the father afterward 
married again and his second wife has now 
passed away. There were two children born 
of the first union who are yet living, one 
in Marion county, Illinois, and the other 
in Shelby county, this state. 

Francis M. Lowry received no special ad- 
vantages in his youth and what he ac- 
complished in life was due to his inherent 
force of character, his strong determina- 



tion and his unfaltering diligence. He at- 
tended only the common schools and after- 
ward learned the blacksmith's trade, while 
residmg in Fayette county. He did not find 
that occupation congenial, however, and 
resumed farming, which he carried on for 
several years in Christian county, there re- 
maining until 1854, when he took up his 
abode in Mount Auburn. There he again 
worked at the blacksmith's trade for a brief 
period, but after his marriage he resumed 
farming in Christian county and followed 
that occupation continuously throughout 
his business career. 

While living in Fayette county, Francis 
M. Lowry was joined in wedlock to Miss 
Meekey M. Grider, a native of Montgom- 
ery county, Illinois, born on the 24th of 
May, 1827. Her parents were Jackson and . 
Malinda (Scribner) Grider, the former a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ten- 
nessee. In an early day in the development 
and improvement of this state Mr. Grider 
came to Illinois and throughout his entire 
life he carried on agricultural pursuits, his 
death occurring in Alount Auburn, Christian 
county. His wife passed away in Niantic, 
Macon county, in March, 1881. The home 
of Mr. and Mrs. Lowry was blessed with 
seven children: Andrew ]., who married 
Nellie Godfrey, and is a molder by trade, 
residing in Decatur; Mary E., the wife of 
Francis Smith, whose home is now in Mo- 
weaqua; Francis M.,who wedded Lillie Hoy- 
land, and is a blacksmith of Decatur; C. 
Edgar, who married Ollie Robbins, and is 
a machinist of Springfield, Illinois; Malinda, 
who is the wife of William P. Jones, a coal 
miner of Macon county ; Harriet, who is an 
operator for the Western Union Telegraph 
Company, and resides with her mother; and 
Martha J., who is the wife of Earl Oben- 
jane, of Decatur. He is employed in the 
Review office and his wife in the Western 
I'nion Telegraph office. 

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Lowry 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



327 



donned the blue uniform of the nation and 
went south in defense of the Union. He 
was a brave and loyal soldier, ever true to 
the cause which he espoused, and for three 
years and five days he served in the army. 
He therein contracted the disease which 
caused his death on the 30th of June, 1873. 
He voted with the Republican party and 
he belonged to the United Brethren church. 
His life was in harmony with its teachings 
and its principles permeated his actions and 
his relations to his fellow men. He was 
always straightforward in his dealings and 
his genuine worth was acknowledged by all 
with whom he came in contact. After los- 
ing her husband Mrs. Lowry removed to 
the village of Niantic, where she resided 
until 1887, when she came to Decatur, where 
she has since made her home, living at No. 
404 East Division street. She belongs to 
the United Brethren church in this city and 
is widely known in its circles and elsewhere 
in the county. 



CAPTAIN ROBERT P. LYTLE. 

For twenty-two years Captain Robert P. 
Lytle has been connected with the postoffice 
of Decatur, for twelve years serving as post- 
master and for the remainder of the time 
as assistant postmaster. He is acting in 
the latter capacity at the present and there 
has been no more trustworthy official ever 
connected with the mail service of this city 
than Air. Lytle. 

Born in Pennsylvania, on the 8th of July, 
1837, his birthplace was in Erie county. His 
paternal great-grandfather was John Lytle, 
a soldier of the war of the Revolution. The 
grandfather was John Lytle and the father 
of our subject was Andrew Lytle. The lat- 
ter was born in Pennsylvania in the year 
1806 and became a tanner by trade. He fol- 
lowed that pursuit for some years, but sub- 
sequently turned his attention to farming. 
For a number of 3'ears he served as an of- 



ficer in the Pennsylvania militia. In the 
Keystone state he was united in marriage 
to Miss Nancy McKay, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, who died in 1892, her home being in 
Waterford, Pennsylvania. The father died 
in 1876. 

Captain Lytle, whose name introduces 
this review, is indebted to the public school 
system of his native city for the educational 
privileges he enjoyed. He afterward at- 
tended the Waterford Academy at Water- 
ford, Pennsylvania, where he pursued his 
studies for a year. He then accepted a 
clerkship in a general store owned by the 
Sharon Iron Company at Clay Furnace, 
Pennsylvania, where he remained for three 
years. On the expiration of that period he 
removed to Buffalo, New York, where he 
was in a commercial college during the 
winter of 1857-58. During the latter year 
he came to Illinois and settled first at New 
Boston in Mercer county, where he accepted 
a position as bookkeeper in a general store, 
but after the inauguration of the Civil war 
he could not content himself to remain in 
business life while his country was in dan- 
ger and he therefore gave up his position 
to enlist on the 20th of August, 1861, at 
Springfield, as a member of Company G, 
Twenty-seventh Illinois Infantry under the 
command of Captain Southward and Colo- 
nel N. B. Buford. The regiment was sent 
to Cairo, Illinois, in September of the same 
year and was assigned to General John A. 
McClernand's Brigade, which was composed 
of the Twenty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, 
Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first 
of the Illinois regiments. With his com- 
mand Captain Lytle participated in a num- 
ber of engagements and skirmishes. He 
was present at the battle of Belmont, Mis- 
souri, on the 7th of November, 1861, and 
the regiment being detached from Mc- 
Clernand's Brigade and assigned to the gun- 
boat flotilla, participated in the siege of 
Island No. 10. He took part in the siege 



328 



Pa:?!' AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



of Corinth in June, 1862, was at Nashville, 
Tennessee, from September 11 to Novem- 
ber 23, and during this time participated in 
the battle of La Vergne, followed by the 
battle of Stone River. On the 19th and 20th 
of September, 1863, he was in the battle of 
Chickamauga and in the battle of Mission- 
ary Ridge on the 25th of November, 1863, 
at which place he was wounded in the right 
leg and right arm. In consequence he was 
sent to the hospital. When he had par- 
tially recovered his wounds he rejoined his 
regiment at Loudon, Tennessee, and par- 
ticipated in the battles of Rockyface Ridge, 
Resaca, lUunt Hickory and Kenesaw Moun- 
tain. In the last engagement, June 27, 1864, 
he lost his left arm. On the 20th of Sep- 
tember, 1864, he was honorably discharged 
and, "being mustered out of service, returned 
to Pennsylvania. 

Captain Lytle spent tlie winter of 1864-5 
in the Ke3'Stone state and in the later year 
went to Nashville, Tennessee, in the inter- 
est of the American Bridge Company, re- 
maining in the south until the company 
closed up their business there. He then 
returned to the north and since 1866 has 
been a resident of Decatur. He was first; 
employed as a bookkeeper by William Lint- 
ner & Company, of this city, remaining with 
that house for si.x and a half years. In 1872 
he organized the Decatur Coffin Company 
in partnership with Thomas T. Roberts, the 
business being carried on under the firm 
style of Roberts & Lytle. Thus he contin- 
ued in the manufacture of cofifins and cas- 
kets until 1875, when he sold his interest, 
for in that year he was appointed postmas- 
ter of 1 )ecatur, in which capacity he served 
for twelve years under various administra- 
tions. On the expiration of his term in 
1887 he again entered commercial circles 
as a member of the Lytle & Eckles Hard- 
ware Comj^any and for five years was asso- 
ciated with that business. In 1893. how- 
ever, the firm disposed of its interests and 



soon afterward Captain Lytle was appointed 
assistant postmaster under William F. Cal- 
houn. His previous connection with the 
office and his thorough understanding of 
the business make him a most capable as- 
sistant and one who merits the highest con- 
fidence and regard of those with whom he 
is associated in an official capacity. 

On the i2lh of January, 1864, Mr. Lytle 
was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth 
Smith of Waterford, Pennsylvania, a 
(laughter of George and Mary Smith. Four 
children were born of this union: Harry 
Wells, who is now in Kansas City, Mis- 
souri ; Frank A., of Decatur ; Robert B., 
who died in 1891 ; and Edith Ma)-, the wife 
of Craig Smith, a resident of Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania. Both the Captain and Mrs. 
Lytle are well known in Decatur and the 
circle of their friends is almost co-extensive 
with the circle of their acquaintances. They 
reside at No. 521 West Williams street and 
they are members of the First Presbyterian 
church, with which the Captain has been 
identified for more than thirty years. He 
takes a most active and helpful interest in 
everything pertaining to the progress and 
improvement of the church. In his political 
views he is a stalwart Republican and has 
labored earnestly for the success of the prin- 
ciples which he believes will best promote 
county, state and national w^elfare. He was 
for ten years chairman of the Macon 
County Republican Central Committee. For 
three years he was township and city col- 
lector and in these various positions has 
manifested the same loyalty to duty that he 
displays in the postoffice. He is a man of 
broad capal)ilities, is ever courteous and at 
all times is a gentleman in the truest and 
best sense of the term. He cares not for 
display nor is there about him the least 
shadow of mock modesty. He is a gentle- 
man of fine traits and thorough culture, oc- 
cupying a leading place in the regard of his 
friends as well as in official circles in De- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



329 



catur. He takes an active interest in the 
Grand Army and its work and is past com- 
mander of the post at Decatur, which was 
the first ever organized, this being the birth- 
place of the order known as the .Grand Army 
of the Republic. He was made senior vice 
commander of the department of Illinois in 
1888 and has frequently been a delegate to 
various national encampments. 



DAVID PATTERSON. 

In reviewing this history of David Patter- 
son one is reminded of the words of a great 
New York financier, who said : "If you are 
not a success, don't blame the times you 
live in, don't blame the place you occupy, 
don't blame the circumstances you are sur- 
rounded with — lay the blame where it be- 
longs — to yourself. Not in time, place nor 
circumstance, but in the man, lies success. 
If you want success you must pay the price." 
Realizing the truth of this, Mr. Patterson 
has paid the price of concentrated efifort, 
indefatigable energy, of perseverance and 
well applied business principles and has 
won the victory which he determined to 
gain when he started out upon an independ- 
ent business career. He is to-day an ex- 
tensive landowner of Macon county and one 
of the representative citizens of Decatur. 

A native of Scotland, Mr. Patterson was 
born in Dumfrieshire, in April, 1835, a son 
of George Patterson, who died when the 
subject of this review was but six years 
of age. Two years later the mother also 
passed away and thus David was left an 
orphan when a little lad of eight summers. 
He went to live with an aunt, with whom he 
made his home for three years and during 
one year of that time he earned a small 
sum of money by herding cattle. 'When a 
youth of eleven years he began work as a 
farm hand and during the summer months 
was given some money for his services. 



while in the winter months he worked for 
his board and the privilege of attending 
school. It will thus be seen that his youth 
was a period of toil. He had few of the ad- 
vantages which most boys enjoy, the cares 
and responsibilities of life coming to him 
very early. After working as a farm hand 
for a time he secured a position as a sheep- 
herder in the mountains and was thus em- 
ployed until he was about fifteen years of 
age, when he determined to prepare for a 
trade and served an apprenticeship to a car- 
penter in Dumfrieshire, the man by whom 
he had previously been employed going as 
security on the apprenticeship bond. This 
was certainly indicative of his former faith- 
fulness and fidelity to the earlier employer. 
During his apprenticeship he also attended 
school for three months during the year 
and thus his education was completed, save 
that in the school of experience he has 
learned many valuable lessons. He attend- 
ed school altogether for perhaps a year, but 
life's practical duties have brought him 
knowledge that has proven of marked ben- 
efit in the active afifairs of life. After com- 
pleting a four years' apprenticeship, during 
which time he had become master of car- 
pentering, he was employed as a journey- 
man for a year, but business opportunities 
were not very great in his native land and 
he resolved that he would come to Amer- 
ica, where he hoped to have better advant- 
ages for advancement. 

Having no money, Mr. Patterson bor- 
rowed a sum sufficient to pay his passage 
across the ocean. He made the journey in 
a sailing vessel and seven weeks and three 
days had passed ere the voyage was com- 
pleted and anchor was dropped in the Amer- 
ican harbor. Mr. Patterson was then about 
twenty years of age — a young man resolute, 
determined and enterprising. Coming at 
once to Illinois, he located first in Sanga- 
mon county, where he had relatives living 
and soon afterward secured a position at 



330 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the carpenter's trade in Atlanta, Logan 
county, where lie worked for two weeks. 
He then went to Buffalo Hart Grove, in 
Sangamon county, and afterward spent 
some time in Missouri, residing in Benton 
and in St. Clair counties of that state for 
si.x years, lie prospered in his work there 
and, making judicious investments of his 
money, became the owner of a good farm of 
three Inmdred and ten acres in St. Clair 
county. He not only was interested in 
general farming but also became quite well 
known as a stock-dealer. In partnership 
with a cousin he purchased four hundred 
liead of cattle in Missouri with the intention 
of bringing them to Illinois, where he hoped 
to dispose of them at an advanced price, 
but the speculation proved unfortunate. 
This was the year of the great frost in Au- 
gust, 1863, and he thus lost all that he had 
previously saved. He did not allow his 
losses, however, to affect his courage or his 
ambition, and on returning to Illinois he 
worked at his trade in Mount Pulaski, Lo- 
gan county. Later he returned to Missouri 
and for a year and a half followed carpenter- 
ing in Sedalia. 

At the end of that time he sold his farm 
property in St. Clair county and again came 
to Illinois. For some time thereafter his 
energies were devoted to the dual occupa- 
tion of carpentering and farming, for while 
working at building operations he also man- 
aged a farm which he had rented in Logan 
county. Thus he again managed to gain 
a start in the world and when he had won 
a sufficiCTit sum of money he purchased 
fifty-six acres of land on section 18, Austin 
township, whereon he resided until his re- 
moval to Decatur. He then put aside 
carpenter work in order to devote his en- 
tire attention to the farm and gradually he 
has advanced until he is to-day one of the 
most prosperous and extensive landowners 
of the county. From time to time he has 
added to his properly until he now owns 



fourteen hundred acres of land in Macon 
county. He erected one of the best farm 
residences of his township, his home being 
a commodious one and in the rear stand 
good barns and all the necessary outbuild- 
ings for the shelter of grain and stock. 
He carried on farm work along progressive 
lines aiul throughout his connection with 
that department of business was classed 
with the most enterprising agriculturists 
of the conuuunity. In 1887 he left his farm 
and took up his abode in the city of De- 
catur, where he is now engaged in real 
estate operations. Here he has built four 
residences at an average cost of five thous- 
and dollars, and he also owns a business 
lot at the corner of Church and Williams 
street, another at the corner of Cerro Gordo 
and Church streets, a house on North Ed- 
wards street and forty-three acres of land 
near the Pugh street school, all of which 
property he has acquired since coming to 
Decatur. 

In 1868 Mr. Patterson was united in 
marriage to Miss Elizabeth Wright, a 
native of Scotland, and unto them have 
been born three children, one of whom is 
now deceased. John T., who is engaged in 
agricultural pursuits and resides in Decatur, 
married Emma Christensen and has three 
children, one son and two daughters; 
David, who is also a farmer living in De- 
catur, married Laura Christensen, a sister 
of his brother's wife, and they have three 
children ; Joseph died at the age of four 
years. The mother of these children 
passed away in September, 1875, and in 
October, 1876, Mr. Patterson was joined 
in wedlock to Mrs. Fannie (Smith) Parks, 
a native of Effingham county, Illinois. 

In his political affiliations Mr. Patterson 
has always been a Democrat, but has never 
been an active politician. He has, however, 
served for a number of terms as a school 
director, for six years was township trustee 
and for two years represented his town on 




J^r i>/// ^/^'^'i/^zr.x 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



33S 



the board of supervisors. His attention, 
however, has chiefly been given to his busi- 
ness affairs and along lines of well directed 
effort he has achieved success that enables 
him to be numbered among the capitalists 
of his adopted county. Obstacles and diffi- 
culties have impeded his progress and yet 
he has surmounted these and gone steadily 
onward to the goal of prosperity. His 
career is that of an upright and conscien- 
tious business man who well merits the 
prosperity that has come to him. 



FRANK H. WHITMER. 

Frank H. Whitmer is one of the younger 
representatives of business interests in De- 
catur, yet is one of the most progressive 
and prominent. Could the citizens of a half 
century ago have been told that there would 
in the course of a few years be instituted 
a central system of heating for a locality, 
whereby heating plants in private homes 
could be dispensed with, the tale would 
have been received as the idea of a dreamer, 
and yet this has come to pass and to-day 
there is scarcely a city of any size in the 
United States that does not possess such a 
system. Frank H. Whitmer is now the 
general manager of the Whitmer Steam 
Heating & Power Plant of Decatur, which 
industry is classed among the most import- 
ant and extensive here. 

One of the native sons of the city, Mr. 
Whitmer was born February 6, 1875, and is 
a son of Henry M. and Anna (App) Whit- 
mer. The father was born in Pennsylvania 
near Harrisburg and was a mechanic of 
natural ability in that direction. In his 
younger years he was engaged in the manu- 
facture of sash and door frames. In the 
year 1859 he came to Decatur, finding here 
a small city with few industrial interests, 
yet giving promise' of future development. 
Mr. Whitmer engaged in brick contracting 



and met with success in his undertakings 
in the west. He was the only one of the 
family, however, to come to Illinois. In 
1892, seeing an opening for the establish- 
ment of a new business, he established the 
Whitmer Steam Heating & Power Plant 
of Decatur and continued his connection 
therewith until his death, which occurred 
November 3, 1899, when he was sixty-four 
years of age. He was a man of splendid 
business ability and of keen discernment 
and his efforts proved valuable in the ex- 
pansion of the city and its material growth. 
His widow still survives him and is living 
in this city. They were the parents of the 
following named: Edward, who is a resi- 
dent of Jacksonville, Illinois; Alberta B., 
who is the wife of Harry Byrne, of Chi- 
cago; Howard, deceased; Cora, the wife of 
Arthur L. McNabb, of Decatur; and Frank 
H., of this review. 

The last named acquired his education in 
the public schools of Decatur and spent his 
youth in the usual manner of the boys of 
the period, enjoying the pleasures of the 
playground, which were alternated with 
school and other duties. At the age of 
eighteen years, however, he entered upon 
his business career in connection with the 
operation of the heating plant. The Whit- 
mer Steam Heating & Power Plant has 
fifteen thousand feet of mains and fifty 
thousand feet of radiation and covers seven 
blocks of Decatur. Seven boilers are used 
with a total capacity of seven hundred and 
forty horse power. Two teams are con- 
stantly employed in hauling coal, the plant 
using thirty tons of coal per day. Ordi- 
narily only five boilers of the seven are in 
operation. These are Babcock & Wilcox 
water tube boilers of one hundred and fifty 
horse power capacity each, and there are 
two Oakes fire tube boilers of one hundred 
horse power each and three of eighty horse 
power each. There is an average pressure 
carried of from one hundred to one hun- 



334 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



dred and fifteen pounds. The plant was 
established, as before stated, in 1892 by 
Henry M. W'hitmer, and the son Frank II. 
Whitmer early became interested in its 
workings. The business grew rapidly and 
in 1894 two large boilers were added, one 
of which is kept in reserve. Two pmnps 
are kept busy, supplj'ing water which is 
forced into two large tanks and from there 
is conveyed to the boilers, while two are 
kept in reserve. A double system is used, 
so tliat if one part of the plant is disabled 
from any cause the other can be immedi- 
ately put in operation. There are four reg- 
ular firemen and one extra fireman em- 
ployed and its extensive business in its vari- 
ous departments is under the n-^anagement 
of Frank H. Whitmer. The plant is now 
one of the most important enterprises in 
Decatur. In 1899 Mr. Whitmer also be- 
came interested as a third owner in the 
laundry at 147 South Water street, Decatur. 
For a time the owners were J. H. Rainey, 
E. C. Stein and F. H. Whitmer. During 
the first year, however, Mr. Whitmer pur- 
chased Mr. Rainey 's interest and the busi- 
ness has since been carried on under the 
name of the Decatur Model Laundry Com- 
pany. All the latest machinery necessary 
to enlarge and modernize the ])lant was 
purchased so that it is now as complete in 
its equipments as any establishment found 
in any city of the ?*Iississii)])i valley. 

In 1896 Mr. Whitmer was happily mar- 
ried to Miss Lula Alallory, a daughter of 
Rollin V. Mallory, of Decatur. They oc- 
cupy an enviable position in social circles, 
where the hospitality of many of the best 
homes in this city is graciously and freely 
accorded them. Mr. Whitmer became a 
meml)er of Chevalier liayard Lodge, No. 
189, K. P.. in 1896, and he is also a member 
of the Iroquois Club and of the lodge of 
Stationary luigineers. What he has already 
accomplished in the business world is an in- 
dication of his ability and argues well for a 



successful future. He stands as a well 
known representative of industrial circles 
here and one whose faith in Decatur is in- 
dicated by his active co-operation in public 
measures for the general good. 



ROBERT TAGGART. 

Mr. Taggart became a resident of De- 
catur in 1890, but was connected with a 
business where acquaintances are extensive- 
ly and rapidly formed and thus he became 
widely known, enjoying in large measure 
the respect and confidence of those with 
whom he was associated so that his death 
was deeply deplored by many friends. Dur- 
ing his residence in Decatur he was pro- 
prietor of the Central Hotel. A native 
of Ireland, his birth occurred on the Emer- 
ald Isle, on the 15th of August, 1857, his 
parents, being Thomas and Martha (Kings- 
burj') Taggart, both of whom were natives 
of Ireland, whence they came to America 
about 1859, bringing with them their fam- 
ily. They settled in Xenia, Ohio, where the 
father secured a position as baggage master 
on the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, 
serving in that capacity continuously until 
his death. His wife also died in Xenia. 

Robert Taggart attended school in Xenia 
and he was a self-educated as well as self- 
made man. By doing chores and little odd 
jobs he saved up enough money to educate 
himself and thus prepared for the business 
world. He went to Cincinnati, where he at- 
tended a business college for one term. Re- 
turning then to Xenia he there began brick- 
making, but continued in that work for 
but a short time. He afterward accepted 
a position as a clerk in a hotel in Xenia 
known as the old Corey House and thus re- 
ceived his first experience and training in 
the work which was to be the source of 
his income throughout the greater part of 
his life. He proved a jiopular clerk because 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



335 



of his obliging manner, his close fidelity to 
duty and his devotion to the interests of 
those whom he served. For several years 
he continued as clerk in Xenia and then 
removed to Terre Haute, Indiana, where he 
still continued in the hotel business. He 
became manager of the N. G. Omer House 
and held that position for twelve years, on 
the expiration of which period he came 
to Decatur. Arriving in this city in 1890 
he purchased what is known as the Central 
Hotel and continued to conduct it with 
marked success until his death. He made 
it an excellent hostelry which won favor 
with the traveling public because of the en- 
tertainment furnished the guests by a host 
who did everything in his power to pro- 
mote their comfort and welfare, while they 
were his guests. 

Mr. Taggart was married December 19, 
1877, in Xenia, Ohio, to Miss Mary Green- 
wood, a native of that city and a daughter 
of Robert and Elizabeth (Layman) Green- 
wood. Her father was a native of England, 
but coming to America resided in early 
manhood in Virginia, where he was overseer 
of slaves. He afterward removed to Greene 
county. ( )hio, where he engaged in farming 
until his death, maj<ing his home near Xenia. 
His wife was a native of Pennsylvania, and 
she, too, died in the Buckeye state. Unto 
Mr. and Mrs. Taggart were born five chil- 
dren : Ralph, who is now day clerk in the 
St. -Nicholas Hotel of this city; Thomas, 
who is a clerk in the chief engineer's office 
at Chicago, Illinois; Robert, who is serving 
as a clerk in a hotel at Frenchlick, Indiana ; 
Mary, who resides at home ; and Edgar, 
who is also with his mother. 

In his political views Mr. Taggart was a 
stalwart Republican, but never turned aside 
from business cares to seek political prefer- 
ment. He held membership in the Masonic 
lodge at Terre Haute, Indiana, and also at- 
tained the Knight Templar degree in the 
■commandery there. He belonged to the In- 



dependent Order of Odd Fellows of Xenia 
and both he and his wife were members of 
the Presbyterian church. For three years 
after his death Mrs. Taggart conducted the 
hotel, showing excellent business ability and 
marked powers as a manager. She then pur- 
chased her present home at No. 443 North 
Morgan street in Decatur, where with her 
children she now resides. She is quite prom- 
inent in the social circles of this city and has 
many warm friends. 

Mr. Taggart passed away on the 29th of 
November, 1897, at Battle Creek, Michigan, 
and was buried in Greenwood cemetery, 
Decatur. He was prominent and influential 
in Decatur, -where he had become widely 
known and where the sterling traits of his 
character had gained for him warm regard. 
He was richly endowed in those qualities 
of manhood that win friendship and he 
had the happy faculty of drawing closer to 
him as the years passed the friends whose 
regard he once gained. His geniality and 
courteous manner were among the salient 
features of his career and added to these 
qualities was strong determination and ex- 
cellent management, which in his business 
life won for him a fair measure of success. 



GEORGE F. LOWE. 
One of the prominent and representative 
citizens of Pleasant \'iew township in the 
gentleman whose name introduces this 
sketch. He is a native of Illinois, born in 
Summerfield. St. Clair county, and belongs 
to an old and honored family of this state. 
His father Captain George Franklin Lowe, 
was born in Tennessee in 1816, but was 
only three years old when he came to Illi- 
nois with his parents, and settled in St. 
Clair county, where the grandfather of our 
subject purchased land, which later became 
the property of the father. A part of the 
old homestead was afterward laid out to 



3.36 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



form the village of Sumnierfield. In early 
manhood Captain Lowe married ]\Iiss 
Martha Phillips, who was born in Wash- 
ington county, Illinois, and was a daughter 
of Colonel Phillips, who entered the army 
as a private during the Mexican war and 
rose to the rank of colonel. He was a prom- 
inent and extensive farmer of Washington 
county, where he owned about a section of 
land. When the country became involved 
in civil war the father of our subject was 
commissioned captain of a companv or- 
ganized in St. Clair county and assigned to 
the One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry. After the war he 
continued to make his home in that county 
until 1881, when he came to Macon county 
and purchased a farm of ninety-two and a 
half acres near the village of Macon, but 
after the death of his wife, which occurred 
in 1885, 'le sold the place to his sons, Al- 
bert and George, and now makes his home 
in Kewanee, Illinois, where he owns prop- 
erty. 

George F. Lowe is the eighth in order of 
birth in a family of ten children, the others 
being as follows: J. H., a physician, died 
in Kewanee, leaving a family; Emma is at 
home with her father; Ellen married Dr. 
David Alvis and lives in Kewanee; Lucy 
is the wife of B. H. Ober, who is engaged 
in the manufacture of steam heaters in 
Duluth, Minnesota; A. G. married Hattie 
Cameron and resides in Chicago, although 
he is now in Texas; Albert married Ruth 
Spencer and follows farming in Shelby 
county, Missouri ; Addie is the wife of John 
W. Seibert, who owns and operates a farm 
of one hundred and sixty acres near Eldo- 
rado, Kansas ; F. O. married Lena Jacobs 
and is engaged in the practice of medicine 
in Kewanee, Illinois; and C. E. married 
Sarah Hill and makes his home in Winfield, 
Kansas, wJierc he has been a teacher in the 
Winfield Academy, a Methodist institution, 



and also had charge of the accounts of the 
.school. 

The primary education of our subject was 
obtained in the schools of Sumnierfield and 
he later attended McKendree College, which 
was then in charge of his uncle D. W. Phil- 
lips, as president. That gentleman was also 
presiding elder in the Alton district for a 
time and was a prominent clergyman of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 
Chicago, having superannuated relations 
with the church at that time. It was the 
intention of Mr. Lowe to fit himself for the 
medical profession, and for some time he 
studied under the direction of his brother. 
Dr. J. H. Lowe, of Kewanee, his brother 
Frank O. being a student there at the same 
time. The latter completed his course and 
is now practicing at Kewanee, but our sub- 
ject was obliged to give up his studies 
on account of ill health and in 1884 
commenced farming in Macon county. 
As previously stated he and his brother, 
Albert, now of Missouri, bought the father's 
farm in this county, which with their other 
jjroperty here made them owners of one 
hundred and seventy-two and a half acres. 
Our subject finally sold out and on the ist 
of January, 1897, went to Texas, locating 
in Brazoria county between Houston and 
Galveston, where he engaged in the fruit 
and real estate business for nearly two 
years. He next made his home in the Iron 
mountain district of Missouri, for a time, 
and then returned to Macon county, Illi- 
nois. After residing for a short time ill 
Blue Mound he purchased his present farm 
of eighty acres on section 35, Pleasant 
View township, which is now worth one 
hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre. 
It is now under a high state of cultivation 
and improved in a worthy manner. 

On the 24th of March, 1887, Mr. Lowe 
was united in marriage to Miss Effie L. 
Reedy, who was born in Ross county, 
Ohio, April 14, 1868, a daughter of Anios 






Z^- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



339 



and Rose (Bookwalter) Reedy, in whose 
family are four children: Elmer E., who 
lives with his parents near Macon; Susie, 
now the widow of James E. House and a 
resident of Blue Mound ; Effie L., wife of 
our subject; and Mayme, wife of E. J. 
Divan, a real estate dealer of Decatur. Un- 
to Mr. and Mrs. Lowe have been born three 
children ; Bessie E., born October 27, 1889 ; 
George Mervil, born September 25, 1892; 
and Wayne Reedy, born January 4, 1895. 

As a Republican Mr. Lowe takes quite 
an active and influential part in local poli- 
tics and has been a delegate to the county 
conventions of his party. He is a promi- 
nent member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church at Blue Mound, is now serving as 
trustee. He is widely and favorably known 
in the county of his adoption and by the 
possession of those qualities, which in 
every land and clime command respect, he 
has won manv friends. 



JOHN H. CULVER. 
The term "captains of industry" is a fa- 
miliar one in the parlance of the day and 
has arisen from the conditions existing at 
the present age of the world's history when 
business activity has replaced the records 
of wars and conquests. The men who 
awaken public attention and regard are they 
who are controlling the large commercial 
and industrial interests of the country. Each 
city has its representative men who have 
worthily won this title through their man- 
agement of extensive business concerns. 
The praise and compliment it implies is 
due John H. Culver, of Decatur, whose asso- 
ciation with important industries has caused 
him to be classed among the leading resi- 
dents of this city and made him a man of 
wealth, notwithstanding that in his career 
there have been days of trial and discour- 
agement when disaster threatened and de- 



feat seemed imminent. His capability, per- 
severance and honorable dealing have tri-, 
umphed over adversity and now he stands 
as one of the foremost representatives of 
Inisiness life not only in Decatur but in 
Illinois as well. 

A native of Christian county, this state, 
John H. Culver was born on the 26th of 
December, 1858, a son of Edward and Eliza- 
beth (Scolt) Culver. The father was a 
farmer by occupation and also engaged in 
stock-raising. He became well knovyn as 
a landowner in Nebraska but made his 
home in Macon county until 1883, when he 
removed to the west. He passed away in 
Blue Mound, Illinois, in 1891, at the age of 
sixty-two years, and his wife died in 1884. 

John H. Culver was only five years of age 
when brought by his parents to Macon 
county. Here under the parental roof he was 
reared and at the age of sixteen he supple- 
mented his early educational privileges by 
study in the normal school at Taylorville. 
When he had completed a thorough busi- 
ness course he accepted a position in the 
office of his brother, J. S. Culver, of Tay- 
lorville, who was owner of an extensive 
monument estiiblishment there and at sev- 
eral other points. John H. Culver soon 
mastered the business and became super- 
intendent of the plants. On attaining his 
majority, however, he returned to Macon 
county and through the succeeding three 
years was engaged in teaching school with 
good success. On the expiration of that 
period he rejoined his brother, who in the 
meantime had established headquarters at 
Springfield, Illinois, and there he devoted 
his entire attention to the mastery of all the 
details of monumental work save the strictly 
mechanical part of the business. At nine 
different points in Illinois his brother had 
established monumental works and was in 
control of a mammoth enterprise in that 
line. John H. Culver eventually became a 
partner in the enterprise and soon afterward 



340 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



they closed all the branch yards and ^really 
increased the capacity of the central estab- 
lishment. They concentrated their work 
and business there, their patronajje being 
very extensive and their work returning to 
them a s|)lendid income. Their partnershi]) 
continued for four years, at the end of which 
time John H. Culver sold out and came to 
Decatur, arriving in i88y. 

In the meantime the business of the firm 
met with disaster, not through any lack of 
capable management but because they dis- 
charged a debt or obligation of honor, which 
left them financially cripjiled. They had 
endorsed for the contractor on government 
work at Fort f^iley, Kansas, and as he failed 
to carry out his contract, it was finished by 
the Culver Pirothers, but this left them in 
very straitened financial circumstances. 
When John H. Culver arrived in Decatur 
he had but one liundred and fifty-eight dol- 
lars, and within the fourteen years which 
have since elapsed he has become one of 
the wealthy men of this part of the state. 
During the two years following his removal 
to Decatur he was upon the road as a trav- 
eling salesman for his monument house and 
his business reached a phenomenal figure. 
He worked night and day to retrieve his lost 
fortunes and his efforts were ceaseless until 
he had passed the financial goal which he 
had previously reached. In 1891 he opened 
a small establishment for the handling of 
electrical sup])lies. Not long after tliis R. 
F. Piatt obtained a franchise from the city 
for commercial lighting, but failing in the 
conduct of his business Mr. Culver and his 
partners fell heir, in a way, to his franchise 
and shortly after securing another franchise 
they incorporated the Municipal ]£lectric 
Company of Decatur, with a capital stock 
of twenty-five thousand dollars and Mr. Cul- 
ver as the president. Thus he entered upon 
a new field of labor, which he has expanded 
and developed until the scope of his efforts 
is most far-reaching, the work proving of 



benefit to many cities as well as a source of 
great remuneration to himself. The busi- 
ness of the new company was successfully 
managed for a few years but in 1895 failing 
health compelled Mr. Culver to seek a 
change of climate and he went to Florida. 
Upon his return a few months later he 
found the concern in the hands of a re- 
cei\er. but with his customary energy he 
took hold of the business and within ten 
months the receiver was discharged and the 
enterprise once more on a paying basis. 
The capable control and business foresight 
of Mr. Culver were manifest in the con- 
stantly increasing success attendant upon 
this enterprise and in 1898 the plant was 
sold by him for one hundred and fifty thou- 
sand dollars. For a number of years he 
has been engaged in the building and con- 
trol of various light, water and heating 
plants all over the state of Illinois and yet 
retains the ownership of some of these, in- 
cluding the Tuscola Light & Heating Plant 
and an interest in the Assumption Light & 
Heating Company. He was also at one 
time the owner of a siinilar plant at Mo- 
weaqua, Illinois. In addition to his own 
plants Mr. Culver has built many ])lants 
for others throughout the state, including 
the Capitol lighting ])lant for the state of 
Illinois at Springfield. 

Tie who reads between the lines will 
le-arn of the wonderftd managerial ability, 
marked foresight, undaunted energy and 
above all the indefatigable industry of John 
H. Culver, who within the comparatively 
short space of fourteen years has built uj) 
a fortune which would be regarded by many 
as a splendid achievement of an entire life- 
time. He has made judicious investments 
of his increasing capital in real estate and 
now has large property interests, including 
ftnir thousand acres of land in Minnesota, 
several hundred acres in the corn belt of 
Illinois and also property in Missouri and 
Nebraska. He owns the Piatt, ^lueller & 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



341 



Wheeland block, the postoffice block, the 
Culver building and other valuable proper- 
ties in Decatur, and through his investments 
in this direction has done much for the ma- 
terial improvement of the city. 

On the nth of March, 1886, in Macon 
county, was celebrated the marriage of John 
H. Culver and Miss Florence Hight, a 
daughter of R. \V. Hight, of Macon town- 
ship, and unto them have been born ' two 
children, Elizabeth and Ruth, both attend- 
ing school in this city. Mrs. Culver has 
indeed been a faithful companion and help- 
mate to her husband, encouraging him in 
the dark days of his adversity and even as- 
sisting him in his efforts to regain a foot- 
ing in the business world by acting as his 
bookkeeper for two years after he again 
started in business in this city. She now 
presides with gracious and charming hospi- 
tality over their beautiful home at No. 412 
Prairie avenue, one of the finest residences 
of the city, and containing one of the largest 
and most complete libraries of the city. 
This home is supplied with all that wealth 
can secvtre and refined taste suggest and is 
a fitting monument to the life and labors of 
its owner. Both Mr. and Mrs. Culver are 
members of the Grace Methodist Episcopal 
church. 

Mr. Culver exercises his right of fran- 
chise in support of the men and measures 
of the Republican party and keeps well in- 
formed on the issues of the day and the 
great questions effecting the nation's wel- 
fare at home and in its relations with for- 
eign powers. He is the secretary of the 
chamber of commerce of Decatur and is un- 
tiring in his efforts to further the material 
welfare of the city. Fraternally he is con- 
nected with Ionic Lodge, No. 312, F. & A. 
M., of which he is a past master ; Macon 
Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M.; Decatur Council, 
R. & S. M.; and Beaumanoir Commandery, 
No. 9, K. T. ; and he takes a deep interest 
in the workings of the craft. He is also a 



member of Mahommed Temple of the Mys- 
tic Shrine at Peoria. He likewise belongs to 
the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, 
of which he is a charter member, and so- 
cially he is connected with the Decatur and 
Country Clubs. In the fraternal organiza- 
tions he is classed as a most valued member 
because of his absolute fidelity to the prin- 
ciples which form the elements of friend- 
ship. In a review of his business career it 
is easily seen that his success, although it 
seems almost phenomenal, cannot be at- 
tributed to any fortunate combination of cir- 
cumstances. On the contrary he has never 
let pass an opportunity to better his condi- 
tion by hard work, and there have been 
times in his business career when he worked 
almost night and day. He has ever been 
conspicuous among his associates not only 
for his success but for his probity, fairness 
and honorable methods. His identification 
with industrial interests in Decatur covers 
fourteen years and his labors have extended 
far beyond the bounds of this city. During 
this entire time he has so conducted his 
affairs as to merit the confidence and es- 
teem of the entire community and no word 
of censure has ever been uttered against his 
actions. To him has largely been due the 
expansion of industrial interests and while 
far-reaching have been his efforts and bril- 
liant his success, his labors have also proven 
of great benefit to the general public in the 
stimulus o-iven to business activity. 



ELI S. ULERY. 
One of the most prominent and wealthy 
citizens of Macon county whose life has 
been devoted to agricultural pursuits is the 
gentleman whose name initiates this review. 
He was born in Mount Zion township on 
the 12th of December, 1862, his parents be- 
ing Eli and Mary E. (Dillon) Ulery. The 
mother, who died at the early age of twenty- 



342 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



eight years, was a native uf Illinois and a 
daughter of Joshua Dillon, a well known 
stockdcaler and prominent citizen of Mount 
Zion. Our subject's father was born in 
Washington county, Pennsylvania, and on 
coming to Illinois in 1836 settled in the vil- 
lage of Mount Zion, but four years later re- 
moved to a farm on section 2, Mount Zion 
township, which he had purchased and 
which continued to be his home throughout 
the remainder of his life. He was a very 
successful farmer and accumulated a vast 
amount of property although he began life 
for himself with a capital of only twelve 
dollars. Industrious, persevering and en- 
terprising, he steadily worked his way up- 
ward until he was one of the most prosper- 
ous men of his community. During his 
active business life he gave considerable at- 
tention to stock and in early days drove his 
cattle across the country to the New York 
markets. As he acquired any capital he in- 
vested it in new land and in his speculations 
he prospered. In politics he was an ardent 
Republican. He died in December, 1897, 
at the age of eighty-two years, honored and 
respected by all who knew him. He had 
four brothers, all of whom remained in 
Pennsylvania, and all are now deceased. 

Eli S. Ulery began his education in the 
common schools of Mount Zion and at the 
age of fourteen years entered the Christian 
Prothers College at St. Louis, Missouri. 
Immediately after leaving that institution 
he went to Colorado, where he enjoyed the 
novel experiences of a cowboy in the Green 
Horn mountains between Trinidad and 
Pueblo for four years. At the age of eigh- 
teen he returned home and has since en- 
gaged in farming, the buying and selling of 
horses and the shipping of stock. In 1886 
he took charge of the home farm, consisting 
of si.K hundred and forty acres, and has since 
added to his property from time to time un- 
til he is now the owner of eleven hundred 
and eighty acres, most of which is under a 



high state of cultivation and well improved. 

On the loth of March, 1885, Mr. Ulery 
was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Gib- 
son Bell, a daughter of Andrew and Lucy 
Bell, of Mount Zion, and five children bless 
this union, namely : Bernard B., Simon K., 
Mona G., Earl A. and Mary I. 

In 1 901 Mr. Ulery purchased forty acres 
of land of S. S. Bilbj^ in the northern part 
of Mount Zion township and has converted 
a portion of it into picnic and pleasure 
grounds at a considerable cost, naming the 
place Woodbine. Here he has erected an 
artistic log cabin, in which he and his fam- 
ily spend the mid-summer days ; has made 
a beautiful artificial lake ; built a pavilion, 
water tank, boat house and a small hotel ; 
has scattered rustic seats throughout the 
grounds, which are ornamented by foun- 
tains, urns and beautiful flowers. The lake 
is alxjut twenty-four feet in depth and on it 
is run a naphtha launch. Mr. Ulery is very 
fond of sports of all kinds and takes espe- 
cial delight in fishing, making trips for this 
purpose into Louisiana, Missouri and Ar- 
kansas, lie is also interested in a fish pond 
one-half mile south of Mount Zion, the 
other owners being Alexander Scott, W. S. 
Smith, W. C. Smith and T. C. Stoner, Jr. 
In politics he is a Republican but is not 
active in political affairs. He is a typical 
American citizen, thoroughly up-to-date and 
progressive, and his pleasant genial man- 
ners make him quite popular socially, while 
in business affairs 'he is prompt, reliable 
and energetic. 



WALTER M. CRAWFORD. 
The subject of this sketch is one of the 
successful and progressive farmers of Maroa • 
township, his home being on section 23. 
Although he started out in life for himself 
with no capital, he has by persistent effort 
and untiring labor gained a nice home and 





£^0 





/j^^PeZ^djUot^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



345 



comfortable competence that now numbers 
him among the well-to-do and substantial 
citizens of his adopted county. 

Mr. Crawford was born in Virginia, Sep- 
tember 9, 1863, and is the fifth in order of 
birth in a family of nine children, the par- 
ents being Thomas N. and Maria (Lugar) 
Crawford. By occupation the father was a 
veterinary surgeon and farmer. Our sub- 
ject acquired his early education in the dis- 
trict schools of Roanoke county, Virginia, 
where he was reared, and later attended 
high school for a time. He began his busi- 
ness career at the age of twenty years by 
paying his father for one year's work in 
order that he might start out for himself. 
Believing that he could do better in the 
west than in the more thickly populated 
state where his boyhood was passed, he 
came to Illinois in 1883 and worked by the 
month in Macon county for about six years. 
He next engaged in operating rented land 
for eight years, and at the end of tliat 
time purchased eighty acres acres in Maroa 
township where he now resides. In 1897 
he bought another tract of seventy acres, 
and to-day has a well improved and highly 
cultivated farm of one hundred and fifty 
acres in this county and also a farm 
in Grove county, Kansas. Besides the cul- 
tivation of his own land, Mr. Crawford has 
charge of hi.s sister's farm of eighty acres. 
He feeds about fifty head of cattle annually 
and three hundred head of hogs, and finds 
this branch of his business quite profitable. 
He is a stockholder in the Farmer's elevator 
at Maroa and being a man of good business 
ability and sound judgment he usually car- 
ries forward to successful completion what- 
ever he undertakes. 

On the 15th of February, 1889, Mr. Craw- 
ford married Miss Anna Bell Bricker, and 
they have become the parents of three child- 
ren, namely: Ruth, born December 15, 
1893 ; Irene, born February 18, 1895 ; and 
Russell, born February 10, 1897. Mr. Craw- 



ford is pre-eminently a self-made man and 
as one of the leading and successful agricul- 
turists of Macon county he is certainly 
deserving of honorable mention m its his- 
tory. 



GEORGE J. DANZEISEN. 

The prosperity of any community de- 
pends upon its business activity and the 
enterprise manifested in commercial circles 
is the foundation upon which is builded the 
material welfare of city, state and nation. 
The most important factors in public life 
at the present day are therefore the men 
who are in control of successful business 
interests and such a one is George J. Dan- 
zeisen, of Decatur, the senior partner of the 
firm of G. J. Danzeisen & Sons, pork pack- 
ers, and jobbers and dealers in beef. 

Mr. Danzeisen, whose name introduces 
this review, has long resided in Decatur and 
the residents of this place have watched 
his progress from a humble financial posi- 
tion to one of prosperity. He is numbered 
among the worthy citizens that the father- 
land has furnished to the new world, for 
his birth occurred in Baden, Germany, on 
the 2 1st of October, 1834. He is a son of 
George and Sophia (Loser) Danzeisen, who 
were people in moderate circumstances in 
Germany, where they spent their entire 
lives. In accordance with the laws of his 
native country George J. Danzeisen attend- 
ed school between the ages of six and four- 
teen years and at the latter age he put aside 
his text books in order that he might pre- 
pare for a business career, which he did by 
learning the butcher's trade. On the com- 
pletion of the three years' apprenticeship 
in 1854 he galled for America. 

Favorable reports concerning the business 
opportunities of this great country had 
reached him and he believed that he would 
have better advantages in the United 



34« 



PAST -\AD mESEXT OF MACOX COl"XTY. 



Stales, m"bere competiikin is noi so great admitted them to a partnership. As his 

and -wbere priTileg-es- are broader in the bns- ineass ace .he enlarged his business 

mesy Av and a - ^ - -- 

vessel - the c. , 

in tbe hartxir oi New Yoii^ asd trom that of sausages oi all kmds, until now he has 

dr ^ - ■■--;;—-: -■ - -; - t ■ - ^ ■ --■ - -- 

be - . . ~ - . 

be spent a year m tie service of the San- and profitable proportions. His is the best 



Minnesota, where be was employed in a 

br; ■ - ^ 



soatbem part of Decatur, has been supplied 



trade in St. Louis. MissonrL, and there his 

fa- -- " " - - - 

Xd -. - - ; 

years. He had the cntiiie coofidence <^ 

it . - . " iier- 

itf_ .- .r .:-.:- — -- — -:■ -. ; . -- he 
managed to save some money which gave 
hian a start in hie. 

""- ■^'--- -=— -= ------ --n St. Louis 

_ of the war 

oi the Rebelikm m itSbi. He then joined 
ih- ^ ; -': ■ -= -^: Third Regi- 

me -- > and served 

in (Eaereajt parts of tbe state until honorably 

es".- 

1871. In that year Geoa^ j. Danreiswn 
ar- ' ■ " - - been a fac- 

to- ... - -.y. He first 

opened a butcher shop and meat maitet, 
enterir . ' ' - 

Their ._.-.--- - ;. 

scale, but eraduaUy tbey increased its scope 
in -■ . " "^ c»t 

the .:.- . : . :^- . ^ars 

the pvarmersinp was maintained, at the 
end of which time Mr. Elenz p. - 
his partner's interest, Mr. Daazeis^: 
ing the place of busdness now occupied 
bv him at 15 • ^m street. As his 

sons became c . . . . -cb to enter business 
Hie he instructed them in the trade which 
he had learned in ins yorrdi and gradually 



He has erected a lar^e business blodc in 



sdf, but to the surrounding agricultuial 

c - it furnishes a m :. ■ ■ 

th. .-,.--. dealers. Much oi •.... ; 

which he sells is secured through the 
b" ■ -:ock raised in Macon and ad- 

ji . ...?, He has a very large local 

trade and also sells to other tities and 
"owTif m Illinois, doing both a r ■ I 

wholesale business. It furnishes v.....^. - 
ment to thirty laen and the firm of G. J. 
I\ & Sons is to-day the most im- 

p^ :.£.-.: .:. this line in Decatur. 

In October, 1B60. Mr. Danzeisen was 
united in marriage to Miss Maiy Bercher. 
of St. Lonis. /' - ^ '^' - " ". 

in Germany i.- ., 

come the mother of the k»Dowing children : 



The first named wedded Miss Louise Blenz 

a- " " - ' - ' - ir J. married 

M -- . lur. In 1892 

Mr. and Mi^ Danzeisen crossed the At- 

• nd and after an ab- 

- - - - . \ ears he renewed the 

friendships of his youth aini visited again 
the scenes a- h his boyhood 

were passed. . ,r three friends acc..:.- 
panied them on the trip and this visit 
abroad was a roost enjoyable one. Mr. 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF :\IACOX COL'XTY. 



347 



Daiizeisen and his family hold membership 
in the First Lutheran church and contribute 
generously to its support. His life record 
is indicative of the opportunities afforded 
in America to young men who are willing 
to work, who have determination to over- 
come obstacles and Avhose business methods 
are in harmony with the strictest com- 
mercial ethics. He has achieved a success 
of which perhaps he did not dream in his 
youth and at the same time he has won in 
trade and social circles an honorable name. 



WILLIAM M. BUNDY. 

For twelve years William M. Bundy has 
been engaged in business in Decatur as a 
dealer in sand and gravel, and, moreover, 
has been prominent in affairs pertaining to 
the city's welfare and progress, while in 
political circles he is recognized as an active 
and influential worker. At the present 
time he is representing his ward as a mem- 
ber of the city council and Decatur has 
profited by his interest in her behalf along 
many lines of progress and improvement. 

He was born October 9, 1856, in Decatur 
township in an old log house standing near 
the southwest corporation line of the city. 
This is an old historic landmark, especially 
interesting because Abraham Lincoln is 
said to have aided in its erection. Far back 
from the road it stands, almost hidden from 
view by vines in the summer time and 
for a quarter of a century it has been too 
old and broken down to be occupied as a 
human habitation, although for long years 
after it was deserted by the family it served 
as a shelter for stock. It was built fully 
seventy-five years ago and information is 
authentically given that the martyred presi- 
dent of Illinois assisted in raising this pio- 
neer home. The present residence of Mr. 
Bundy is within sight of the old house 
which served as his birthplace. 



He is a son of Elijah and Eliza Ann 
(Wray) Bundy. The father removed from 
Hendricks county, Indiana, to Macon coun- 
ty, Illinois, in early life and for thirty years 
was engaged in the operation of a sawmill, 
being a well known representative of indus- 
trial interests in this part of the state at 
an early day. He also engaged in farming 
to some extent. His father, Alfred Bundy, 
spent his life in Hendricks county, Indiana, 
where he died in 1897, at the advanced 
age of ninety-eight j^ears. The son, Elijah 
Bundy, survived him for only about two 
years and departed this life in 1899, at the 
age of sixty-five. In early manhood he had 
wedded Miss Eliza Ann Wray, a daughter 
of Hampton Wray of Kentucky. She is 
still living and is a most estimable lady who 
fully performed her mother's part in caring 
for her eleven children, doing everything 
in her power to promote their happiness 
and enhance their welfare. The members 
of the family are John, William M., Frank, 
Willis, Laura, Margaret, Roy, Ira and three 
who have passed away — James, Etta and 
Louis. 

Having spent his entire life in this city 
William M. Bundy has a wide acquaintance 
in Decatur and we feel sure many of his 
friends will receive with interest this rec- 
ord of his career. His boyhood days were 
quietly passed in the enjoyment of the 
pleasures of the playground and in the per- 
formance of the duties of the schoolroom. 
His business training was received in his 
father's sawmill and he assisted there in the 
manufacture of lumber for some time. He 
also worked upon the home farm, perform- 
ing his full share in the labors of plowing, 
planting and harvesting. His fitness for 
leadership in public affairs has long been 
recognized and has led to his selection for 
important public service. In 1885 he was 
elected overseer of highways and continued 
to fill that position for twelve consecutive 
years or until 1897. He was also highway 



348 



PAST AND PRESEXT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



commissioner from 1897 until 1900 and in 
1901 he was elected alderman of his ward in 
Decatur, being at the present time a mem- 
ber of the city council. He exercises his 
official prerogatives in support of every 
measure for the welfare and progress of the 
city and his loyalty to the general good is 
above question. He has always been an 
earnest Republican, more or less active in 
local elections, and he believes it the duty 
.as well as the privilege of every American 
citizen to cast his ballot in support of the 
measures which he believes will contribute 
to state and national prosperity. During 
the past twelve years he has been engaged 
in the sand and gravel business in Decatur, 
having a large local market as well as 
making extensive shipments to other towns. 
In 1875 occurred the marriage of William 
M. Bundy and Miss Margaret Godett, a 
daughter of Joseph Godett, who was a 
native of Xova Scotia. Their children are 
Nellie, now the wife of John Perl ; Jessie 
1.: William Guy; and Walter Samuel. 
The social relations of Mr. Bundy connect 
him with Chevalier Bayard Lodge No. 189, 
K. P. ; and Decatur Lodge No. 8, of the 
Loyal Americans. His life has been de- 
voted to his family, his friends, his political 
interests and his business affairs. His un- 
swerving purpose, his unquestioned fidelity, 
his unfaltering honesty and his unchanging 
will have commanded the highest respect 
of all. 



J. T. STUART. 
From pioneer times down to the present 
the Stuart family has been represented in 
Macon county and the name figures on the 
pages of history in connection with agricul- 
tural interests and with many lines of prog- 
ress and improvement which have led to the 
substantial upbuilding of this portion of the 
state. J. T. Stuart, of this review, was born 
July 23, 1836, in a log house on the old 



homestead in Whitmore township where he 
now resides, his parents being David H. 
and Sarah (Florey) Stuart, of whom more 
extended mention is made in the sketch of 
Oliver Stuart on another page of this vol- 
ume. He is the fourth in order of birth in a 
family of eight children and the second old- 
est now living. The family was established 
here in 1829. 

During his boyhood J. T. Stuart attended 
the subscription schools, the little temple 
of learning being a log structure supplied 
with slab benches and desks and a large fire 
place at one end. Leaving school at the age 
of eighteen he then devoted his entire time 
and attention to the work of the home farm, 
having previoush" become thoroughly fa- 
miliar with the same while aiding his father 
in the operation of the place. He has passed 
through all of the pioneer experiences, being 
forced to endure many hardships and pri- 
vations in common with the other early 
settlers. He remembers distinctly when 
the old wooden moldboard plows were used 
and in the cultivation of his corn he used 
the single shovel plow for many years. He 
has cut grain with a sickle and has used the 
cradle many a day. Later the old fashioned 
McCormick reapers came into use, these 
being operated by horse power. Although 
there were many hardships to be endured, 
the pioneers also had many pleasures and 
hospitality reigned supreme in their little 
cabins. The latch-string of the Stuart home 
was always out and it became a favorite 
stopping place for those traveling between 
Decatur and Monticello, no one ever being 
turned away. The Methodist people also 
held services here, the little congregation 
being seated on slab benches arranged 
around the room. Decatur at that time was 
a mere village and the county was but 
sparsely settled. Game was very plentiful 
and deer Avas often seen. Much of the coun- 
try was covered with ponds and sloughs 
and near the Stuart homestead on section 





a./^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



351 



13, AMiitmore township, was much swamp- 
land, but it has since been tiled and drained 
and converted into well improved and valu- 
able farms. After the death of his parents 
our subject purchased the interest of the 
other heirs in the home farm, and has since 
bought forty acres more, making a good 
farm of one hundred and thirty acres, which 
he has placed under a high state of cultiva- 
tion and improved with good and substan- 
tial buildings, which stand as monuments to 
his thrift and industry. He is a very in- 
dustrious and energetic man and still car- 
ries on the farm with the assistance of his 
sons. 

In i860 Mr. Stuart was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Minerva Young, a daughter 
of Adam and Elizabeth (Shaw) Young, who 
were natives of Pennsylvania and early set- 
tlers of Whitmore township, this county, 
r.oth her parents are now deceased. Of the 
ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stuart 
seven are still living, namely: Addie, the 
wife of Charles Hedges, now a resident of 
Nebraska; William, who married Belle 
Funk, now deceased, and lives in Oakley 
township, this county ; Emily, at home ; 
Samuel, who married Effie Williams and 
resides in Iowa ; Amanda, wife of James 
Evans, of Marion, Indiana ; Frank, who 
married Nellie Reed and makes his home in 
Macon county; Robert, who wedded Mary 
Shank and lives with his father. James 
died at the age of sixteen years. The chil- 
dren all had good educational privileges and 
the famil}' is one of prominence in the com- 
munity where they reside. 

For twelve years ?>Ir. Stuart held the of- 
fice of constable and was school director in 
Whitmore township for ten years. He has 
always done all in his power to advance the 
interests of his locality along educational, 
moral and social lines, and is accounted one 
of the leading and valued citizens of the 
community where he has now made his 
home for over sixty-six years. 



JOHN A. KECK. 

As a representative of the manufactur- 
ing interests of Decatur John A. Keck has 
become well known. The avenues of activ- 
ity in which he has sought an outlet for 
his abilities and aspirations have invariably 
profited by his sterling worth and common 
sense methods. He is numbered among 
Decatur's native sons, his birth having oc- 
curred here on the 25th of January, 1861. 
His parents were Adam and Mary (Filser) 
Keck, both of whom were natives of Ger- 
many and in the early '50s they came to 
Decatur. The father was a brewer by occu- 
pation and for twenty years he conducted 
a restaurant in this city, becoming well 
known to the business public, his genial 
manner, obliging disposition and honorable 
business methods gaining for him the good 
will of the public and therefore a large share 
of the public patronage. He passed away 
in 1872 at the age of fifty-nine years and his 
widow, surviving him for some time, died 
in 1886. They were the parents of eight 
children, of whom five are .living: Jacob; 
Mary, who is the wife of Adolph Schlick ; 
Adam ; Anna, who is the wife of William 
Young; Salina ; and John A., whose name 
introduces this record. The other children 
died in infancy. 

In his youth John A. Keck attended the 
public schools, but at the age of sixteen 
years he put aside his text books and began 
learning the tinner's trade. Six months 
later he entered the printing office of the 
firm of Kimball & Lindsay as an apprentice, 
but afterward he became an employe of the 
firm that is now the Mueller Manufacturing 
Company, and later he was employed with 
the Decatur Furniture Company where he 
learned the trade of cabinet-making. With 
a knowledge of various business interests 
he started out upon an independent ven- 
ture in 1882. He purchased a cigar box 
manufactory in connection with Jacob and 
John Dipper and afterward he purchased 



352 



PAST AND I'RESEXT OF A[ACON COL'XTY 



till' laltt-r's interests and nwved the estab- 
lishment to East Main street, where he con- 
tinued in the manufacture of cigar boxes, 
the enterprise being attended with success, 
there lieing a good demand for the priKhict 
of the factory. It was necessary to enlarge 
the plant in order to meet the growing de- 
mands of the trade and in 188O it was in- 
creased to its jjresent capacity. It was also 
supplied with a new steam engine and mod- 
ern machinery was added. In that year the 
business was removed to the present loca- 
tion at the corner of Wood and Church 
streets and in 1886 the scope of the business 
was extended by adding a department for 
the manufacture of pa])er boxes, jewelry 
trays, sample cases and numerous other 
manufactured articles along this line. The 
output of the house is now sold in a number 
of states and seventeen employes are in the 
factory at Decatur. 

In 1886 Mr. Keck was united in marriage 
to Miss Louise Young, a native of Baden, 
Germ;ui\', and their children are: Olga E., 
Arthur J., Werra L., and Elba E. Socially 
Mr. Keck is identified with Decatur Lodge 
Ko. 65, I. (). C). F., of which he has been 
a member since 1883. He also belongs to 
Coeur de Lion Lodge Xo. 17, K. P., and 
wliile he takes ])leasure in attending the 
meetings of this organization and in ex- 
tending his social ac(|uaintances his time 
is most largely given to his business affairs 
and his enterprise to-day stands as a monu- 
ment to his cajiability and untiring energy. 
His career has been successful chiefly by 
reason of his natural ability and his thor- 
ough understanding of the business, in 
which as a young tradesman he eml)arked. 
It requires something beyond ordinary 
business capacity to manage a large force 
of employes and to secure a profitable in- 
come on the invested capital. This Mr. 
Keck has done and to-day he is enjoj'ing 
the well earned distinction of being what 
the public calls a self-made ''than. 



W 11.1. L. S.Mi'lli. 

W ill L. .^mith is now practically living 
a retired life, making his home in Decatur. 
It is probable that no resident of this city 
outside of political circles is so well known 
throughout the country as is Mr. Smith. 
He was for many years identified with one 
of the most jirominent musical organiza- 
tions of the L'nited States — the Swiss Bell 
Ringer.s — and in the interest of the business 
lie traveled not only in this country, but 
also through Canada, Mexico and Xova 
Scotia. 

Mr. Smith is a native of Xewark, Xew 
Jersey, born on the 19th of September, 
1835, his parents being Johnson and Emily 
(Townley) Smith. His maternal grand- 
father, Moses Townley, was also a native 
of Xewark, Xew Jersey, and was a shoe- 
maker by trade. He followed that occupa- 
tion through his entire life in supporting 
his family and always remained a resident 
of the state of his nativity. Johnson Smith, 
the father of our subject, was born in 
S])ringfield, Xew Jersey, in 1805 and after 
leaving the east went first to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, and afterward to Louisville, Ken- 
tucky. In 1841 he took up his abode in St. 
Louis, Missouri, and still later he resided 
for a time in Carrollton, Greene> county, 
Illinois. In December, 1855. he arrived in 
Decatur and spent his remaining days in 
this city. ])assing away in 1870, when sixty- 
five years of age. In early life he had 
learned the shoemaker's trade with his 
father and followed that pursuit for some 
years in the various cities mentioned. After 
removing to Illinois, however, he engaged 
in the nursery business. 

Like most American boys Will L. Smith 
obtained his education in the public schools 
and when quite young he began assisting 
his father in the nursery business, in which 
he gained good practical knowledge. .Since 
1855 he has lived in Decatur and for three 
years was proprietor of a grocery store here. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



353 



carrying on the business with a fair degree 
of success. He had early developed un- 
usual musical talent and on the 19th of Sep- 
tember, 1857, he organized the Decatur 
Band, which afterwards became the famous 
Goodman Band, which is one of the best 
known bands of the Mississippi valley. He 
acted as its leader for five years and made 
it an organization creditable alike to the 
city and its founder. He is to-day one of 
the valued members of this band and one of 
its oldest representatives. In 1864 Mr. 
Smith became connected with the concert 
business as amusement manager and one 
of the performers of the company known 
as the celebrated Swiss Bell Ringers. This 
company was at first called the Ladies" Sil- 
ver Band and was composed of eight mem- 
bers. Subsequently, however, the name of 
the Swiss Bell Ringers was taken and its 
title became known throughout North 
America. Accompanied by his wife. Mr. 
Smith conducted this company and traveled 
for twenty-nine consecutive years, covering 
practically all of the states of the Union, 
together with the countries of Canada, Mex- 
ico and Nova Scotia. The company was 
most prosperous between the years 1878 
and 1888. It terminated its trips and con- 
certs in the year 1892 and the company then 
disbanded. Returning then to Decatur Mr. 
Smith established his home and has since 
practically lived a retired life. 

On the nth of February, 1862, occurred 
the marriage of Will L. Smith and Miss 
Sarah Elizabeth Coleman, an adopted 
daughter of John W. Coleman, of Louis- 
ville, Kentucky, who was the first principal 
of the first high school of Decatur. One 
child was born of this marriage, Charles 
Ellsworth Smith, who died in 1896 in his 
thirty-second year. On the nth of October, 
1887, he had married Aliss Jennie Agnes 
Palmer, of Chicago. His widow and one 
son Lybrand Palmer Smith, who was born 



January 24, 1891, survive him and make 
their home in this city. 

In his political views Mr. Smith has been 
a stalwart Republican since the organiza- 
tion of the party. His first presidential 
vote, however, was cast for Scott. He is a 
member of Ionic Lodge, No. 312, F. & A. 
M.; Celestial Lodge, No. 186, I. O. O. F. ; 
Chevalier Bayard Lodge, No. 189, K. P. ; 
Fern Temple, No. 18, Rathbone Sisters; 
and is likewise a member of the Eastern 
Star and of the Columbia Rebekah Lodge, 
No. 199, I. O. O. F. His wife is also a 
member of the Rebekahs. 

Mr. Smith is a most entertaining and 
companionable gentleman, and traveling 
broadly throughout the continent, his mind 
has been stored with many interesting in- 
cidents concerning places he has visited, 
people he has met and humorous situations 
he has encountered. His mind has also 
been broadened by contact with the world 
and its people and he is a genial, courteous 
gentleman, one whom it is a pleasure to 
know and meet under anv circumstances. 



CHARLES U. DOWNEY. 
Charles U. Downey is the junior member 
of the firm of Downey & Sons, dealers in 
fine monuments in Decatur. He is a young 
man, possessing energy and ambition and 
is a prominent factor in the successful con- 
duct of the enterprise, with which he is now 
connected. He was born in Taylorville, Illi- 
nois, on the 8th of October, 1873, his pa- 
rents being M. L. and Martha (McCool) 
Downey. His father was a son of Jacob 
Downey, a native of Guernsey, Ohio, and 
a farmer by occupation. It was in the year 
1875 that Jacob Downey left the Buckeye 
state and came to Decatur, where he spent 
his remaining days, passing away at the age 
of seventy-four years. His wife, who was 
born in 1816, is still living. The maternal 



35-1: 



PAST AND TRKSEXT OF MACON COUNTY. 



grandfather of our subject was Henry Mc- 
Cool, a native of Canada, who spent sev- 
eral of his last years in traveling; through 
the west. In 1899 •'<-' (^I'l-d '"• the White 
Pass in Klondike. 

M. L. Downey, wiio is the senior member 
of the firm of Downey & Son, is a native 
of Ohio. He came to Macon county thirty- 
four years ago and hicated in Macon town- 
ship, where he followed farming until 1871. 
He then entered the employ of J. S. Culver, 
proprietor of marble works in Taylorville 
and in 1890 he came to Decatur as an em- 
ploye of Mr. Culver, acting as a stone-cutter 
in the Decatur Monument Works. In 1901, 
associating with him his^son, Charles U., 
he established his present business on North 
Water street, where all fine grades of monu- 
ment work are prepared and exhibited. In 
early manhood he wedded Miss Martha 
McCool, a native of Canada, and unto them 
have been born five children, of whom 
Charles U. is the oldest. The others are 
-Myrtle, the wife of William Junkens; Laura, 
Louis and Hazel. 

Charles U. Downey has spent his entire 
life in Illinois. His youth was passed in 
Taylorville and his education was acquired 
in the public schools. He began learning 
his trade in 1890 as an employe of J. H. Cul- 
ver of Decatur and he there remained un- 
til 1898, when he went to the west. Lo- 
cating in Denver, Colorado, he worked at 
his trade there for two years and on the 
expiration of that period located in Butte, 
Montana, where he had charge of the monu- 
mental work, belonging to L. F. Prescott. 
l"of two years he filled the position of su- 
])erintendent and then in October, 1901, 
he returned to Illinois and has since been 
in Decatur. Here he opened monumental 
works in partnership with his father at No. 
344 North Water street under the firm 
style of Downey & Son. They do a general 
line of monumental and cemetery work and 
have secured a good patronage because of 



the splendid character of their output. Both 
are men of long experience in this line, hav- 
ing practical understanding of the business 
both in principle and detail and added to 
the more mature judgment of the father is 
the energ)-, laudable ambition and helpful- 
ness of the son, thus making the firm a 
strong business combination. 

In 1895 Charles U. Downey became a 
Mason, being raised in Ionic Lodge, No. 312, 
F. & A. M. In 1896 he was joined in wed- 
lock to Minnie M. Hall, a daughter of Elias 
and Marie Hall, of Clinton, Illinois. They 
now have two children, Lyle W. and Ver- 
neille L. Mr. Downey has spent almost 
his entire life in this locality and is imbued 
with the progressive spirit which has been 
the dominant factor in the upbuilding of the 
middle west. He is a genial man to meet, 
whose career of usefulness and activity has 
netted for him a sfood income. 



JOSEPH LOVE. 
Joseph Love, who in 1893 became a resi- 
dent of Decatur where he was engaged in 
the manufacture of mattresses, was born in 
Coshocton county, Ohio, on the 7th of April, 
1847, his parents being Samuel and De- 
borah (Mitchell) Love, both of whom were 
natives of the Buckeye state. Samuel Love 
came west with his family in an early day 
and established his home in Champaign 
county, Illinois, where he purchased a sec- 
tion of land from the government, for which 
he paid two dollars and a half per acre. 
Not a furrow had been turned or an im- 
provement made upon the tract but with 
characteristic energy he began to clear it 
and to plow and plant it. He also erected 
good buildings and in course of time de- 
veloped an excellent farm which he con- 
tinued to cultivate and which he made his 
home until his death. His wife also passed 
away on the old homestead in Champaign 




SJ./7?/l^c V /^^{ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



357 



county and some of their children now re- 
side upon the same farm there. 

Excellent educational privileges were af- 
forded to Joseph Love. He pursued his 
early studies in the district schools and 
later became a student in the Champaign 
University, in fact, he was one of its first 
pupils and the thorough training which he 
there received well prepared him for life's 
practical and responsible duties. On put- 
ting aside his text books he began farming 
near the old homestead in Champaign coun- 
ty and while thus engaged he returned to 
Ohio in 1875 and was there married to Miss 
Eliza J. Hanlon, a native of Jefferson coun- 
ty, Ohio, born in 1849. Her parents were 
William and Mary (Stark) Hanlon, and her 
father, who was a farmer by occupation, 
spent his entire life in Jefiferson county. His 
widow still resides there and has reached 
the advanced age of eighty-two years. Five 
children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Love: 
Nellie H., who is now a teacher in the San- 
gamon street school in Decatur ; IMary, who 
occupies a position as private secretary in 
the Boys' School in Lake Forest, Illinois; 
Louella, who is a stenographer and teacher 
in Brown's Business College of Decatur; 
Florence, who is at home with her mother; 
and one that died unnamed in infancy. 

After his marriage Mr. Love engaged in 
general farming in Champaign county until 
1893, when he came to Decatur and estab- 
lished a mattress factory near the home 
which is now occupied by his widow. In 
the new enterprise he prospered and con- 
tinued in the business up to the time of his 
death. He did excellent work and secured 
a liberal patronage, his products finding a 
ready sale on the market. In business af- 
fairs he was strictly reliable and he became 
a well known and respected representative 
of trade interests in this city. He was en- 
ergtitic, a man of firm purpose and strong 
will and in all his dealings with his fellow 
men he was upright and honorable. In his 



political views he was an earnest Repub- 
lican, believing firmly in the party and its 
principles yet never seeking office. Both 
he and his wife were members of the Pres- 
byterian church of Decatur and his life was 
in harmony with its teachings. He died 
January 18, 1898, leaving not only a com- 
fortable competence to his widow but also 
an honorable name. Mrs. Love now occu- 
pies a beautiful home at No. 812 North 
College street, where she resides with her 
daughters. They are well known in Deca- 
tur and enjoy the favor and friendship of 
many a household here. 



EDMUND s. McDonald. 

It is seldom that a single individual wins 
success and prominence along more than 
one line, and yet Edmund S. McDonald is 
to-day accounted one of the distinguished 
lawyers of Decatur, is also actively con- 
nected with the corporation interests of the 
city and is one of the large landowners of 
Macon county. In no profession is there 
a career more open to talent than in that of 
the law, and in no field of endeavor is there 
demanded a more careful preparation, a 
more thorough appreciation of the absolute 
ethics of life or of the underlying principles 
which form the basis of all human rights 
and privileges. Unflagging application and 
intuitive wisdom and a determination to 
fully utilize the means at hand, are the con- 
comitants which insure personal success 
and prestige in this great profession, which 
stands as the stern conservator of justice; 
and it is one into which none should enter 
without a recognition of the obstacles to be 
overcome and the battles to be won, for 
success does not perch on the falchion of 
every person who enters the competitive 
fray, but comes only as the diametrical re- 
sult of capacity and unmistakable ability. 
Possessing all the requisite qualities of the 



358 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



able lawyer, he now stands among the lead- 
ing representatives of the legal fraternity of 
Decatur. 

Mr. McDonald was' born in Wood county, 
West Virginia, on the Ohio river, Septem- 
ber 2, 1851. His paternal grandfather, 
John McDonald, was a native of Scotland, 
and died during the infancy of his son John, 
who was the youngest of a family of two 
sons and two daughters. The father of our 
subject was born in Philadelphia, i'ennsyl- 
vania, and during his infancy was taken to 
Ohio, the family home being established 
near the Ohio river, in Cincinnati. While 
yet a boy, he was employed in a distillery 
and in the milling business. Later he was 
employed on the river, running between 
Cincinnati and New Orleans. He first act- 
ed as a pilot and afterward became captain 
and part owner of a vessel. On abandoning 
the water he came to Illinois, in 1853, and 
spent the first year of his residence in this 
state in Scott county. In 1854 he removed 
to Decatur, and soon after located in Long 
Creek township, Macon county, where he 
purchased a tract of land and carried on 
general farming until his death, which oc- 
curred in 1880, when he had reached the 
venerable age of seventy-nine years. His 
wife, who bore the maiden name of Nancy 
L. Sisson, died in July. lyoi, at the age of 
seventy-three years. She belonged to one 
of the old and prominent families of Vir- 
ginia, and her ancestors did acti\e service 
for their country in the Revolution and in 
the war of 1812. Unto John and Nancy L. 
(Sisson) McDonald were born eight chil- 
dren : h'lorence L., who is now the wife of 
Zenas R. Prather; Edmund S. ; .\ndrew !•". 
and Randoll I'., twins; Alice, who is the 
wife of Ira I'.aird; John A.; (ieorge \\'. : 
and ."^iieridan, who died at the age of eight- 
een months. With the exception of the last 
named all are yet living. 

At the usual age Ldnnnid .S. McMonald 
began his education in the public schools 



and afterward pursued a three years' course 
in the Northwestern University, completing 
his studies there in 1872. He then engaged 
in teaching school for two years and he be- 
gan reading law in the office of Nelson & 
Robe}-, of Decatur, and they directed his 
studies for three j-ears. He was then ad- 
mitted to practice, but desiring to be still 
better prepared for his chosen work he spent 
two years as a student in the office of the 
firm of Crea & Ewing. In 1880 he opened 
an office of his own in the Powers block, 
where he remained until 1889, when he re- 
moved to his present location in the Opera 
House block. He has enjoyed a lucrative 
practice and has one of the best law libraries 
and best equipped offices in Decatur. In 
1891 he was admitted to practice in the 
United States supreme court. His knowledge 
of the law is comprehensive and exact. He 
is a strong advocate of the jury, concise 
in his appeals before the court and is a safe 
counsellor. His logical grasp of facts and 
])rinciples and of the law applicable to them 
has been a potent element in his success, 
lie throws himself easily and naturally into 
an argument and his presentation of a cause 
speaks a mind trained in the severest school 
of investigation, and to which the closest 
reasoning is habitual and easy. Mr. Mc- 
Donald, howe\er, has not confined his atten- 
tion entirely to his legal practice, but has 
made extensive and judicious investments 
in various corporations of the city and is 
one of the largest landowners in Macon 
county. 

In August, 1892, occurred the marriage 
of .Mr. McDonald and Miss .\nnabelle 
Thomas, a daughter of Mrs. Jennie Thomas, 
of Decatur. Their children are lulmund 
Urban and X'alerian. .Mr. McDonald be- 
longs to the Macon Lodge, No. 8, A. F. & 
.\. .M. : to Celestial Lodge, No. 186, I. O. O. 
!•". : and to Coeur de Lion Lodge, No. 17, 
K. P. In politics he is an active Rejndilican, 
taking a helpful part in cam])aign work, and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



35t» 



lias delivered many addresses in support of 
the party and its principles. In 1889 he 
was elected city attorney and in 1891 was 
re-elected to that office. His time is now 
* largely occupied with the important duties 
■of an extensive practice. Affable and genial 
in manner he makes many friends and is 
held in high regard by all who know him. 



REV. \\'ILLIAM H. DAVIS. 

Throughout his entire life William H. 
Davis devoted his time and energies to a 
work of great benefit to his fellow men. 
For many years he practiced medicine and 
for nearly a c|uarter of a century he was a 
representative of the Christian ministry, 
laboring for the spiritual welfare of the 
church as he had previously done for the 
temporal welfare. In 1888 he became a resi- 
dent of Decatur and the recognition which 
is ever given true worth of character was 
accorded him. He was born in Ross county, 
Ohio, August 13, 1824, his parents being 
Isaac and JMary (Brown) Davis, both of 
whom were natives of Ohio. In 1828 they 
removed westward, settling in Pike county, 
Illinois, where the father engaged in farm- 
ing for a few years. He afterward estab- 
lished his home in the village of Perry in 
Pike county, and there engaged in mer- 
chandising for several years. He next re- 
moved to Logan county, Illinois, where he 
remained for a short time, coming thence to 
Macon county, locating in the village of 
Mount Zion. He there lived retired, en- 
joying well earned rest up to the time of his 
death. 

Rev. ^^'illiam H. Davis was reared amid 
the refining influences of a good home and 
received his early mental training in the 
•common schools of Pike county, Illinois, to 
which place he had been taken by his pa- 
rents during his early childhood. Later he 
attended college in Springfield, Illinois. His 



strong mentality and tastes led him to seek 
activity in professional lines and determin- 
ing to enter upon the practice of medicine 
he began studying with his uncle, who was 
■ a practicing physician in Griggsville, Pike 
county, Illinois. For a few years he con- 
tintied his reading under the direction of 
his uncle, and then went to Chicago, where 
he attended the Rush Medical College, being 
graduated there in the class of 1852. Fol- 
lowing the completion of his collegiate 
course he returned to Griggsville, where he 
practiced for several years. 

While in that place Rev. Davis was united 
in marriage in 1848 to Miss Eleanor C. 
Randall, a native of Alton, Illinois, born 
on the 1st of August, 1828, and a daughter 
of Josiah and Elizabeth (Snadon) Randall. 
The father was a farmer by occupation and 
with his family resided in Madison county, 
Illinois, during the greater part of his life. 
Fioth he and his wife passed away in that 
county. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Davis 
was blessed with ten children, six of whom 
are living. Isaac first married a Miss Pratt 
and after her death wedded a Miss John- 
son. Thev reside in Chicago and he is 
cashier for the Pratt, & Buckley Elevator 
& Grain Company of Decatur. Edward R. 
married Miss Peake and resides in Spring- 
field, while his business connection is that 
of a traveling salesman for a cracker house 
of Decatur. Newton married Miss Tacy 
Entriken, of ()hio, and is bookkeeper and 
cashier for F. M. Pratt, a grain merchant 
of Decatur. Charles wedded Miss May Kerr 
and after her death married Nellie Freid- 
land and is deputy clerk of Boone county, 
Missouri. J. Frank is bookkeeper for Cham- 
bers, Bering & Quinlin Company of De- 
catur. George, the youngest of the family, 
is a harness manufacturer of Decatur. 
Those who have passed away are Mary 
Elizabeth, Ella L., Mary Emma and James 
Barger. 

After his marriage Dr. Davis continued 



3G0 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ^lACON COUNTY. 



to engage in the practice of medicine in 
Griggsville for seven years. lie then aban- 
doned that profession in order to enter the 
ministry and began preaching as a member 
of the Illinois Methodist Episcopal confer- 
ence. He first preached at Jacksonville, 
Illinois, and afterward at different places 
in the circuit for twenty-three years, when 
on account of advanced age and ill health 
he gave up the active work of the ministry 
and established his home in Decatur in 
1888. Here he took charge of a small church, 
but after a time his health became worse 
and he was forced to abandon ministerial 
work altogether. His life was one of great 
usefulness both in the medical fraternity 
and in the ministry. He always labored for 
his fellow men and his efforts were most 
eiTective in building up the church and pro- 
moting the cause of Christianity. He was 
not denied the harvest of his labors nor of 
the aftermath and many there are who yet 
have reason to bless his memory for the aid 
which he gave them in understanding life 
and its purposes. In early years he was a 
member of the Masonic fraternity and of 
the TndeiK-ndent ( )r(Ier of Odd Fellows and 
he favored every improvement that would 
benefit his fellow men and tend to advance 
moral development. His death occurred on 
the nth of January, 1899, but though he 
has passed away his memory is still revered 
and is enshrined in the hearts of those who 
knew him. In October prior to his demise 
Rev. and Mrs. Davis celebrated their golden 
wedding anniversary, having for fifty years 
traveled life's journey together, sharing 
with each other its joys and sorrows, its ad- 
versity and prosperity and doing all in the 
name of Him who came not to be minis- 
tered unto but to minister to mankind. Mrs. 
Davis is now a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church of Decatur and the family 
is well known in this city. She has a nice 
residence at No. 1204 North College street, 
where she and her sons reside. 



CHAMBERS A. McLEAN, M. D. 

Chambers A. McLean, a physician of De- 
catur who for forty years has made his 
home in Macon county, was born in Flem- 
ing county, Kentucky, on the 24th of 
May, 1832. His parents were James and 
Charlotte M. A. (Argo) McLean, the for- 
mer of Scotch-Irish lineage and the latter of 
Scotch descent. John McLean, the grand- 
father of the Doctor, came to America from 
the north of Ireland and located in Ger- 
mantown, Brighton county, Kentucky, 
where he followed the occupation of farm- 
ing. He was a strict Presbyterian in his 
religious faith and li\ed an upright, honor- 
able life, leaving the impress of his indi- 
viduality for good upon the community 
with which he was associated. He reached 
the advanced age of eighty-five years and 
passed away respected by all who knew 
him. The maternal grandfather of the Doc- 
tor was Purnell Argo, who was of Scotch 
birth and after crossing the Atlantic he took 
up his abode in Iteming county, Kentucky. 
During the residence of James J^IcLean in 
that county he followed the blacksmith's 
trade for a number of years. His wife died 
when their son Chambers A. was only about 
six years of age and the father afterward 
wedded Mrs. Rebecca (Moren) Scott. His 
death occurred about 1842. By his first 
union he had three children but James Will- 
iam and Nancy are now deceased, leaving 
the Doctor the only survivor. By the second 
marriage there were two children: Mrs. 
Eliza -Ann Hilligoss, now deceased, and one 
that died in early childhood. 

In the county of his nativity Dr. McLean 
spent the days of his early boyhood and 
youth and there acquired his preliminary 
education in the common schools, which 
he attended only through the winter 
months, for during the summer season his 
services were needed upon the home farm. 
Thus he was reared to farm life, becoming 
familiar with all the duties and labors that 




E. M. MERRI8 




MRS. E. M. MERRIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



365 



fall to the lot of the agriculturist, but he 
spent about fifteen months learning the 
shoemaker's trade. When a 3'oung man 
he began studying medicine, which he prac- 
ticed for fifteen years. He then attended 
the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, 
Ohio, and was graduated in that institution 
with the class of 1871. He is, however, 
largely self-educated, having acquired the 
greater part of his knowledge by arduous 
study at night. He has burned the mid- 
night oil on many an occasion and has thus 
made himself familiar with higher mathe- 
matics, Latin and German. He is now a 
gentleman of scholarly attainments, well in- 
formed and of broad culture, and while he 
has gained a comprehensive and accurate 
knowledge of the science of medicine he has 
also extended his reading into many other 
fields. 

On the 17th of June, 1855, Dr. AIcLean 
was united in marriage to Miss Lucy A. 
Taylor, a daughter of Charles A. and Judith 
(Newcombe) Taylor. Six children were 
born unto them, four sons and two daugh- 
ters, but only >ilabel and William are now 
living. Those deceased are Sabina A., Jo 
Henry, Charles B. and John J. William 
married ^liss Margaret P. Crocker and is 
now a resident of Maroa, Illinois, where 
he is engaged in the practice of medicine. 
He has four children: John C, Franklin 
C, Edwin P. and Louise. 

On leaving college Dr. McLean of this 
review went to Maroa and began practice. 
He made his' home in that place for twenty 
years and during that time enjoyed a large 
and lucrative patronage, the public recog- 
nizing his skill and ability in the line of his 
chosen calling. When two decades had 
passed he came to Decatur, where he has 
since resided. Here he has also engaged 
in general practice and has enjoyed a good 
business, which has brought to him a com- 
fortable living. The Doctor is conscien- 
tious in his work and has a deep interest in 



the practice of medicine both from a scien- 
tific standpoint and because of his sympathy 
with his fellow men. He also has the strict- 
est regard for the ethics of the profession 
and by continued reading his knowledge has 
compassed all of the improvements known 
to the medical fraternity and when his judg- 
ment has sanctioned anj' new idea or 
method of progress he has readily adopted 
it for the good of his fellow men. In his 
political views he is connected with the 
Democracy, but has neither sought nor de- 
sired official recognition. He belongs to 
the Masonic fraternity and he and his wife 
are members of the Christian church. He 
enjoys an enviable standing in the pro- 
fessional and social world of Decatur and is 
possessed of those admirable personal char- 
acteristics which win and retain friendship. 



ELLERY M. MERRIS. 
For many years this gentleman was ac- 
tively identified with the agricultural in- 
terests of Macon county and through indus- 
try, enterprise and good management he 
acquired a handsome competence which now 
enables him to live a retired life in his pleas- 
ant home at Macon. A native of Illinois, 
he was born in Sangamon county on the ist 
of March, 1823, and is a worthy representa- 
tive of an honored pioneer family of cen- 
tral Illinois, his parents being Stanton and 
Elizabeth (Piper) Merris. The family is of 
Scotch-Irish descent. Our subject's father 
was born in Vermont in 1794, a son of El- 
lery and Elizabeth (Bromley) Merris, and 
was a farmer by occupation. In early life 
he accompanied his father on the latter's 
removal to Canada, where he spent four or 
five years and then went to Ohio, becom- 
ing one of the pioneer settlers of that state. 
He made his home there for about six 
years and in the meantime was married in 
1810. By his next removal he became a 



366 



PAST AND PRESEXT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



resident of Springfield, Illinois, which was 
then on the western frontier and contained 
only four or live log houses. Three years 
later Mr. Merris settled in what is now 
Scott county, four miles east of Xaples, 
which at that time formed a part of Morgan 
county. lie bought two hundred and eighty 
acres of prairie and timber land on the 
river bottom and engaged in farming there, 
until his death, which occurred on the 5th 
of January, 1847. His widow subsequently 
made her home with her son, Stanton, in 
Pike county, Illinois, where she died in 
1856. She was a native of Kentucky. They 
were the parents of the following children, 
namely: Eliza, who died April i, 1854; 
Julia, who died at the age of twenty-three 
years ; Ellery M., of this review ; William ; 
Daniel, who was engaged in farming up to 
within the last ten years but is now con- 
ducting a broom manufactory at Canon 
City, Colorado ; Stanton, and Elizabeth. 
Only two of the number are now living. 

The educational advantages which Ellery 
M. Merris enjoyed were limited as he was 
only able to attend school for about nine 
months during his entire boyhood, his serv- 
ices being needed at home in the work of 
the farm. The subscription school which 
he attended was conducted in an old log 
structure, so common on the frontier at 
that time, one log being cut out for a win- 
dow and covered with greased paper. The 
building was heated by an old fashioned fire- 
place which would hold a back log ten feet 
in length. P'rom Sangamon county our sub- 
ject removed with his parents to Scott 
county, Illinois, where he subsequently en- 
tered a tract of government land, which he 
fenced with rails that he split and that were 
in use for forty years. 

Mr. Merris remained with his father until 
his marriage, which was celebrated March 
17, 1842. the lady of his choice being Miss 
Nancy Van Gundy, who is of German de- 
scent. Her father. David Van Gundy, was 



a miller by traile and followed that occu- 
pation in Pennsylvania in early life. Later 
he removed to Ohio and from there to what 
is known as the American Bottom near St. 
Louis, Missouri. There he wedded Miss 
-Mary Conrad, wlio was born in Madison 
county, that state, June 29, 1822. Mr. Van 
Gundy spent his last days with his son 
George in Scott county, Illinois, where he 
died in 1862, his wife having passed away 
some time previously. They had eight 
children, of whom five are still living, name- 
ly : ^lary, wife of John Smallwood, a re- 
tired farmer living near Lincoln in Taze- 
well county, Illinois; John, a retired farmer 
of Decatur; Adam, a retired farmer of 
Bluffs, Scott county ; Martha, wife of Eras- 
mus Allison, who is living retired in St. 
Louis, Missouri ; and Xancy, wife of our 
subject. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Merris were born fif- 
teen child'-en: George W., who died of 
cancer in February, 1897, leaving a wife and 
five children; Asa and John A., both re- 
tired farmers of Macon; Elizabeth, wife of 
Peter Blair, a mechanic and carpenter of 
Findlay, Illinois ; Sarah, wife of John Arm- 
strong, who owns and operates a farm of 
one hundred and forty acres in Macon town- 
ship ; Julia, wife of Charles Renshaw, a car- 
penter of Hennessey, Oklahoma; Martha, 
wife of John McCool, a farmer of Missouri ; 
Daniel, who is engaged in farming near 
Oakley, Illinois ; Ida, wife of Eli Combs, of 
Findlay ; David and Franklin, both de- 
ceased ; and three who died in infancy. 
George W. served for three years in the 
Union army during the Civil war as a mem- 
ber of Company H, One Hundred and Six- 
teenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was 
honorably discharged in August, 1865. For 
about half the time he was ill in the hos- 
pital, spending one year in the hospital at 
Camp Butler. Mr. and Mrs. Merris have 
fifty-four grandchildren and fourteen great- 
ijrandchildren. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



367 



After his marriage our subject purchased 
forty acres of wild land in Scott county, a 
part of which is now within the corporate 
limits of Bhiffs, and he paid for the same 
two hundred dollars. He improved that 
place and engaged in its operation for twelve 
years, after which he sold out and removed 
to Pike county, purchasing a tract of one 
hundred acres one mile west of Griggsville 
for forty-five dollars per acre and selling it 
three years later at sixty dollars. He next 
located near Lake Fork in Logan county, 
where he bought a farm and lived on the 
same for eight years. On disposing of that 
property he purchased eighty acres of land 
in South Macon township, this county, it 
being now the Combs farm, and after resid- 
ing there for three years, Mr. Merris bought 
one hundred and twenty acres of land on 
Findlay creek, five miles east of Macon. 
He fenced the land, built a comfortable resi- 
dence and placed the land under a high state 
of cultivation. Later he exchanged that 
place with his son for a farm of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres in Alilam township, 
which he now owns and which he has great- 
ly improved in many ways. This place he 
now rents. He also purchased another 
farm, on which he lived for some time, but 
sold that in the summer of 1902. In the 
spring of 1887 he removed to the town of 
IMacon and has since lived retired. Here 
he owns three lots and a house which he 
has remodeled and enlarged, making a very 
pleasant and desirable home for himself 
and wife. While living in the country he 
gave considerable attention to the raising 
of shorthorn cattle, Berkshire hogs and 
sheep and found that business quite profit- 
able. He has not only gained for himself 
a comfortable competence but has also as- 
sisted his children in getting a start in life 
and all are now quite well-to-do. 

Since 1855 Mr. Merris has been a resident 
of Macon county, and in its development 
and prosperity he has taken an active in- 



terest. He has been called upon to fill a 
number of local offices, having -capably 
served as assessor of Milam township three 
years and ta.x collector of the same town- 
ship. During the greater part of his life 
he has filled the office of school director and 
for seven years was alderman of Macon. 
Further office he has refused to accept and 
he has never been a politician in the sense 
of office seeking. He is a supporter of the 
Prohibition party, and both he and his wife 
are members of the Baptist church, though 
they now attend the Presbyterian church, 
the former denomination having no house 
of worship in Macon. They are widely 
and favorably known and have a host of 
warm friends throughout the county. 



GEORGE W. LEHN. 

George VV. Lehn is one of the younger 
representatives of the agricultural commun- 
ity of mini township, his home being on 
section 24, where he owns and operates a 
good farm. He claims Macon county as 
his native place, for he was born in Illini 
township, on the ist of November, 1874, 
his parents being John P. and Tabitha 
(Jones) Lehn, whose sketch appears on 
another page of this volume. Our subject 
obtained his elementary education in the 
common schools of his native township, 
and later took a course at Brown's Busi- 
ness College in Decatur. 

Since leaving school at the age of seven- 
teen years Mr. Lehn has devoted his entire 
time and attention to farm work and aided 
in the operation of the old home farm until 
twenty-six years of age. He is a thorough 
and systematic farmer and usually carries 
forward to successful completion whatever 
he undertakes. He received eighty acres 
of land from his father's estate and has 
built thereon a good barn and otherwise 
improved the place. The land is under a 



3GS 



PAST AND i'RESENT OF .MACOX COUNTY. 



high state of cultivation and yields a good 
return for the care and labor bestowed upon 

it. 

On the 20th of February, 1901, Mr. Lehn 
married Miss Lois L. Baum, a daughter 
of William and Nettie Baum, of Illini town- 
ship. She began her education in the dis- 
trict schools of Hickory Point township 
and for two years was a student in the 
high school of Decatur. She was also given 
instruction on the piano. 

By his ballot Mr. Lehn supports the men 
and measures of the Republican party. He 
is a member of the Church of God of Boil- 
ing Springs in Hickory Point township, 
which he joined three years ago, and he is 
regarded as one of the leading young farm- 
ers of his community. 



BENJAMIN PARKER. 
Benjamin Parker, one of the most enter- 
prising and progressive agriculturists of 
:\Iaroa township, residing on section 4, was 
born in that township in 1871, and is a son 
of John S. and Mary A. Parker. His father 
was a native of New Jersey and an early 
settler of Macon county, Illinois, where he 
successfully engaged in farming throughout 
life, owning one hundred and sixty acres 
of fine farming land at the time of his death. 
Our subject is indebted to the public 
schools of his native township for the early 
educational privileges he enjoyed and later 
he attended college at Dixon, Illinois, for 
one year. At the age of twenty-one he be- 
gan farming on land left him by his father 
and has since devoted his energies to agri- 
cultural pursuits. Besides his own farm he 
generally operates a rented tract and in 
igo3 cultivated eighty acres in this way. 
He'has spent over five thousand dollars m 
improving his place ; has put in a splendid 
system of water works; and has budt a 
house at a cost of three thousand dollars. 



It is heated by a hot air furnace and is up- 
to-date in all its appointments. Mr. Parker 
carries on both farming and stock-raising 
and in both branches of his business he is 
meeting with good success. 

In 1893 was celebrated his marriage to 
Miss Clara B. Longstreet, a daughter of 
John Longstreet, a wealthy, retired farmer 
now living in Maroa. Three children bless 
this union, namely : Hazel Naomi, John L. 
and Lloyd D. The parents both hold mem- 
bership in the [Methodist church and Mr. 
Parker also belongs to the Independent Or- 
der of Odd Fellows and the Knights of 
Pythias fraternity at Maroa. He filled the 
office of assessor in the spring of 1903 and 
by his ballot he supports the men and meas- 
ures of the Republican party. A wide- 
awake, energetic business man and a citizen 
of known reliability, he stands high in the 
community where he has always made his 
home and where he is so widely known. 



JAMES G. UNDERWOOD. M. D. 
In the practice of medicine in Illmois 
Dr. lames G. Underwood became well 
known and many to-day have reason to 
bless his memory for the aid which he ren- 
dered in times of sickness and distress. He 
was iMjrn in \^ermont on the 9th of June, 
1819. The Underwood family is of Scotch- 
Irish extraction and was founded in Amer- 
ica by two brothers, one of whom settled in 
Vermont and the other in Maryland. Our 
subject's wife has a genealogical record of 
the familv. The Doctor's father, Silas Un- 
derwood.' was a farmer and a very promi- 
nent citizen in the Green Mountain state. 
He was frequently called to public office, 
serving in various official positions where 
he disdiarged his duties with promptness 
and fidelitj^. Both he and his wife died in 
Vermont. 



^ ip^ 





Ldi/^^fu, O/- y^ltrnfq 





PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



371 



The Doctor acquired his education in his 
native state and remained a resident of Ver- 
mont until thirty years of age, when in 1849 
he came to the Mississippi valley, settling 
first in Wayne county, Wisconsin. He had 
previously prepared for the practice of med- 
icine, and, opening an office in Wisconsin, 
he there carried on business for a few years, 
at the end of which time he came to Illinois, 
living in Greene and Pike counties for one 
year. He then came to Macon county. 

It was in this county that Dr. Underwood 
was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. 
Humphrey, a native of Morgan county, Illi- 
nois, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth 
(Bower) Humphrey. Her parents were 
natives of Kentucky and in the year 1828 
came to this state, settling in what was 
then Morgan, now Scott, county, Illinois. 
They there lived for several years and then 
came to Macon county, where Mr. Hum- 
phrey built what is now the Catholic con- 
vent. He erected it for hotel purposes and 
continued in that line of business here for 
many years. He afterward removed to 
Union county, Illinois, and established his 
home on a fruit farm, engaging in horticul- 
tural pursuiits until his death, which oc- 
curred in 1865. He was one of the honored 
pioneers of the state and aided largely in 
promoting its early development and prog- 
ress. His widow survived him for some 
time and died in Chicago. 

Unto Dr. and Mrs. Underwood were born 
six children : Helen, who is now living in 
Nebraska ; Lewis, who is a job printer in 
the Herald office in Decatur; Marcus, who 
resides in Chicago, and is employed by the 
Chicago Telephone Company ; Cornelia, 
who is bookkeeper for the T. T. Springer 
Grocery Company in Decatur and lives with 
her mother; and Edna and Ernest, who have 
passed away. 

After his marriage Dr. Underwood located 
in Logan county, Illinois, where he contiued 
in the practice of his profession with ex- 



cellent success for several years, and also 
superintended the cultivation of his farm. 
He then removed to Union county, Illinois, 
where he remained in practice for ten years 
and on the expiration of that decade he took 
up his abode in Columbus, Cherokee coun- 
ty, Kansas, where he devoted his energies 
to the alleviation of human suffering until 
called to his final rest on the 9th of No- 
vember, 1875. He had a large practice dur- 
ing his residence in this city and was a 
prominent physician, gaining success by 
reason of his ability that brought him a 
large patronage. His memory is cherished 
by many who knew him for he had endeared 
himself to all through the possession of 
qualities that everywhere command respect, 
confidence and regard. He bore an excel- 
lent reputation both as a man and citizen. 
After his death Mrs. Underwood returned 
to Illinois and has since made he home in 
Decatur, where she owns a nice residence 
at No. 239 Condit street, where she and her 
children are living. 



ALEXIS R. MONTGOMERY. 

There is ever a degree of satisfaction and 
profit in scanning the life history of one who 
has attained to an eminent degree of success 
as the direct result of his own efiforts, who 
has had the mentality to direct his endeavors 
toward the desired ends and the singleness and 
steadfastness of purpose which have given due 
value to each consecutive detail of eiifort. As 
a distinctive type of a self-made man we can 
refer with singular propriety to the honored 
subject whose name forms the caption of this 
review, who is the secretary and treasurer of 
the Union Iron Works of Decatur. 

Mr. Montgomery is a native of North Caro- 
lina, his birth having occurred in the village of 
Statesville, .on the loth of October, 1851. His 
paternal grandfather, James Montgomery, was 



372 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



a native of Virginia and was descended from 
Scotch-Irish ancestry. He became a farmer 
and planter and was well known in the Old 
Dominion. It was there that John E. Mont- 
gomery, the father of our subject, was born 
and reared. He afterward removed to North 
Carolina, and in the year 1867 became a resi- 
dent of Illinois, establishing his home in Hills- 
boro, Montgomery county, where he carried 
on agricultural pursuits. By trade he was a 
tinner and for a time was employed in the 
Union Works of Decatur. Subsequently, how- 
ever, he returned to his old home in North 
Carolina, where he became ill and there his 
life's labors were ended in death. The wife 
bore the maiden name of Catherine Ramseur, 
and was a native of North Carolina. Her 
father was David Ramseur, who was of Ger- 
man lineage. 

In a private school in the south Alexis R. 
Montgomery began his education, which was 
continued in the district schools of Montgom- 
ery county, Illinois. He afterward became a 
student in the public schools of Taylorville, 
Illinois, wherein he completed his education. 
On putting aside his text books he was ap- 
pomted to the position of deputy postmaster 
in Taylorville, which position he filled for two 
years. He then came to Decatur in 1873 and 
through the two succeeding years was em- 
ployed as a salesman in the mercantile house 
of J. N. Randall. In 1875 he became book- 
keeper for the Union Iron Works, filling that 
position until 1882. His identification with 
this business covers twenty-eight years and 
in 1884 he was made secretary and treasurer 
of the company, while James MilHkin was 
elected its president. Mr. Montgomery has 
since acted in that capacity and not a little of 
the success of the undertaking is attributable 
to his supervision and his active co-operation 
and his sound business judgment. The com- 
pany manufactures corn shellers and elevator 
machinery and has always been noted for its 
excellent workmanship. The corn sheller has 



been manufactured on a very extensive scale, 
being sold throughout the corn belt of the 
civilized world. The house has ever main- 
tained a high reputation for the excellence of 
its work, which is secured through the em- 
ployment of skilled operatives and through the 
use of the latest improved machinery. A large 
force of men is annually employed and the 
yearly output reaches a large amount. 

In 1874 Mr. Montgomery was united in 
marriage to Miss Cecil Oglesby, of Decatur, 
a daughter of Willis Oglesby, and they have 
two children : Jessie A. and Noy Oglesby. 
They all hold membership in the First Presby- 
terian church, in which they have taken a 
very active part, contributing generously to its 
support. Mr. Montgomery has filled various 
offices in the church. He is likewise a director 
of the James Millikin University. In seeking 
for the causes which have contributed to his 
success we find them not so much in their 
rarity as in their harmonious union and they 
may be summed up by saying that he has the 
manners of a gentleman and the habits of a 
man of business — a combination of qualities 
that are bound to produce the highest results. 
It is no very rare thing for a poor boy in our 
country to become a prosperous man and oc- 
cupy a commanding position in the business 
world, but many who have fought their way 
from poverty to wealth, from obscurity to 
prominence, retain some scars and marks of 
the conflict. They are apt to be narrow and 
grasping, even if not sordid and unscrupulous. 
Mr. Montgomery, however, is an instance of 
a man who has achieved success without pay- 
ing the price at which it is often bought, for 
his prosperity has not removed him farther 
from his fellow men, but has brought him into 
closer and more intimate relations with them. 
The more means he has had the more he has 
done for those around him and for the welfare 
of the city, and now he is numbered among 
the most prominent as well as prosperous citi- 
zens of Decatur. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



373 



CHARLES H; FAITH. 

Charles H. Faith is one of the important 
factors in the business circles of Warrens- 
burg, Illinois, where as a grain dealer he 
is now doing a good business. In his special 
field of endeavor he has met with excellent 
success and by the energy and zeal he has 
manifested he has won the confidence and 
esteem of the public. 

Mr. Faith was born in Deer Park, Mary- 
land, May 21, 1857, and is a son of Joseph 
Faith, a retired farmer now living in De- 
catur, Illinois, whose birth occurred in 
Loraine, Germany, April 25, 1823. Our 
subject's paternal grandfather, Paul Faith, 
was a native of Alsace, France, and spent 
his entire life in that country. Soon after 
his death his widow crossed the Atlantic 
and became a resident of Baltimore. Here 
Joseph Faith acquired a limited education 
in the common schools of that city. He 
served a six years' apprenticeship to 
the machinist's trade and when his term 
expired worked in Cumberland, Maryland, 
removing to the latter place in the '40s. 
For twenty-three years he continued to fol- 
low his chosen occupation and being an 
expert workman he secured a good compe- 
tence. On the I2th of November, 1844, he 
married Miss Catherine Hesson, a native of 
Maryland and a daughter of Lewis Hesson. 
For a number of years he made his home in 
Cumberland, Maryland, and in 1865 re- 
moved to Fulton county, Pennsylvania, 
where he established a shop and continued 
to work at his trade. In 1871 he came to 
Macon county, Illinois, and purchased a 
farm of one hundred and sixty acres one 
mile west of Warrensburg, although there 
was no town there at that time. Thirty- 
five acres of this land had previously been 
broken and to its further development and 
cultivation he devoted his energies for some 
years. He aided materially in the growth 
and upbuilding of that section of the county. 



Renting his farm in 1887, he removed to 
^Varrensburg, and on the 28th of Septem- 
ber, 1896, took up his residence in Decatur, 
where he now lives retired in the enjoy- 
ment of a well earned rest and the fruits of 
his former toil. He cast his first presiden- 
tial vote for James K. Polk in 1844, and at 
state and national elections always sup- 
ports the Democratic party but at local 
elections votes independent of party lines, 
endeavoring to support the candidate best 
qualified for the office. Both he and his wife 
are members of the Roman Catholic church 
of Decatur and are highly respected and 
esteemed by all who know them. 

Cnto this worthy couple were born four- 
teen children, of whom eight sons and three 
daughters are living, namely: William, a 
resident of Hancock, Washington county, 
Maryland; Lewis, who holds a responsible 
position in the same county ; Ella, widow of 
Stephen Witcher, of Decatur; John; Charles 
H., whose name introduces the sketch ; Eli, 
a resident of Chicago ; Harry, who makes his 
home in Illiopolis ; George, a farmer of Illini 
township, Macon county ; Sadie, wife of 
John D. Childs; MolHe, wife of Dr. Fisher, 
of Chicago ; and Thomas, who is interested 
in the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat 
College at the corner of Washington and 
Franklin streets, Chicago. 

Charles H. Faith attended school in Han- 
cock, Maryland, until fifteen years of age, 
and then accompanied his parents on their 
removal to Macon county, Illinois, locating 
near the present village of Warrensburg. 
He began farming for himself upon eighty 
acres of land in Illini township, and contin- 
ued to follow that occupation until 1883, 
when he removed to Warrensburg and em- 
barked in the grain business with Z. 
Baughn, under the firm name of Baughn & 
Company, this connection being continued 
for three years. He next formed a partner- 
ship with C. J. Ofif under the name of C. H.' 



374 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Failli & Company, and in 1902 the firm was 
changed to I'"aith & Dewein, which it still 
remains. Besides their elevator at War- 
rensburg they also own and operate another 
at Heman, Macon county, which together 
have a capacity of one hundred thousand 
bushels, so that they are numbered among 
the leading grain dealers of this section of 
the state. They are progressive, wide- 
awake business men and are meeting with 
good success. 

On the 25th of September, 1879, Mr. Faith 
was united in marriage with Miss Henrietta 
Baughn. a daughter of Benjamin and Han- 
nah (Mowry) Baughn. Ten children 
blessed this union: Pearl, now the wife of 
William Ayers, by whom she has one child, 
Ruth; (irace, who is quite a musician and 
is the wife of Victor Dewein, by whom she 
has one child, Margaret; Georgia, who has 
just graduated from the Decatur high 
school ; Mabel, Ruth, William, Julia, Charles 
H., Jr., and Harold, all at home ; and James, 
who died in infancy. The two older daugh- 
ters were married in the same room where 
the ceremony was performed that made 
their father and mother man and wife. 

In his social relations Mr. Faith is a 
member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- 
ica and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
lows, and he also belongs to the encamp- 
ment and patriarch militant in the latter or- 
der. He is now serving as treasurer of the 
subordinate lodge. The Republican party 
has always found in him a stanch supjiortcr 
of its principles and he has served on the 
township central committee, has been town 
clerk and constable, school director for 
many years, and president of the village 
l>oard. Pre-eminently public spirited and 
progressive, he is recognized as one of the 
\alucd and useful citizens of the com- 
numity, and no trust reposed in him has 
ever been misplaced. 



OLINER T. CROW. 

W itli the agricultural interests of Pleas- 
ant \'iew township Oliver T. Crow has long 
been identified and is to-day operating a fine 
farm of one hundred and twenty-seven 
acres. .\ native of Ohio, he was born in 
Licking county, that state, on the 4th of 
I'ebruary, 1853, and is a son of John and 
Elizabeth (Jenny) Crow. The father was 
also a native of the Buckeye state and was 
of German descent, but the mother was born 
in ^\■heeling, West Virginia. Her father 
was captain of a boat on the Ohio river. 
In 1856 John Crow brought his family to 
-Macon county, Illinois, and after residing 
for a short time in the village of Macon he 
removed to section 36, Pleasant Mew town- 
ship, where he had purchased a tract of 
land from the Illinois Central Railroad and 
erected a house thereon. Later he removed 
to section 34 in the same township and con- 
tinued to follow agricultural pursuits 
throughout his active business life. 

Oliver T. Crow is the seventh in order 
of birth in a family of ten children, the oth- 
ers being Sarah, who is now Mrs. Hardy 
.\Iarkwell; Charles, who died at the age of 
seventeen years ; Matilda, wife of William 
Markwell, a dairyman of Bcment ; Caroline, 
wife of J. P. Nutter, postmaster, merchant 
and stock-buyer of Talmo, Kansas; E. W., 
who married Nannie Deatley, and is en- 
gaged in the grain business in Blue Mound, 
Illinois; Corinda, who died in infancy; John, 
who died at the age of nineteen years; Le- 
nora, who died in young womanhood ; and 
Libbie, who died in early life. 

The subject of this sketch was only three 
years old when he accompanied his parents 
on their removal to Macon county, Illinois, 
and he was reared and educated in Pleas- 
ant View township, but was forced to leave 
school at an early age and begin work. 
During his boyhood he hauled wood from 
I'lat Branch, a distance of six miles, and 
also engaged in farming. In 1874 he com- 




cf/<uui 01 i( (x c^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



377 



nienced farming on his own account, oper- 
ating a rented farm in Christian county for 
two years, and then removed to section 
34, Pleasant View township, where the fol- 
lowing two years were passed. For eight 
years he lived on the Baldwin farm, and 
then removed to his present place, where 
he rents one hundred and twenty-seven 
acres of land under a high state of cultiva- 
tion and well improved. A good practical 
agriculturist, he has met with success in 
his chosen occupation. 

On the i8th of February, 1875, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Crow and INIiss 
Alice J. Scott, who was born in Macon 
county and was educated in the schools 
of Niantic and Blue Mound. Her parents, 
Joseph and Sarah (Whiteside) Scott, were 
also natives of Illinois, their births hav- 
ing occurred near Edwardsville, in Madi- 
son county. Her maternal great-grand- 
father, Colonel Whiteside, was a prom- 
inent early settler of this state and a 
noted Indian fighter. His son, William 
Whiteside, the grandfather of Mrs. Crow, 
was a pioneer of Macon county. Mrs. Crow 
is the oldest in a family of eight children, 
the others being Mary, who died in in- 
fancy; Ida, deceased wife of Charles Clark, 
of Decatur; Minnie, wife of William David- 
son, of Rochester, Nebraska; Hattie, widow 
of E. W. Whaley ; May, wife of Amos Da- 
vidson, of Christian county, Illinois: and 
W^illiam, who married Lilly Marshall and 
lives in Christian county. 

Eight children blessed the union of Mr. 
and Mrs. Crow: Johnny, born November 
19, 1876, died April 23, 1877; Willie E., born 
April 22, 1878, married Myrtle Hays and 
lives in Moweaqua, Illinois. Of the two 
children born to them, one is living, Glenn. 
Edith, born .March 28, 1880, is the wife of 
Charles Ferry, a farmer, and to them were 
born three children, but only Mabel is now 
living. Eva, born January 9, 1883, is the 
wife of Charles Nichols, a farmer of South 



Macon township. Ezra W., born March 23, 
1886, and Ray, born July 14, i8go, are both 
at home. Walter, born October 3, 1893, 
died October 11, 1893. Don, born July 8, 
1894, is at home. 

Mr. Crow is liberal in his religious views 
Init his wife is a member of the Christian 
church. Fraternally he is connected with 
the Modern Woodmen of America, and po- 
litically is identified with the Democracy, 
taking an active part in the work of his 
party. He has filled the offices of highway 
commissioner, constable and tax collector, 
serving in the last capacity for three terms. 
His life has been one of industry and use- 
fulness, and he has always been found true 
to any trust reposed in him whether public 
or private. 



FREDERICK BUTZIEN. 

Frederick Butzien is the oldest represen- 
tative of the furniture business in Decatur, 
although at the present time he is living a 
retired life. He came to this city in 1853 
and began the manufacture of furniture and 
with this department of the work and also 
with the retail trade he was connected for 
many years. He has now passed the sev- 
enty-eighth mile-stone on life's journey and 
lives quietly at his pleasant home, his for- 
mer toil making it possible for him to enjoy 
all of the comforts and many of the luxuries 
of life. He is connected with our German- 
American citizenship, his birth having oc- 
curred in Prussia on the i8th of October, 
1825. His parents, Frederick and Caroline 
(Cook) Butzien, spent their entire lives in 
Germany. In early life the father followed 
the tailor's trade, but afterward engaged in 
farming up to the time of his death. 

In accordance with the laws of his native 
country Frederick Butzien pursued his edu- 
cation in the public schools. He was a 
young man of about twenty-five years when 



378 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



he determined to seek a home in the new 
world and sailed for America in company 
with his brother, Charlie, who afterward 
died in Peru, Indiana. They landed in New 
York and our subject went direct to Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin, where he was employed 
in a box factory for a short time. He then 
removed to LaSalle, Illinois, where he en- 
gaged in carpentering and assisted in build- 
ing the bridge across the river. Subsequent- 
ly he made his way to New Orleans, where 
he worked in a furniture manufacturing es- 
tablishment for one winter, but on account 
of the yellow fever in the south he returned 
north and settled in Springfield, Illinois, 
which was then the termination of the rail- 
road. 

Soon afterward he walked from Spring- 
field to Decatur, arriving here in the spring 
of 1853. The now thriving city with its 
splendid business enterprises, fine buildings 
and excellent improvements was then a 
mere town and had little importance as a 
trade center. Mr. Butzien began working 
for E. D. Carter in the furniture manufac- 
turing business, continuing with that gen- 
tleman for two years, after which he fol- 
lowed carpentering for a few years. He 
then began manufacturing furniture on his 
own account, his place of business being on 
South Water street. He made all kinds of 
furniture and cofifins, selling to both the 
wholesale and retail trade and he made all 
of the furniture used in the old Macon 
county courthouse. For ten years he con- 
tinued in that business and then sold out 
the undertaking business to Mr. Aungst, 
after which he built a brick building on 
East Main street and opened a retail furni- 
ture store, which he conducted for twenty- 
eight years, .\lmost continually from the 
time of his arrival in Illinois up to the time 
of his retirement from business life he was 
connected with the furniture trade either 
as a manufacturer or as a retail dealer. In 
this way he became widely known through- 



out the county and a liberal patronage was 
accorded him. Eventually he sold his busi- 
ness to Messrs. Fisk, Scoville and Bach- 
man and removed to South Wheatland 
township, Macon county, where he pur- 
chased a farm of one hundred and three 
acres, three miles southeast of Decatur. 
There he carried on general farming for 
seven j^ears, when on account of advanced 
age he returned to the city and has since 
lived retired here. 

.On January 16, 1856, in Decatur, Mr. 
Butzien was married to his cousin, .Miss 
Frcdcricka Butzien, who was born in Ger- 
many August 22, 1834, a daughter of his 
mother's sister. Her death occurred Janu- 
ary 29, 1899. There were five children 
born of this marriage : Henry, born Decem- 
ber 21, 1856, married Emma Prall and they 
now reside in Denver, Colorado, where he 
is engaged in the furniture business ; 
Enielia, born June 2, 1859, is deceased; 
Albert, born March 25, 1861, has passed 
away; Frederick, born March 4, 1863, is 
also deceased ; and Alice L., born Decem- 
ber 15, 1866, is now the wife of A. J. Linth- 
icun. They reside with her father in 
Decatur and Mr. Linthicun superintends 
his farming interests, riding out each morn- 
ing to the farm and returning in the even- 
ing. Mrs. Butzien and the deceased chil- 
dren are all buried in Greenwood cemetery, 
Decatur. 

Mr. Butzien has made for himself a most 
enviable and creditable business record. He 
is a self-made man, whose good fortune is 
not attributable to luck, but has resulted 
from earnest labor, careful management and 
diligence. He now owns the residence which 
he occupies at No. 246 Mill street ; business 
property on East Main street; a residence 
at No. 502 East Prairie avenue ; and his 
farm of one hundred and three acres in 
South Wheatland township. He has never 
held any offices, although his friends have 
solicited him to become a candidate for 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



379 



county coroner. His political allegiance is 
given to the Democracy. He aided in or- 
ganizing the German Aid Society in De- 
catur, which meets in Turner Tall and of 
which he is now the oldest member. He 
also belongs to the German Lutheran church 
at Decatur. For half a century he has lived 
in the city and is well known as one of its 
pioneer residents and prominent and influ- 
ential representatives. His life record shows 
what can be accomplished in this land where 
ambition and efifort are not hampered by 
caste or class and where all are equal before 
the law and where the road to opportunity 
and success is open to those who will walk 
therein. 



LOUIS D. BARBEY. 
From a very early age Louis D. Barbey 
has been dependent upon his own resources 
and because of his carefully directed labor, 
his firm purpose and his unfaltering per- 
severance he has gained for himself a cred- 
itable position and desirable success as a 
representative of the business interests of 
Decatur, where he is now conducting a gro- 
cery store. He was born in Bond county, 
Illinois, on the 29th of July, 1874, and is a 
son of J. S. and Adella Barbey, both of 
whom were natives of Switzerland. After 
coming to America the father became a 
prominent furniture dealer and undertaker 
of Greenville, Illinois, where he was en- 
gaged in business for eighteen years. He 
was well known and highly respected and 
through a long period was a representative 
merchant of that town. He has now passed 
away, but his widow resides in St. Louis, 
Missouri. By that union were born seven 
children, two of whom died in infancy. 
Those still living are E. J., who is married 
and resides in West Virginia ; J. S., who is 
employed in the Moorehouse & Wells store 
in Decatur; Louis D. ; Delia, the wife of J. 



T. Tinsle}^ of Pennsylvania ; and Charley, 
who is an electrician of St. Louis. 

Louis D. Barbey began his education in 
the common schools of Greenville, Illinois, 
but at an early age put aside his text books, 
.to become a factor in the business world. 
When a youth of fourteeen he arrived in 
Decatur. Previous to that time he worked 
in a drug store in Greenville for a short 
period. On coming to Decatur he secured 
a position in a grocery store at the meager 
salary of three dollars per week, but as he 
mastered the business and made his labors 
of value to his employer his wages were 
correspondingly increased and for eight 
years he remained in the service of J. G. 
Cloyd. He managed to save most of his 
salary during that period and in May, 1900, 
with the capital that he had thus acquired 
he opened a grocery store on his own ac- 
count, being associated with W. T. J. Coop- 
er, under the firm style of Barbey & Cooper. 
Their store is now located at No. 116 East 
Prairie avenue, where the firm carries a 
large stock of fancy and staple groceries. 
Having throughout almost his entire life 
been connected with this line of trade Mr. 
Barbey is thoroughly familiar with it and 
splendidly qualified to carry on a successful 
business. The firm is now well established 
in trade, employing nine clerks and assist- 
ants. 

On the 30th of November, 1897, occurred 
the marriage of Mr. Barbey and Miss Har- 
riet Earner, a daughter of Michael and Jen- 
nie (Shutter) Earner. The lady is a native 
of Decatur and a representative of one of 
the old families of this portion of the 
state. Mr. and Mrs. Barbey attend the 
Christian church and they occupy a pleas- 
ant home at No. 128 East Marietta street, 
which was recently purchased by him. 

In his political afifiliations Mr. Barbey is 
a Republican, but has never sought or de- 
sired office, preferring to give his attention 
to his business affairs. He is popular with 



380 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COrXTY. 



his fellow citizens because of his social 
nature and creditable record in business cir- 
cles. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias 
Lodge and to the Fraternal Army of Amer- 
ica. He has led a very busy and active life 
and deserves great credit for what he has 
accom])lished. A self-made man, he has yet 
attained success thai many a man of twice 
his years might well envy. He has won 
and enjoys the confidence and respect of his 
fellow citizens and is distinctively one of 
the leading merchants of Decatur, with 
whose interests he has now been long iden- 
tified. 



J. H. STOUTENBOROUGH. 
One of the well improved and highly cul- 
tivated farms of Maroa township is that be- 
longing to J. H. Stoutenborough on section 
8, where he is successfully engaged in farm- 
ing and stock-raising at the present time. 
His early home was in (3hio, his birth oc- 
curring in Warren county, that state, and 
his parents are Garrett and ^largaret Stout- 
enborough, whose sketch appears on an- 
other page of this volume. Although bor;i 
in the lUickeye state, our subject was prin- 
cipally reared in DeWitt county, Illinois, 
his early life being spent upon a farm. At 
the age of twenty years he began farming 
on his own account upon land belonging 
to his father and was thus employed for 
five years. During the following season he 
was engaged in the tile business at ?vTaroa 
and in 1881 he removed to his present farm 
of one hundred and sixty acres, which was 
given him by his father. He and his father 
have made first class improvements upon 
the place, including the erection of a good 
house and barn, and have set out both shade 
and fruit trees. The well tilled fields yield 
a golden tribute in return for the care and 
labor bestowed upon them and everything 
about the farm denotes the supervision of 



a careful and painstaking owner as well 
as a man of good business ability who thor- 
oughly understands the vocation he has 
chosen as a life work. 

.Mr. Stoutenborough was married in 1880, 
the lady of his choice being Miss Ella 
Daird, a daughter of William Baird, who is 
a wealthy retired farmer and an early set- 
tler of Maroa township. By this union were 
born four children but only one is now liv- 
ing — Frank 1!., now eighteen years of age. 
Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenborough are both 
members of the Christian church and are 
people of prominence in the community 
where they reside. In his political affilia- 
tions Mr. Stoutenborough is a Republican 
and he takes a deep and commendable in- 
terest in public affairs as every true Ameri- 
can citizen should do. 



J. A. EYMAN. 

J. A. Eyman, whose business interests in 
Argenta would be a credit to a city of much 
larger size, belongs to the class of self-made 
men whose enterprise, industry and integ- 
rity have been the foundation upon which 
they have builded their success. Advance- 
ment, gradual and continuous, has marked 
his l)usiness career and he is now carrying 
1)11 a mercantile establishment which an- 
nually returns to him a good income. A 
native of Illinois, he was born in Illini town- 
ship, near Warrensburg, August 7, 1869, 
and is a son of Horatio and Salina J. (Milor) 
I'.yman, the former a native of St. Clair 
county, Illinois, and the latter of Macon 
county. ]]\ occupation the father was a 
farmer and owned and operated one hundred 
and twenty acres of land in Macon county. 
The mother was a daughter of Mrs. Mar- 
garet A. Freeman, one of the oldest settlers 
of Macon county. 

Upon the home farm J. A. Eyman was 
reared and his earlv education was obtained 




EDWARD C BASSET 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



383 



in tlie district schools. Later he became a 
student in the Gem City Business College, 
of Ouincy, Illinois, and was thus well 
equipped for the responsible duties of a 
business career. Putting aside his text- 
books he accepted a clerkship in a furniture 
store in Michigan, in which he remained for 
two years and then returned to Illinois, 
embarking in business on his own account 
in Argenta. He purchased the furniture 
store of S. Gerber for nine hundred dollars, 
and conducted the business at the old stand 
for three or four years, when his increased 
trade justified his removal into the Carr 
building, in which he remained for four 
}-ears. In October, 1902, he erected the 
building which he now occupies. It is a 
modern two-story brick structure splendid- 
ly equipped for the conduct of the btisiness. 
His stock consists for the most part of 
household furnishings and stoves. It is 
very large and complete and presents a 
splendid appearance. It would do credit 
to a town many times the size of Argenta. 
The arrangement of the goods is neat and 
attractive, prices are reasonable and the 
business methods of the house commend it 
to the patronage of the public. Mr. Eyman 
is now enjoying a large trade and his suc- 
cess is certainly well deserved. He also 
carries on an undertaking business in con- 
nection with his store. His brother, H. H. 
Eyman, clerks for him and lives with him. 
The stock now carried is valued at eight 
thousand dollars and comprises all grades 
of goods, such as are in demand by a gen- 
eral trade. 

In 1900 Mr. Eyman was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Anna B. Reynolds, a native of 
Argenta and a daughter of Mrs. Frances 
McKee. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Eyman one 
daughter has been born, Neffa May, whose 
birth occurred January 3, 1902. Mrs. Ey- 
man belongs to the Cumberland Presby- 
terian church. Mr. Eyman holds member- 
ship with the Masons, with the Odd Fel- 



lows, the Knights of Pythias and the Mod- 
ern Woodmen and is a valued representa- 
tive of these fraternities, enjoying the high 
regard of his brethren of the orders. His 
political allegiance is given the Repub- 
lican party and he is now serving as one 
of the trustees of the village. He owns a 
beautiful residence here in addition to his 
business property and is one of the enter- 
prising, progressive men of the town, deep- 
ly interested in its welfare and manifesting 
his interest by hearty co-operation in move- 
ments for the general good. Along legiti- 
mate lines of trade he has gained prosperity 
and his record is creditable and honorable. 
His genuine worth has gained for him the 
respect of his fellow men and Argenta 
counts him one of its most prominent and 
influential citizens. 



EDWARD C. BASSEY. 

Edward C. Bassey is a splendid type of 
the self-made man, a' man who at the out- 
set of his career had no pecuniary advant- 
ages or the aid of influential friends, but 
with the realization of the fact that there 
is no royal road to wealth placed his de- 
pendence upon the qualities that always 
insure success — indefatigable industry, un- 
abating energy and unfaltering persever- 
ance. Step by step he has advanced until 
he is to-day connected with one of the most 
prominent industries that have given De- 
catur leadership in the industrial circles of 
Illinois, being the secretary of the F. B. 
Tait Manufacturing Company. 

For many years Mr. Bassey has been a 
resident of Decatur. His birth occurred 
in Hanover, Germany, on the 24th of Feb- 
ruary. 1848, and he is a son of Henry and 
Christina Bassey, both of whom spent their 
entire lives in their native land. In the 
schools of that country he pursued his 
education between the ages of six and sev- 



384 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



enteen years. Later he still further pre- 
pared for business life by a commercial 
course in a college at South Salzgitter. On 
completing his education .Mr. Bassey en- 
tered upon his business career as a clerk in 
a grocery store, where he was employed for 
three years, and at the age of twenty-one 
he became manager of a store. Following 
this period in his life JNIr. Bassey came to 
the new world, taking passage upon a west- 
ward-bound sailing vessel which left the 
port of Liverpool for Boston, Massa- 
chusetts. The voyage completed, he made 
his way direct to New York city, and thence 
to Cairo, Illinois, coming from the latter 
place to Decatur. For a time he was em- 
ployed by J- A. Jones, a prominent farmer, 
in whose service he remained for fourteen 
months. He then accepted a position as 
bookkeeper for John and Samuel McRob- 
erts, wholesale and retail dealers in gro- 
ceries, with whom he remained for two 
years. He was next employed by H. 
Mueller, and for two years was connected 
with that firm. He was next in the United 
States railroad mail service, running from 
Terre Haute, Indiana, to Peoria, and later 
from St. Louis to Decatur, while still later 
he was transferred to another route, going 
by way of Lafayette, Indiana, to St. Louis, 
Missouri, on the night line. \Vhen a short 
time had elapsed, however, he resigned this 
position and returned to Decatur, again en- 
tering tlie employ of the H. Mueller Manu- 
facturing Company in the capacity of book- 
keeper and office manager, a position he 
held for three years. In Chicago, Illinois, 
he was employed by the Western Woolen 
Milling Company for a time and on again 
coming to Decatur he accepted the position 
of office manager for F. B. Tait & Com- 
pany. In 1R07 this business was merged 
into the new firm of F. B. Tait Manufactur- 
ing Company, which was incorporated. At 
that date Mr. Bassey became secretary of 
the company, in which capacity he has con- 



tinued to the present time, and he is now 
one of the stockholders of the concern. This 
company was capitalized for one hundred 
thousand dollars, and the present officers 
are F. B. Tait, president and treasurer; D. 
W. Tait, vice president; and E. C. Bassey, 
secretary. The officers, together with C. E. 
Boyer, constitute the board of directors. 
This is unquestionably one of the most im- 
portant industries of the city and one of the 
largest of its kind in the state. They have 
a modern, extensive and well-equipped plant 
and its products find a ready sale through- 
out the United States at the highest market 
prices. The company has ample capital 
for conducting its business and the men who 
are guiding its affairs are thoroughly experi- 
enced and possessed of every business qual- 
ification necessary for the prosperous con- 
duct of the enterprise. The company man- 
ufactures all kinds of corn and farm im- 
plements and their goods are shipped 
throughout the corn growing belt of the 
United States. They also handle a varied 
line of high-class buggies, carriages, wagons, 
general farming implements and gasoline 
engines and are jobbers for the same. The 
plant covers an entire block of ground two 
hundred and sixty by one hundred and fifty 
feet and the buildings are of brick and most 
modern in every particular. In addition to 
the main building, which is occupied by the 
offices, sample rooms and warehouse, and 
which is four stories in height with a base- 
ment, there is a machine shop, a foundry 
and a blacksmith shop, all built of brick. 
The company employs from eighty to one 
hundred skilled workmen and eight travel- 
ing salesmen upon the road. 

In 1870 Mr. Bassey was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Louisa Bernhardt, a sister of 
Mrs. H. Mueller. She, too, was born in the 
fatherland, and in her early girlhood came 
to the United States. By her marriage she 
has become the mother of two children : Ed- 
ward H., who is now in the employ of Pet- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



385 



tibone, JMiillikin & Company, a railroad sup- 
ply house, of Chicago; and Ella, at home. 
The family residence is at No. 545 North 
Jackson street, and in addition to this Mr. 
Bassey is the possessor of valuable city 
property. He is a member of the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows and also has 
membership relations with the Modern 
Woodmen. His position to-day as one of 
the most prominent and prosperous bus- 
iness men of Decatur is in marked contrast 
to his condition when he came to America 
as a young man. His career is certainly 
creditable, and there is perhaps no history 
in this volume that indicates more clearly 
the force of energy, determination and hon- 
orable effort in the active affairs of life. He 
has certainly met with excellent success, 
and the position to which he has already 
attained in business circles tests his su- 
periority in the control of important con- 
cerns. 



ROBERT WALTER. 

The world acknowledges the leadership 
of Germany in musical circles and it is sel- 
dom that one can find a son of the father- 
land who has not a deep love for music and 
considerable ability in that direction. Hav- 
ing cultivated his talents along that line, 
Robert Walter has attained considerable 
prominence in musical circles and has for 
a number of years been leader of the Good- 
man Fourth Infantry Band playing the E 
flat clarinet. 

Professor Walter was born in Saxony, 
Germany, of German parentage, on the 226. 
of May, 1859, and when only about twelve 
years of age began studying music which 
course he followed in connection with the 
pursuance of a course in the public schools. 
He first made a specialty of the violin and 
afterward turned his attention to the clari- 
net. A young man of eighteen years he 



determined to try his fortune in the United 
States and in 1877 crossed the Atlantic. For 
two years he traveled with the Golden Dra- 
matic Company through the central west 
and south and in 1886 he came to Decatur, 
where he has since resided. The following 
year he was made director of Goodman's 
Fourth Infantry Band. In 1857 a brass 
band was organized and called the Decatur 
Cornet Band. In i860 the Decatur Silver 
Cornet Band was organized with about fif- 
teen members and in 1867 another organ- 
ization was effected. In the yfar 1872 Pro- 
fessor Goodman was secured as leader and 
at once began the re-organization of the 
band which has ever since retained his 
name. For ten years he remained as its 
leader or until his death in 1882. In 1887 
Professor C. A. Foster, who had formerly 
been at the head of the musical organiza- 
tion, again became the leader and thus 
served until 1887, when he was succeeded 
by Professor Robert Walter. When the 
last named took charge there were twenty- 
four members and by his untiring efforts 
the band had been increased to thirty-six 
members. Professor Walter is a thorough 
musician and as an interpreter and director 
of band music has few equals, being a 
master of the clarinet he has developed a 
first class reed section from among his tal- 
ented pupils. The Goodman Band has kept 
abreast with the times in their repertoire of 
music and by constant rehearsals is able to 
render some of the most beautiful strains 
of the greatest composers. The Goodman 
Band was made a regimental band of the 
Fourth Regiment in 7901 and is still in the 
service. 

In 1890 Professor Walter took charge of 
the opera house orchestra and has since 
acted in this capacity, succeeding Olaf Bull 
as its director. His great love of music has 
been fostered throughout the years from 
his early boyhood and his talents have been 
developed by careful and broad study. He 



386 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY 



is very prominent socially and is a mem- 
ber of the Benevolent Protective Order 
of Elks and the Knights of Pythias fra- 
ternity. Courteous and genial in manner 
he has won friends wherever he has gone 
and is a valued representative of the musical 
schools of Decatur. 



EDGAR D. CARR, M. D. 

Careful preparation and advanced study 
have well equipped Dr. Carr for the jjractice 
of medicine, and .\rgcnta is fortunate in 
having a man of marked ability to admin- 
ister to the needs of the sick and suffering 
here. The Doctor is one of the native sons 
of the town, his birth having occurred in 
1863. liis father, Dr. Robert l-". Carr, was 
a graduate of the .\lbany Medical College 
of New York and came to Argenta in 1856, 
being one of the first ])hysicians to locate in 
this part of the county. His jiractice ex- 
tended over a wide area and he formed an 
extensive acquaintance, being held in the 
highest regard both socially and profes- 
sionally. He died in the year 1893. 

In Lincoln, Illinois, Dr. Edgar D. Carr 
pursued his early education and then de- 
termined to follow in the professional foot- 
steps of his father and make the practice 
of medicine his life work, he entered the 
Rusli Medical College of Chicago and was 
graduated with the class of 1887. He then 
took up his abode in Argenta, ojjened an 
office and engaged in practice for four years. 
Desiring to still furtlier broaden his knowl- 
edge and increase his efficiency as a medical 
practitioner he then went to Europe, spend- 
ing eighteen months in Berlin, where he 
did post-graduate work in clinical medicine. 
He has always been a close and earnest 
student, discriminating and sound in judg- 
ment and his labors have been attended 
with splendid results. Returning from 
Europe to his nnti\c land, he once more 



located in .\rgenta, where he has since re- 
mained in practice. He is very careful in 
the diagnosis of a case and his opinions are 
very rarely, if ever, at fault. His interest 
in his profession is deep and sincere and 
arises from his love of scientific research 
and from a genuine interest in humanity — 
two qualities which are absolutely essential 
to the highest success in the medical pro- 
fession. 

The Doctor belongs to the Masonic fra- 
ternity, being a Knight Templar and a 
member of Peoria Consistory. In his polit- 
ical views he is a Democrat, but has never 
sought or desired office, jjreferring to give 
his time and attention to his business afTairs. 
Several years agohebuilt a store and stocked 
it with drugs. He has since engaged in this 
line of trade and in the same building he 
has his office, which is well equipped with 
all the appliances that are of value in the 
conduct of his practice. His patronage is 
extensive and the favorable judgment which 
the ]niblic passed upon him at the outset 
of his career has in no degree been modi- 
fied or set aside, but on the other hand has 
been strengthened as the years have passed 
by. He is a member of the County, State 
and American Medical Societies, and thus 
keeps in touch with the advanced thought 
of the profession. 



I'KAXK .M. MICRIDITII. 
Frank M. Meridith is one of the younger 
representatives of business interests in De- 
catur, but is now prospering in his under- 
takings and bis labors are adding to the 
sum total of business activity upon which 
the prosperity and growth of the city rests. 
He was born in Bath county, Kentucky, on 
the 12th of August. 1868, and is a son of 
Thomas and I':ila (.\nderson) Meridith. 
On leaving his native state the father be- 
came a resident of Champaign county. Tlli- 




DR D. W PORTER 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



389 



nois, where he followed farming and also 
engaged in teaching. His death occurred 
when he had attained the age of fifty-three 
_\'ears. In the family were nine children, 
hilt only si.x are now living, namely : Ver- 
million P.. Robert S., Thomas G., Hester, 
Belle and Prank M. 

Tiie last named acquired his education in 
the public schools of Champaign county, 
Illinois, mastering the branches of learning 
thai usually constitute the curriculum in the 
public schools of this state. At the age of 
twenty years he began railroading, being 
first employed by the W'aba.sh Railroad 
Company. He was afterward with the Van- 
dalia Company and subsequently with the 
Nickle Plate Road, serving first as brake- 
man and afterward being promoted to the 
position of conductor. In 1895, however, 
he severed his connection with railroad 
service and on the 21st of December, of that 
year, became an active factor in business 
interests in Decatur as proprietor of a stor- 
age, transfer and furniture industry located 
at No. 700 to 706 North Broadway. He has 
since conducted a large establishment and 
success has attended his efforts. He has 
now an extensive outfit, including moving 
vans and a number of teams, in addition to 
his warehouse and storage rooms. 

Mr. Meridith is well known and popular 
in .social circles. He has been a member of 
the .Masonic fraternity since 1889 and is 
now affiliated with Macon Lodge, No. 8, 
A. F. & A. M.; and with Decatur Chapter, 
No. Ill, (j. E. S. He likewise has mem- 
bership relations with the Modern Wood- 
men of .America and the Benevolent Pro- 
tective ( )rder of Elks, and in public alTairs 
he has been quite prominent, serving for six 
years as a member of the city council of 
Decatur. He has, however, never been an 
active politician in the sense of office seek- 
ing. His time is largely taken up with his 
business afl^airs and he regards the pursuits 



of private life as abu.nclantly worthy of his 
best efforts. 

On the 24th of .\ugust, 1903, Mr. Meri- 
dith was united in marriage to Miss Belle 
Wheeler, of Decatur, a daughter of J. L. 
Wheeler, of this city. 



DENNIS W. PORTER, M. D. 

Dr. Dennis W. Porter, who successfully 
engaged in the practice of medicine at Blue 
Mound for several years, was a man wdiose 
worth and ability gained him success, honor 
and public confidence. He enjoyed the 
well-earned distinction of being what the 
world calls a self-made man, and an anah'za- 
tion of his character reveals the fact that 
enterprise, perseverance and well-directed 
effort were the essential features in his 
prosperity. 

The Doctor was born in lielmont countv, 
Ohio, on the 25th of April, 1844, and was 
a son of W^illiam Wilson Porter, who was 
a cabinet-maker of Belmont county, where 
he spent his entire life. Our subject and a 
sister were the only ones of the family to 
come to Illinois, the latter being Mrs. 
Sophia Sanders, now a resident of Pawnee, 
Illinois. Two brothers are residents of 
Kansas. The Doctor received his early edu- 
cation in the common schools of his native 
county, and while only a boy came to Illi- 
nois, locating first at Centralia, where he at- 
tended college for a few years. He then 
decided to enter the medical profession, but 
had no money with which to pursue his 
studies. Going to Pawnee he worked at the 
blacksmith's trade for five years and also 
taught in the country schools near there 
for about two years. During that time he 
managed to save enough money to take a 
medical course and then entered Rush Med- 
ical College, Chicago, where he was gradu- 
ated in the class of 1878 and received his 
degree. 



390 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



On leaving that institution ])r. Porter 
went to Stonington, Christian county, Illi- 
nois, where he first hung out his shingle 
and engaged in practice there for eiglit 
years. In the meantime he was married at 
Stonington to Miss Lillian C. Wetzel, who 
was born in Iroquois county, Illinois, a 
daughter of B. Frank and Sarah (Hartwell) 
Wetzel. It was about 1859 that her father 
settled in Christian county, where he en- 
gaged in farming for many years, but is now 
living a retired life with his son in Mowea- 
qua, Illinois. Ilis wife is deceased. Unto 
])r. and Mrs. Porter were born three chil- 
dren, namely: tiattie, who died in in- 
fancy; Cyrus, who resides with his mother 
and is clerking for the Scovill Company, of 
Decatur; and George Glenn, also at home. 

After his marriage Dr. Porter continued 
to engage in the practice of his profession 
at Stonington until 1886, when he went still 
farther west and settled in Grant, Nebraska, 
where he was in practice for four years and 
a half. On his return to Illinois at the end 
of that period he took up his residence in 
the village of Blue Mound, Macon county, 
making his home there until the early 
part of 1901, when he was taken ill and 
retired from professional life. He removed 
to Decatur and there spent his last days, 
dying on the 23d of October, 1901. In his 
profession he met with excellent success, 
having a comprehensive knowledge of the 
science of medicine and its application to 
the needs of suffering humanity, and he 
built up a large practice at Blue Mound. 
He stood high in the esteem of his profes- 
sional brethren and was an honored mem- 
ber of the State Medical Board of Spring- 
field, Illinois, and of the Macon County Med- 
ical Society. 

In his social relations the Doctor was a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, the In- 
dependent Order of Odd Fellows and the 
Modern Woodmen of America, all at Blue 
Mound. He always took a very active in- 



terest in politics and was unswerving in 
his allegiance to the Democratic party. He 
held the office of town clerk in Stoning- 
ton for a few years and was also mayor of 
Blue Mound for a time. In all the relations 
of life he was found true to any trust re- 
I)Osed in him and was a faithful member of 
the -Methodist Episcopal church of Blue 
Mound, to which his wife also belonged 
during their residence there, but she now 
holds membership in Grace Methodist Epis- 
copal church of Decatur. She and her chil- 
dren reside at No. 1036 West Wood street, 
where they have a nice home. She is an 
estimable lady of many sterling qualities 
and has a large circle of friends in the com- 
munity. 



JOFIN S. CHILDS. 
F'or one-third of a century John S. Childs 
was a representative of the agricultural in- 
terests of Macon county and since 1890 he 
has lived retired in Decatur, the competence 
which he acquired in former years being 
sufficient to supply him with all of the com- 
forts and many of the luxuries of life. His 
rest is well merited for his business career 
was ever straightforward and he was always 
honorable in his dealings with his fellow 
men. Mr. ChildS is a native of Burlington 
county, New Jersey, born on the 5th of De- 
cember, 1829, his parents being Joshua and 
Ann (Wilkins) Childs. The family is of 
English lineage and the ancestors were 
Quakers or Friends in religious faith. At 
an early day representatives of the name 
became residents of Pennsylvania and John 
Childs the grandfather of our subject, was 
born in that state near the city of Phila- 
delphia. He lived, however, for a number 
of years in New Jersey and it was there 
that Joshua Childs was born, reared and 
made his home throughout his entire life. 
After arriving at vears of maturity he 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



391 



Avedded JMiss Ann Wilkins, who was also 
born and died in New Jersey. He passed 
away in the prime of life, leaving a widow 
and a large family of sons and daughters. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Childs were consistent 
Christians and members of the Baptist 
church. 

As Mrs. Childs was left in limited finan- 
cial circumstances it became necessary that 
the children should be separated and dif- 
ferent members of the household went to 
live with various families in New Jersey. 
John S. Childs, whose name introduces this 
review, made his home with his grandfather 
for a time and attended the little Quaker 
schoolhouse on the hill, which still stands 
and was in use up to a few years ago. His 
educational privileges, however, were very 
limited for it became necessary that he pro- 
vide for his own support and at an early 
age he began learning the carpenter's trade. 
An important and valuable factor in shaping 
his career was the instruction which he re- 
ceived in the little Quaker meetinghouse 
near his home. The building was a historic 
one erected in 1777 and thus it stood as a 
mute reminder of the events of more than 
a century. On completing the carpenter's 
trade, which he learned under the direction 
of Henry Satterthwait, a Quaker, Mr. 
Childs sought employment and on looking 
about for a favorable location he determined 
to follow the advice of Horace Greeley and 
"go west." 

It was in November, 185 1, that Mr. Childs 
arrived in Logansport, Indiana, where for 
a few months he worked at his trade. He 
then removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, but 
after a brief period came to Illinois. In the 
fall of the same year, however, Mr. Childs 
went to St. Louis, Missouri, and thence to 
Springfield, Illinois, where he entered the 
service of the Chicago & Alton Railroad 
Company as a bridge carpenter. It was 
during his residence in the capital city that 



he became acquainted with Miss Cathrine 
F. Brown, of Springfield, a daughter of Re- 
son D. and Rachel (Ernest) Brown, who 
were natives of Kentucky and early settlers 
of Illinois. Mr. Childs sought the hand of 
the young lady in marriage and on the 9th 
of November, 1854, they were united in the 
holy bonds of wedlock. Mrs. Childs was 
born and reared in Sangamon county and 
for almost a half century has traveled life's 
journey with her husband, sharing with him 
the joys and sorrows, the adversity and 
prosperity which checker the careers of all. 
After his marriage Mr. Childs took up 
his abode upon a farm near Pleasant Plains 
and there resided until 1857, when he came 
to Macon county and purchased one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land near Warrens- 
burg. This was a tract of raw prairie, en- 
tirely unimproved. Not a furrow had been 
turned or a rod of fence built and there were 
no buildings upon the place. His knowl- 
edge of carpentering now stood him in good 
stead for he erected a small house, after 
which he commenced to cultivate and de- 
velop his land. He also early turned his 
attention to the raising of hogs and it was 
in this line of business activity that Mr. 
Childs largely acquired his comfortable for- 
tune. He found this a profitable source of 
income and as his means accumulated he 
purchased more hogs and also added to his 
farm until he was the possessor of six hun- 
dred and forty acres of valuable land. An- 
nually he raised from one to five car-loads of 
hogs and became known as one of the lead- 
ing representatives of this department of 
farm work in Macon and surrounding coun- 
ties. He also engaged in the raising of 
horses and cattle and in his farm work was 
very progressive, using the latest improved 
machinery and doing everything to facili- 
tate his labors and make his place of greater 
value. He kept apace with the universal 
progress along agricultural lines and con- 



392 



PAST AND i'Rl':Sl-:.\T UV MACON COUNTY. 



tinned to reside upon his farm for a third of 
a century, yearly adding to his income 
thronc^h indefatigable labor, careful man- 
agement and honorable business methods. 
He yet owns his farm property and fre- 
quently drives from the city to his country 
place, supervising its interests. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Childs has 
been blessed with nine children : Leona L., 
who is now the wife of Louis Stoakey, of 
Harristown. Illinois; Noah H., of Decatur; 
John 1)., of Decatur: Dr. Timothy S., who 
is engaged in the practice of dentistry in 
this city; Annis, who is the wife of Dr. 
Howard Batchelder, of Omaha, Nebraska; 
Charles L., who has just resigned the posi- 
tion of superintendent of the Bartonville 
Insane Asylum; Hattie E., who is book- 
keeper for the Paries Manufacturing Com- 
pany ; Jessie, who died in her eighteenth 
year ; and Edna E., at home. The family 
home is an attracti\'e and commodious 
dwelling at No. 535 I'rairie avenue, which 
is one of the principal residence streets 
of the cit}'. In addition to this {jrojierty 
his possessions comprise three finely culti- 
vated farms which arc rented, bringing to 
him a gcjod income annually. 

In his political views iMr. Childs was long 
a Democrat and voted for the men and 
measures of that party, but on the nomina- 
tion of W'illiam Jennings Bryan upon a 
free silver platform he decided to cast his 
ballot for the Re]ndilican candidate and 
voted twice for Major .McKinlcy. In the 
year 1866 he was elected supervisor of lllini 
township and for five years acted in that 
capacit3\ Otherwise he has never been ac- 
tive in politics as an officeholder, preferring 
to give his time and attention to his busi- 
ness affairs, which ha\e been so capably 
managed that liis industry, frugality and 
sound judgment have brought to him a 
good proi>erty which will su])ply him with 
many comforts thrrui;;h the c\'ciiing of life. 



JUERGEN H. NOTTELMANN. 

For the past eight years J. 11. Xotielmann 
has been identilicd with the business in- 
terests of \\'arrensburg- as a dealer in lum- 
ber, sash, doors, blinds, lath, shingles, paints 
and oils, in partnership with his father un- 
der the firm style of H. Nottelmann & Son. 
A young man of superior executive ability 
and sound judgment, he already occupies a 
good position in the business world, and 
has a fine prospect of reaching the topmost 
round of the ladder of prosperity. 

A native of Macon county, Mr. Nottel- 
mann was born in Niantic, on the 13th of 
December, 1872, and is a son of Herman 
and .\nna (Jacobsen) Nottelmann, both na- 
tives of Germany. When a young man the 
father emigrated to the new world and for 
several years made his home in Chicago, 
where he was employed as head clerk in the 
domest'c department for Charles Gossage & 
Company. In the fall of 1871 his residence 
and all his belongings were destroyed in 
the great Chicago fire, and the following 
March came to Macon county, making his 
home in Niantic ever since. During that 
entire time he has been engaged in general 
merchandising at that place and is regarded 
as one of the leading business men of the 
countv. His family numbers seven chil- 
dren, three sons and four daughters: Au- 
gusta, now the wife of J. Frank Beall. a 
grain dealer of Niantic ; one wdio died in in- 
fancy : Juergen II., of this review; Anna, 
wife of Charles I'ritchett, who is engaged 
in the hardware and undertaking business 
at Latham: Henning LL, who married Delia 
Cul]) and is a lumber dealer of Latham ; 
Dora, at home : and John B., who is a grad- 
uate of Brown's Business College of Deca- 
tur and is now employed as stenographer 
for the Illinois Central Railroad at Clii- 
cago. 

Juergen H. Nottelmann pursued his edu- 
cation in the public schools of Niantic and 
the .Springfield Business College, where he 




J. C. BOYCE 



PAST AXU PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



395 



was graduated in 1894. He began his busi- 
ness career as a clerk in his father's store, 
and after leaxing college continued in that 
position until 1896. when in partnersliip 
with his father he opened a hmiberyard at 
\\'arrens1)urg under the firm name of H. 
Xottelmann & Son. They still carry on the 
business and under the able management 
of our subject they are meeting with marked 
success in the undertaking. 

On the 17th of March, 1899, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Nottelmann and 
Miss Emma P.. Albert, who was born in 
\Varrensburg and completed her education 
in the common and high schools of Deca- 
tur. Her parents are Martin and Eldorado 
(Norman) Albert, natives of Ohio. Our 
subject and his wife now have a little daugh- 
ter, Agnes E., born January 27, 1902. 

Socially Mr. Nottelmann affiliates with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and 
he is also a member of Hoo Hoo Lumber 
Association, which holds its meetings on 
the 9th day of the ninth month each year. 
In religious views he is liberal and in poli- 
tics is independent. He has never cared 
for official honors, preferring to give his 
undi\ided attention to his business affairs 
and having prospered he is to-day the owner 
of some residence property and business 
lots in Warrensburg besides his lumber 
yard. He is quite popular in both business 
and social circles, and is highly esteemed 
bv all who know him. 



J. C. BOYCE. 
J. C. Boyce is one of the leading citizens 
of Mount Zion, where he is carrying on an 
extensive business as a dealer in grain, lum- 
ber and builders' hardware. Upon the com- 
mercial activity of any community depends 
its prosperity and the men who are recog- 
nized as leading citizens are those who are 
at the head of important business enter- 



prises. Mr. Boyce is a man of broad capa- 
bilities and generally carries forward to 
successful completion whatever he under- 
takes. 

A nati^■e of X'ermunt, he was born in 
T^oultney, Rutland county, that state, on the 
26th of February, 1848. His father, Henry 
Boyce, was a Canadian by birth, and in 
early manhood married Miss Amelia Bethel, 
who was born in Scotland. After living for 
some years .in Vermont, they removed to 
New York state, where the father died, in 
1 881. at the age of seventy-six years, and 
the mother, in the fall of 1891, at the age of 
seventy years. They were the parents of 
eleven children, six of whom are still living, 
but our subject, who is the sixth in order of 
birth, is the only one of the family living 
in the west. 

J. C. Boyce grew to manhood in the Em- 
pire state and soon after attaining his ma- 
jority learned the carpenter's trade. On 
coming to Illinois he first located in Chi- 
cago, January 3, 1872. but it was not long 
before he went to Areola, where he worked 
at his trade for a short time. He then re- 
turned to Chicago and was variously em- 
ployed in that city as a carpenter and con- 
tractor until he entered the service of the 
N^andalia Railroad, erecting the first grain 
elevator for that company in 1873. He con- 
tinued to work at his trade for some years, 
building principally houses. 

At midnight, July 4, 1873, Mr. Boyce ar- 
rived in Mount Zion and here he began deal- 
ing in grain, coal, lumber and builders' hard- 
ware, in partnership with John Scott, in- 
vesting six hundred dollars in the enter- 
prise. This connection continued from the 
ist of April. 1886, until October 12, 1889, 
when our subject bought Mr. Scott's inter- 
est in the business and has since extended 
his operations. The business was started in 
a very small way, the office of the company 
being only twelve feet square. It was later 
enlarged to eighteen by twenty feet, and 



390 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



subsequently the present buildings were 
erected in 1890, consisting of a store room, 
elevator and lumber sheds. Under the man- 
agement of our subject the business has now 
reached extensive proportions, bringing him 
a good income. He has just built an ele- 
vator calculated to hold thirty thousand 
bushels of shelled grain. 

In 1880 Mr. Bo3'ce married Miss Eliza- 
beth Gibb, a native of Scotland, who came 
to this country with her parents when only 
six years old. Her father was John Gibb, 
a representative of a noted Scottish family. 
Religiously Mr. Boyce is a member of the 
Cumberland Presbyterian church and social- 
ly is connected with Ionic Lodge, No. 
312, I'". & A. M., of Decatur, having been 
made a Mason in that city in 1898, and he 
also belongs to Alount Zion Lodge, No. 
300, I. O. O. F., of Mount Zion. 

He is a representative of that class of 
citizens who, while advancing individual 
success, also jiromote the ]niblic welfare. He 
stands high in business circles as a man of 
progressive ideas and known reliability, and 
he merits the confidence so freely accorded 
him. 



WILLIAM HAMSHER. 
In a history of Macon county, past and 
present, it is incumbent that we make men- 
tion of William Hamsher, for he was one 
of the early settlers of Decatur, and as one 
of its pioneers he should certainly find rep- 
resentation in this volume. Great changes 
have occurred here since the time of his 
arrival. A little log building constituted 
the courthouse in Macon county and there 
were many log cabins in the embryo city 
when he established his home in Illinois. 
He was a native of Cumberland county, 
Pennsylvania, born on the 5th of October, 
1824. His parents always made their home 
in the east and there passed away many 
years ago. There were several children in 



the famil)-, however, who came to the west 
and located in Decatur, and four of the fam- 
ily are now living, namely : Barnett K., 
who is now secretary for the Herald-De- 
spatch Company and manager of the Herald 
Printing and Stationery Company ; Samuel 
W., who holds the position of janitor Ln 
the postofiice at Decatur; Mrs. Williams, of 
Decatur; and Mrs. Samuel Rotz, of Penn- 
sylvania. 

Like the other members of the family, 
\\'illiam Hamsher received only a common- 
school education. In early manhood he 
wedded Miss Sophia Bear, the marriage be- 
ing celebrated in his native state. The lady 
was also a native of Cumberland county, 
Pennsylvania, and belonged to a family that 
has many representatives in Decatur at 
the present time. Her death, however, oc- 
curred on the 8th of February, 1879, and 
the two children of that marriage, Daniel 
F. and Susanna M., are also deceased. 

.\fter his marriage, in 1858, William 
Hamsher came with the balance of the 
Hamsher family to Macon county and es- 
tablished his home in the little village of 
Decatur. It was then a small place similar 
to other villages which are established on 
the frontier. Many of the little houses were 
constructed of logs and everything was 
])rimitivc in character and few of the com- 
forts of the older east were to be enjoyed 
here. Mr. Hamsher opened a shop and be- 
gan working at the wagon-maker's trade, 
which he followed for many years. He 
was thus engaged at the time of the 
outl)rcak of the Civil war. His patri- 
otic spirit being aroused by the attempt 
of the south to overthrow the Union, he en- 
listed in 1861 as a member of Company K, 
One Hundred and Sixteenth Illinois Infan- 
try, going to the front under the command 
of Colonel Boyd. The company was engaged 
in many battles, but ]\Ir. Hamsher was 
vcr\' fortunate in that he was never in- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



397 



JLired and at the expiration of his term of 
service he was discharged at Springfield. 

Returning to his home, Mr. Hamsher 
once more became connected with the in- 
dustrial interests of Macon county, work- 
ing at the wagon-maker's trade in Decatur. 
He conducted his business here until fail- 
ing health forced him to retire from that 
line of activity and he took u]) his abode 
upon a farm near Decatur. He resided there 
for only a brief period, however, and then 
again established his home in this city, 
where he lived retired until his death. 

Mr. Hamsher was married a second time 
in Decatur to Mrs. Mary I. (Tweedy) Gray, 
a native of New York, born November 7, 
1830. The lady is a daughter of Robert 
Tweedy, who was of Scotch-Irisli lineage, 
and on coming to America settled in Can- 
ada. He also resided in New York for a 
short time, but later removed to Montreal, 
Canada, where he engaged m merchandis- 
ing. His wife and all of his children, with 
the exception of Mrs. Hamsher, died in 
Montreal of cholera within a period of four 
weeks. The surviving daughter was first 
married to John A. Gray, of Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, who took up his abode in 
Decatur at an early day and here engaged 
in the manufacture of cigars until his death. 
There was one child by that marriage : John 
A., who wedded Aliss Blanche Willcutt, 
and resides in Schaller, Iowa, where he is 
engaged in dealing in grain. 

Mr. Hamsher was a member of the Bethel 
Church of God in Decatur, and his wife be- 
longs to the Baptist church of this city. 
She was left in very comfortable circum- 
stances and now owns a beautiful home at 
1606 East Main street. Mr. Hamsher ac- 
quired his possessions along legitimate bus- 
iness lines. He realized that honesty is the 
best policy and was ever fair and straight- 
forward in all his dealings with his fellow- 
men. No one ever spoke against his in- 



tegrity and all who knew him entertained 
for him the highest regard. He was a 
member of the Grand Army Post, of De- 
catur, and in his political views was a Re- 
publican, taking an active interest in all of 
its work. He died May 6, 1899, and the po- 
sition which he held in the public regard 
was shown by the fact that his was one 
of the largest funerals ever held in the city. 
His friends gathered to pay their last 
tribute of respect to him whom they had 
loved and honored. 



JOSEPH MILLS. 
Joseph Alills, the president of the Mills 
Lumber Company of Decatur and thus a 
representative of one of the leading indus- 
tries of the city, occupies a position of prom- 
inence in business circles. His connection 
with this enterprise dates from 1886 and 
duringthe intervening period the success 
of the bitsiness may be largely attributed 
to him. 

Mr. Mills is a native of New Jersey, his 
birth having occurred in Essex, Union 
county, on the 2d of March, 1826. He is 
descended from English ancestry, the fam- 
ily having been founded in America by rep- 
resentatives of the name who came from 
England during colonial days. Samuel 
Mills, the grandfather of our subject, was 
likewise born in New Jersey and when the 
colonists attempted to throw off the yoke 
of British oppression he joined the conti- 
nental army and served as a valiant soldier 
of the Revolutionary war. While in camp 
his regiment was surprised by a night at- 
tack and during that struggle Samuel Mills 
was wounded by a bayonet. In times of 
peace he followed the occupation of farm- 
ing, carrying on agricultural pursuits dur- 
ing the greater part of his life. His death 
occurred when he had reached the age of 



398 



PAST AND PRESENT Ol- MACOX COLXTV. 



seventy years. In his family were five chil- 
dren, inclutiing Stewart Mills, the father of 
our subject. He. too, was born in New 
Jersey and was reared to farm life and be- 
came an agriculturist. As a companion and 
helpmate for life's journey he chose Nancy 
Sutton, a daughter of Benjamin Sutton, also 
a resident farmer of New Jersey, while her 
grandfather was one of the heroes of the 
Revolution. Mr. and .Mrs. .Mills became the 
parents of five children; Mary, now de- 
ceased; Hannah, the widow of William 
AVilliams: Joseph, of this review; Phoebe, 
the wife of Jesse Fowler; and Electa, the 
wife of Charles Lyon. The father died in 
1868, at the age of seventy-eight years, and 
the mother long survived him, passing away 
at the advanced age of one hundred and 
four years. She remained upon the home- 
stead and when a centenarian could read 
without glasses, her eyesight seeming to be 
renewed in her last years. She held mem- 
bership with the Presbyterian church and 
the world was better for her having lived, 
for she exerted a strong influence for good 
in the lives of those with whom she came 
in contact. 

In his youth Josei)li .Mills was inured to 
the labors of the home farm, where he 
worked until he reached the age of seven- 
teen, when he began learning the carpen- 
ter's trade. After serving a four years' ap- 
prenticeship he was employed for some time 
as a journeyman and through a long period 
was connected with the building interests. 
In 1853 Mr. Mills left his old home in New 
Jersey and came to the west, casting in his 
lot with the early settlers of Decatur, whose 
business enterprise, activity and keen dis- 
cernment were laying the foundation for 
the jiresent prosperity and progress of the 
city. l*"or a half century he has now made 
his home here. He first purchased property 
on the corner where the Syndicate block 
now stands and became connected with the 
business interests here as a contractor and 



builder. His thorough understanding of 
the trade, his excellent workmanshi]) and 
his faithfulness to the terms of a contract 
soon secured him a liberal patronage and 
he continued to conduct a profitable busi- 
ness in that line until 1878, when he aban- 
doned that work in order to engage in a 
kindred industry, becoming a partner of W. 
!'>. ilary in the lumber business. -Mr. Hary 
had been his former partner in contracting 
for a number of years before they went into 
the lumber business. This connection was 
maintained until the death of Mr. Harv in 
1886, when Mr. Mills purchased his in- 
terest from the estate. On the ist of Janu- 
ary, 1891, the Inisiness was incorporated, a 
.•^tijck company being formed under the firm 
name of the Mills Lumber Company, with 
Joseph Mills as the president; Jacob Willis, 
secretary and treasurer; and Albert Good- 
man, .iianager. The business of the com- 
I)any has steadily increased and its sales 
now annually reach a large figure. They 
deal extensively in all kinds of lumber, 
handling everything needed in their line for 
the construction of public or private build- 
ings. The business policy inaugurated by 
.Mr. xMills at the outset of his career has 
ever been maintained. The work is carried 
on systematically and success has been won 
along the line of time-tried maxims. 

l'2re leaving the east Mr. Mills was united 
in marriage on the 22(1 of May, 1848, to 
Miss Eliza Lansing, whose parents were 
L'enjamin and Anna (Hill) Lansing, the 
former a native of New York and the latter 
of New Jersey. Five children were born 
of this union, but only one is now living: 
Anna, who married John W. Shellabarger, 
of -Salina, Kansas, and had five children but 
only two are now living, Edgar and Edith. 
Another daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mills 
was Emma, who became the wife of Sig- 
mund Schulof and died leaving a daughter. 
Pearl, now the wife of ^^'illiam Wittke, of 
Xew N'ork citv, and the mother of a little 



i 




DR. 0. F. PARKER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .AIACON COUNTY. 



40 1 



daughter. The other members of the Mills 
family were Josephine, Stella and Coriene. 
The wife and mother, who was a consistent 
and devoted member of the Baptist church, 
passed away on the 2d of March, 1886, at 
the age of fifty-nine years, and on the ist 
of January, 1888, Mr. Mills was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Mrs. Sini 
Taylor, the widow of Frank Taylor, and a 
daughter of Lars Larson, who was a native 
of Denmark. The family home is an at- 
tractive residence on North Main street, in 
addition to which Mr. Mills owns other val- 
uable city property. 

In his political views he was originally 
a Republican, supporting that party from 
1856 until 187J. He then voted for Horace 
Greeley and since that time has affiliated 
with the Democracy. For six years he 
served as alderman of Decatur from the 
first ward and has been assistant super- 
visor, but has preferred to perform his du- 
ties rather as a private citizen than as an 
official. He belongs to Decatur Lodge, No. 
65, L O. O. F., and in the fraternity as well 
as in business and social circles is held in 
the highest regard. The character and posi- 
tion of Mr. Mills illustrates most happily 
for the purpose of this work, the fact that 
if a young man be possessed of the proper 
attributes of mind and heart he can unaided 
attain to a position of unmistakable prece- 
dence and gain for himself a place among 
the men who are foremost factors in shap- 
ing the business history of their various 
communities. His career proves that the 
only true success in life is that which is ac- 
complished by personal effort and consecu- 
tive industry. It proves that the road to 
success is open to all young men who have 
the courage to tread its pathway, and the 
life record of such men should serve as in- 
spiration to the young of this and future 
generations, and teach by incontrovertible 
facts that success is ambition's answer. 



OSCAR F. PARKER, M. D. 

Few men were more prominent or more 
widely known in the enterprising city of 
Decatur than Dr. O. F. Parker during the 
thirty-three years of his residence here. He 
was an important factor in business circles 
and his popularity was well deserved as in 
him were embraced the characteristics of 
an unbending integrity, unabated energy 
and industry that never flagged. He was 
public spirited and thoroughly interested 
in whatever tended to promote the moral, 
social and material welfare of the city. 

The Doctor was born in Peru, New York, 
on the 7th of November, 1818, a son of Dr. 
Francis and Sarah Parker. His father, who 
was also a physician, was engaged in prac- 
tice at Parishville, New York, for many 
years, and both he and his wife died there. 
Our subject acquired his literary education 
in the common schools of his native place, 
and having decided to enter the medical pro- 
fession, he became a student at Jefferson 
Medical College, of Philadelphia, where he 
was graduated in the class of 1851. He 
then joined his father at Parishville, St. 
Lawrence county. New York, and together 
they engaged in practice at that place tmtil 
our subject came west. In the meantime 
he was married in 1856 to Miss Calista L. 
Flanders, also a native of the Empire state, 
born in Lawrence, St. Lawrence county. 
New York, in 1832. Her father, Samuel 
Flanders, was a millwright by trade and 
from New York removed to Ohio, where 
he built a number of mills throughotit the 
state, making his home there until his death. 
To Dr. and Mrs. Parker was born but one 
child: Minnie, now the wife of A'^irgil Hos- 
tetler, of Decatur. 

After his marriage the Doctor continued 
his residence in Parishville. New York, until 
1865, when he came to Decatur, Illinois, 
and began practice here with Dr. Josiah 
Brown. Two years later the partnership 
was dissolved and Dr. Parker (Miibarked in 



402 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



in the drug business, opening a store on 
East Main street, near Water street, vvliicli 
he conducted until failing health caused his 
retirement from business. He died, in this 
city on the i6th of December, 1897, honored 
and respected by all who knew him. Mrs. 
Parker is still living in Decatur, where she 
owns a large and beautiful residence at No. 
341 West Macon street, and her daughter 
resides with her. 

In early life the Doctor was a Whig in 
politics, and after the dissolution of that 
party joined the Republican ranks. While 
living in New York he became a member 
of the Masonic fraternity, but never united 
with any of the lodges after coming to De- 
catur, in citizenship he was loyal, in 
friendship faithful, and in his family he was 
known as a devoted husband and father. 
Throughout his entire life he commanded 
the respect of his fellow-men by reason of 
his genuine worth, and his loss was deeply 
mourned tliroufrhout the comniunitv. 



CHARLES HAYS. 

One of the leading and representative cit- 
izens of Hickory Point township is the 
gentleman whose name introduces this re- 
view. Throughout his active business life 
he has followed farming with good success 
and is to-day the owner of a well improved 
and valuable place on section 26. His en- 
tire life has been passed in this township, 
his birth occurring September 27, 1859, on 
the old homestead, which is on section 23 
on the Bloomington road, where his brother 
Frank now resides. 

John R. Hays, the father of our subject, 
was born on a farm in Wayne county, In- 
diana, September 5, 1830, and was one of 
a family of eight children, whose parents 
were John and Rebecca (Hadley) Hays. 
Our subject's grandfather was a native of 
Pennsylvania and of Scotch-Irish descent. 



His children were Ebenezer; Nancy; John 
R. : Rebecca, wife of Alexander Brett ; Ben- 
jamin; Cynthia, wife of Isaac Skillman, of 
Oregon ; William ; and Thompson H. 

John R. Hays was only four years old 
when the family removed from the county 
of his nativity to Vermilion county, Illinois, 
locating near Danville. A year later they 
went to Piatt county, and in 1841 came to 
Macon county, taking up their residence on 
section- 26, Hickory Point township, where 
our subject now resides. This farm was 
im])roved by the grandfather, who, in con- 
nection with general farming, was quite 
cxtensivelj' engaged in stock raising. The 
father of our subject was a lad of eleven 
years when he settled here and amid pio- 
neer scenes he grew to manhood. The near- 
est school house was then northwest of De- 
catur, two miles and a half distant from his 
home, but a few years later another was 
erected in Hickory Point township a mile 
and a half away. Although his educational 
advantages were limited he became a well 
informed man through reading, experience 
and observation. He remained on the home 
place until twenty-seven years of age, when 
his father gave him eighty acres of land and 
he started out in life for himself. Being 
industrious, energetic and progressive, he 
met with marked success in his farming 
operations and added to his property from 
time to time until he had six hundred acres 
of choice land, well improved and under 
excellent cultivation. He always took a 
deep interest in public affairs and most ef- 
ficiently filled the offices of school director, 
township collector and county supervisor. 
On the 26th of March, 1857, he was united 
in marriage to Miss Rachel ]\Iontgomer}% 
a daughter of William F. and Amelia (Su- 
ver) Montgomery, and imto them were 
born four children, as follows : Charles, of 
this review; William, also a resident of 
Macon county ; Frank, who lives on his 
father's old homestead in Hickory Point 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



403 



township; and Cynthia, who died April 15, 
1872. The family is one of prominence in the 
community where they reside and wherever 
known its members are held in high regard. 
The father passed away March 24, 1900, and 
the mother is still living. They were both 
honored and respected by all who knew 
them. 

Charles Hays was reared and educated 
in much the usual manner of farmer boys, 
aiding in the work of field and meadow and 
pursuing his studies in the district school. 
Since attaining to man's estate he has fol- 
lowed farming and is now living on the 
place where his grandfather located on com- 
ing to this country in 1841. He has two 
hundred acres of rich and arable land and 
the well tilled fields and the neat and thrifty 
appearance of the farm testify to the super- 
vision of a careful and painstaking owner. 

In 1889 Mr. Hays led to the marriage 
altar Miss Elizabeth Landis, a native of 
Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Henry and 
Amanda (Reeser) Landis, of Bearsdale, and 
four children bless their union, namely: Ed- 
win, Robert, and Ora and Oma, twins. Mr. 
Hays casts his ballot for the men and 
measures of the Democratic party, and he 
has served as school director in his dis- 
trict. He is public spirited and progressive 
and never withholds his support from any 
enterprise which he believes will prove of 
public benefit. 



MARTIN V. LONERGAN, M. D. 
Dr. Martin V. Lonergan, who is engaged 
in the practice of medicine in Decatur, is 
known as a successful and skillful physi- 
cian and surgeon, one who has given years 
of thought and painstaking preparation to 
his profession and who is thoroughly quali- 
fied for its practice. Nature endowed him 
with the elements necessary for success as 
a practitioner for he is sympathetic, pa- 



tient and thoughtful and in the hour of ex- 
tremity cool and courageous. Though his 
practice engrosses much of his attention he 
still finds time to keep in touch with the 
advancement made by the profession and 
avails himself of e;very development in 
remedial agencies. 

Dr. Lonergan was born on the 4th of Feb- 
ruary, 1852, a native of Philadelphia, Penn- 
sylvania. As the name indicates the family 
is of Irish lineage. The father, Michael 
Lonergan, was born in County Waterford, 
Ireland, and learned the carpenter's trade 
there ere his emigration to the new world. 
When a young man, however, he crossed 
the Atlantic to the United States and es- 
tablished his home in Philadelphia. There 
he met and married Miss Margaret Dona- 
hue, who was born in County Tipperary, 
Ireland, and who had come with her parents 
to this country. The year 1856 witnessed 
the removal of Michael Lonergan and his 
family from Pennsylvania to Illinois. Set- 
tling in Jacksonville, he there followed 
carpentering until 1870, when he disposed 
of his business and property interests there 
and invested his money in a farm in San- 
gamon county, devoting his remaining days 
to agricultural pursuits and to the enjoy- 
ment of the quiet life of the farm. He died 
in 1888 at the age of seventy years and his 
widow still resides on the old homestead. 
Both were communicants of the Catholic 
church and Mr. Lonergan gave his political 
support to the Democracy, for he believed 
its platform contained the best elements 
of good government. LInto this worthy 
couple were born six children : Martin ; 
John, who resides upon the old home farm ; 
Maurice ; Maggie ; and two who have passed 
away. 

When Dr. Lonergan was but four years 
of age he came with his parents to Illinois 
and pursued his education in the public 
schools of Jacksonville until he reached the 
age of fourteen. He then entered upon his 



4:04 



PAST AXD I'RRSEXT OF MAO )X C( )L'XTV. 



business career by l)ecoming an employe 
in a store of that city, but later he continued 
his studies in the Wliipple Academy and 
subse(iuently jjrepared for the duties of bus- 
iness life by a course in llrown's Com- 
mercial College. He worked in the 
store (luring the day, attending school at 
night. The elemental strength of his char- 
acter was thus manifested and gave promise 
of a successful future, because success is 
more often the result of strong purpose 
and close applicatit)n than of any other 
elements. With educational work Dr. Lon- 
ergan was also connected for some time, 
having for five years engaged in teaching 
in Sangamon count)^ It was his desire, 
however, to become a member of the med- 
ical fraternity and he began reading in the 
office of Dr. David Prince, of Jacksonville, 
ere he discontinued his work as a member 
of the teacher's profession. Later he pur- 
sued a course of lectures in the Long Island 
Hospital College in Brooklyn and was next 
a student in the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons in Xew York. He also took a 
post-graduate course in the Chicago Poh'- 
clinic in 1888 and in 1894 in the New York 
Polyclinic and the same year served as 
house physician in the .Mothers and Babies 
Hospital, Xew York. Tlu- money for his 
collegiate course he earnetl through his own 
labors and when his capital became ex- 
hausted he again accepted a position as a 
school teacher in order to gain the funds 
necessary for the completion of his course in 
medicine. He was graduated in 1877 and 
through the inllucnce of his roommate, J. 
.\. Dawson, he located at Casner, Illinois, 
in .March. 1878. there opening an office. 

One of his first patients was Mrs. Will- 
iam Wilson, who subsequently became his 
mother-in-law. Becoming acquainted with 
the daughter, Mary, he sought her hand in 
marriage, and on the 14th of November, 
1878, the wedding ceremony was solemn- 
ized. She was born and reared in Mount 



Zion township, Macon toimty, and by her 
marriage became the mother of four chil- 
dren, of whom two are now living: Ellis 
C. and Bertha Alay. The first-born, Bertie, 
died at the age of only four years, and John 
M. died at seventeen years of age. 

The first wife, Mary, died on the i4lh 
anniversarj' of their marriage, November 
14, lyoi, and the Doctor was again mar- 
ried Xoveinber 27, 1902, to Mary E. Dres- 
back. 

In his professional career Dr. Lonergan 
has been quite successful. He continued 
a partner of Dr. Dawson until Xovember, 
1883, and since that time has practiced 
aU)ne. He owns a good drug store and has 
a liberal patronage in that line as well as in 
medical practice. He continued to mUke 
his home in Casner until 1895, when he came 
to Decatur and has since been active in the 
practice of his profession in this city. He 
keeps thoroughly informed concerning the 
advancement made by the profession and 
has long since demonstrated his skill in 
handling intricate cases. Socially he is a 
member of Ionic Lodge, No. 312, A. F. & A. 
M. ; Macon Chapter, No. 12, R. A. M.; and 
Decatur Council, No. 21, R. & S. M., all of 
this cit)\ He was likewise a member of 
Casner Lodge, No. 463, 1. O. O. F., of which 
he served as noble grand. He is also a 
member of the Macon County Medical So- 
ciety : the Illinois State Medical and the 
.American Medical Association. 

The Doctor is a firm beliexer in the cause 
of temperance and does everything in his 
])ower for the suppression of the use of in- 
to.xicants. He manifests his principles in 
this by his ballot, voting for the Prohibition 
party, with which he has been allied since 
age gave to him the right of franchise. 
He and his wife hold membership in the 
Cumberland Presbyterian church and he is 
a man of broad humanitarian principles, 
whose influence has always been on the side 
of right and justice. He believes that the 




CHARLES LEWIS 




MRS- CHARLES LEWIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



4)9 



most important work of man is the develop- 
ment of honorable character and has ever 
used his iniiuence in behalf of the promotion 
of moral progress in the communities in 
which he has lived. 



CHARLES LEWIS. 

Charles Lewis, one of the leading citizens 
of Hickory Point township, who is suc- 
cessfully engaged in general farming and 
stock-raising, was born in Warwickshire, 
England, on the 27th of November, 1832, a 
son of William and Ann (Clark) Lewis, 
who spent their entire lives in that country. 
Of their eight children those still living are : 
Isaac, who still makes his home in England ; 
Charles, of this review; George, a wealthy 
resident of England ; and Thomas, who is 
now living in Missouri. 

Our subject's early advantages were ver}' 
meager, and since the age of fourteen years 
he has been dependent upon his own re- 
sources for a livelihood. He worked hard 
during his boyhood at various occupations, 
being employed on farms a part of the time 
and also at brick and tile making. 

^^Mth the hope of bettering his financial 
condition Mr. Lewis came to America in 
the fall of 1864 and spent the first winter 
in Vermont. Before leaving England he 
borrowed fifty dollars from his brother 
William, then li\-ing in Vermont, to help pay 
his expenses to the new world. In 1865 — 
the year of President Lincoln's assassina- 
tion — he came to Macon county, in company 
with his wife and four children and his 
brother William's wife and their four chil- 
dren. They made the trip west by way of 
Buffalo, New York, and Logansport, Indi- 
ana. Through some mistake they were put 
on the wrong train at the latter place and 
taken to a station seven miles out of their 
way. As Air. Lewis was entirely unfa- 
miliar with this part of the countr}- he was 



at a loss to know what to do, but a kind- 
hearted man came to his assistance with a 
wagon and conveyed the women and chil- 
dren as far as the Wabash trestle work. Our 
subject then carried the children across and 
led the women to a place of safety. As he 
did not know at what minute a train might 
appear, this was an experience never to be 
forgotten. 

Arriving in Macon county he first settled 
in Decatur township, where he lived in a 
shanty for about two years, and then re- 
moved to Hickory Point township, where 
he engaged in the manufacture of brick, 
making the brick for the house of John 
Hanks, a relative of President Lincoln, and 
receiving in exchange eleven acres of land 
on section 33, which forms a part of his 
present farm. In later years this caused 
considerable trouble in his securing a title 
to the land. Mr. Lewis also made the first 
tile ever manufactured in the county and 
was among the first to drain the land. They 
brought the machinery for his tile factory 
from England. As the years have passed 
he has steadily prospered in his b'usiness af- 
fairs and is to-day the owner of a fine stock 
farm of three hundred and thirty-one acres 
of choice land in Hickory Point township. 
The pasturage is good and all the grain that 
he raises he feeds to his stock, having two 
hundred and fifty head of Shropshire sheep 
and thirty-five head of cattle. 

Before leaving England Mr. Lewis was 
married in the town of Co\'entry to Miss 
limma Jane Betts, who was also a native 
of Warwickshire, and died in Macon coun- 
tv, Tlliinois. in 1868, leaving five small chil- 
dren. One child born to them died in Eng- 
lan. The others are as follows: George, a 
successful farmer of Austin township, this 
county, married Sarah Kirkpatrick, and has 
four children, one of whom is Mrs. Nellie 
Belford, who has five children; Mary Jane 
is the wife of John Bear, and has three chil- 
dren ; Fannie is the wife of Ira Parrish, of 



4111 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Harristown township, and has two children ; 
Charles married Kate Cheker, by whom he 
has three children, and they live on his 
father's farm ; Emma is the wife of Gus 
Parrish, of Mount Auburn, Christian coun- 
ty, and the}' have two children. As will 
be seen, Mr. Lewis has fourteen grand- 
children and five great-grandchildren. 

On the loth of October, 1871, Mr. Lewis 
was again married, his second union being 
with Miss Catharine Hastie, who was born 
in Dumfrieshire, Scotland, November 22, 
1828, a daughter of Adam and Margaret 
(Tait) Hastie, who both died in Scotland. 
Mrs. I^ewis is the youngest of their nine 
children and the only one living with the 
exception of her brother Robert, a resident 
of California. Another brother, William, 
died in this county and was buried in Boil- 
ing .Springs cemetery, Hickory Point town- 
ship. Immigrating to America in 1866 she 
came to Macon county, Illinois, with her 
brother-in-law, Andrew Myers, and a niece. 
She lias been to her husband a faithful com- 
panion and helpmate and carefully reared 
his cliildren. By her aid and encourage- 
ment she has materially assisted him in se- 
curing a home and competence and she cer- 
tainly deserves much credit for what she has 
done. She takes much pleasure in her flow- 
ers which adorn the front yard and add 
much to the beauty and attractive appear- 
ance of the place. She presides with gra- 
cious dignity over her home, which is a com- 
fortable brick residence, noted for its hos- 
pitality and good cheer. 

Since casting his first presidential vote 
for Rutherford B. Hayes, Mr. Lewis has 
supported the Republican party and its nom- 
inees. He was reared an Episcopalian, but 
he and his wife now attend the First Pres- 
byterian church of Decatur, in which she 
holds mcml)crship. She is an active worker 
in the cause of Christianity and the children 
were reared amid good influences. Mr.. 
Lewis belongs to that class of men wlunn 



the world terms self-made, for coming to 
this country empty-handed, he has con- 
quered all the obstacles in the path to suc- 
cess, and has not only secured a comfortable 
competence but has gained the good will 
and friendship of those with whom he has 
come in contact cither in business or social 
life. 



J. M. PERSINGER. 

For a third of a century J. M. Persinger 
was a leading business man of Maroa, and 
the commercial interests of the town were 
well represented by him. He located here 
at an early day in the development of Maroa 
and the growth of his business kept pace 
with the growth of the city, the years bring- 
ing to him a large patronage, which was 
well merited by reason of his energy, his 
honorable methods and his straightforward 
dealings with his fellow men. When called 
to his final rest he left behind him an honor- 
able record and his memory is yet- cherished 
and revered by many who knew him. 

Mr. Persinger was born in Shelby county, 
Ohio, in 1837, and upon the home farm was 
reared, early becoming familiar with the 
labor of field and meadow, and thus forming 
habits of industry. When seventeen years 
of age he began teaching school and fol- 
lowed that profession until the outbreak of 
the Civil war, when he -became a member 
of the bodj'guard of John C. Fremont. 
This company, however, was disbanded, and 
returning home Mr. Persinger enlisted as a 
member of the Ninety-ninth Ohio Infantry 
under Colonel Sweeny. He participated in 
eighteen battles, but was never wounded 
nor ill in the hospital. He rendered valua- 
ble service to his country as a brave and 
loyal soldier and on being mustered out he 
returned to Sidney, Ohio. He then again 
engaged in teaching school for a year or 
two. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY 



4rll 



In iS66 Air. Persinger was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Sarali Beck, a daughter of 
Joseph and Mary P.eck, the former a farmer 
of Montgomery county, Ohio. She acquired 
her education in the Centerville Academy 
and in the Lebanon College of Ohio. The 
year following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Persinger removed to Maroa, becoming 
early settlers of this place, and with the 
business history of the town Mr. Persinger 
became closely identified. He formed a 
partnership with J. C. Beatty and opened a 
harness and saddlery store. The new firm 
prospered and in 1878 they purchased the 
hardware stock of Hartrnan Brothers. In 
the same year S. M. Adams purchased the 
hardware and implement store of John H. 
Crocker, and the stock of both houses was 
■consolidated and the business continued 
under the name of Persinger, Adams & 
Company, a relation that was maintained 
until 1882, when Mr. Adams withdrew and 
the firm of Beatty & Persinger became the 
owners of both stores. This arrangement 
was continued until January, 1885, when 
the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Beatty 
taking the harness and saddlery business, 
while Mr. Persinger retained the hardware 
stock. He was then alone until 1889 and 
in the meantime he e.xtended the field of his 
trade operations by adding a stock of furni- 
ture in 1886. Three years later he admitted 
T. P. Miller to a partnership in the business 
and the firm became Persinger & Miller, a 
relation that was maintained until March, 
1893, when Mr. Miller withdrew, Mr. Pers- 
inger continuing alone in the conduct of his 
large store. In 1894 he added an undertak- 
ing department and in May, 1900, he sold his 
hardware and furniture stock to J. M. Ram- 
mel §i Company. He then retired, after 
thirty-three years of active business life in 
Maroa. Not a business man of the city at 
that time was connected with the trade in- 
terests of Maroa as long as Mr. Persinger, 
and he always maintained a place in the 



front rank as a leading, progressive and re- 
liable merchant. He was never known to 
take advantage of his fellow men in any 
transaction, content to realize a fair profit 
and valuing his own self-respect and the 
regard of his fellow men more than wealth 
or position. He sold his business for sev- 
enty-five hundred dollars in cash, thus re- 
ceiving a merited reward for his life of in- 
dustry and enterprise. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Persinger was born 
one son, Rolland E., whose birth occurred 
in 1870. He acquired his early education in 
Maroa and later attended the University 
of Illinois for one year. He afterward' spent 
a year in Grant University of Tennessee 
and then became a student in the college 
at Bloomington, this state. On putting 
aside his text books he returned to his home 
in Maroa and was engaged in the hardware 
business with his father until 1895, when he 
accepted the position of secretary to the 
Crocker Elevator Company, which position 
he is now filling and the success of the b.us- 
iness is attributed in no small degree to his 
efforts. The company operates six different 
elevators in Macon county and handles a 
large amount of grain raised in this locality. 
In public aiTairs Rolland Persinger is also 
prominent. He. was elected city clerk in 
1897 and mayor of Maroa in 1899, and his 
official service was satisfactory to the gen- 
eral public and reflected credit upon his 
own loyal citizenship. Socially he is con- 
nected with the Masons, belonging to the 
lodge of Maroa. He is likewise a member 
of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks 
at Clinton. His political support is given 
the Republican party and he is widely and 
favorably known in business, political and 
fraternal circles in this part of Illinois. 

Mr. Persinger held membership with the 
Grand Army of the Republic, being con- 
nected with the post in Maroa. He was a 
member of the Presbyterian church, to 
which his wife also belongs, and in his po- 



412 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COrXTY 



litical affiliations he was a Republican, as 
was his father anil is his son. Matters of 
citizenship relating to the public welfare 
elicited his attention and his co-operation 
was many times given to movements for the 
general good. He guided his life by honor- 
able principles and was well worthy the con- 
fidence and regard so uniformly tendered 
him. He died October 17, 1900, and thus 
one more name was dropped from the roll 
of Maroa's citizens who had long been ac- 
tive in her public and business life, but 
while he has passed away the work which 
he accomplished lives after him, and his 
name is honored and his memory cherished 
by those among whom he had long lived 
and labored, exemplifying in his life a high 
type of American manhood. I lis widow, 
now living in Maroa, owns one hundred and 
sixty acres of laml in .Mact)n connt\- and a 
business jilock in Maroa, which is now oc- 
cu])ied by a grocery and restaurant. ^\fter 
luT luisl)and's death the old home was sold 
and a handsome home erected in Maroa, 
where she and her son are still living. 



GEORGE B. SI'lTl.l'.R. 

George B. Spitler, one of the leading bus- 
iness men of Mount Zion, has shown in 
his successful career that he has the ability 
to plan wisely and execute with energy, a 
combination which, when possessed by men 
of any walk of life, never fails to effect nota- 
ble results. ]'"or twenty years he has made 
his home in Mount Zion and his name is in- 
separably connected with its business in- 
terests. 

Mr. Spitler was born on the 14th of April, 
1854, in Luray. \^irginia, of which state 
his parents, Wesle)- and Ann (V'arner) 
Spitler, were also natives. His paternal 
grandfather. Abram Spitler, was a life-long 
resident of the ( )ld 1 )()niinion and was of 
German descent, and his maternal grand- 



father, i)a\id X'artier, was also a native of 
X'irginia. The father was born in i8ii and 
throughout the years of his active business 
life engaged in farming and surveying. On 
leaving his native state in 1833 he removed 
to Jasper county, Indiana, where he has 
spent the greater part of his life, but is now 
living in Effingham county. Illinois. His 
wife died in 1878 at the age of sixty-nine 
years. Ten children were born to them, but 
fi\-e died in infancy, those still living being 
Sallie, wife of J. M. Lecrone, a resident of 
Effingham county, Illinois; Molly, wife of 
(ieorge W. Shull. of Montrose, Illinois; 
Aljram, who makes his home in I\lattoon, 
Illinois; and George B., the youngest of the 
family. I)a\id died in January, 1891. 

The house in which our subject first saw 
the light of day was built of log and weath- 
erboartled. It is still in a good state of pres- 
er\ation and has been the home of some of 
the Spitler family for at least two hundred 
\ears. being now owned and occupied by 
Jacob S])itlcr. ( )ur subject received his 
early education in the country schools near 
his boyhood home and when young learned 
telegraphy, acting in the capacity of oper- 
ator and agent for the Vandalia Railroad 
system for some time. He was in the train 
despatcher's office at Terre Haute, Indiana, 
for two years, and on leaving the employ 
nf that compaii}- he entered the service of 
the Illinois Midland Railroad as train de- 
spatcher, which position he held for two 
years. In the meantime the office was re- 
mo\-e<l from Paris. Illinois, to Decatur, 
where he remained a year and a half. 

In the spring of 1883 Mr. Spitler bought a 
stock of goods in parliUTship with William 
Conn and opened a general store in Mount 
Zion, but at the end of a year he purchased 
.Mr. Conn's interest and has since carried 
on the business alone. He has enlarged his 
store and increased his stock until he now 
has a lirst-class establishment. For sixteen 
vears he was also interested in the grain 




DWI6HT F LEWIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



415 



business and in 1895 built the elevator at 
Mount Zion now owned and conducted by 
W". S. Smith, selling out five years later. 
Mr. Spitler was the originator of the Mount 
Zion Telephone Company, which he carried 
on as organized until June, 1903, when he 
bought the Moultrie county line and consoli- 
dated the two. The latter had been estab- 
lished in 1896. The new system now ex- 
tends from Sullivan to Decatur, connecting 
Mount Zion, Dalton City and Lake City, 
and it has phones in most of the farm 
houses along the route, three hundred be- 
ing now in operation. Mr. Spitler has also 
been identified with other business enter- 
prises which have met with marked success. 
In 1900 he became a third owner in the 
Mount Zion Nursery witli E. R. Hurlbert 
and W. B. Hunter, which business has 
steadily prospered from the beginning. He 
has extensive farming interests in Mount 
Zion township and makes his home on sec- 
tion 10, just a short distance east of the 
village of Mount Zion. 

On January 18, 1892, Mr. Spitler was 
united in marriage to Miss Ida B. Smith, a 
daughter of George A. and Martha (Wilson) 
Smith, who were natives of Macon county, 
Illinois, their parents being from Tennessee. 
She was making her home in Mount Zion 
at the time of her marriage. In his political 
views Mr. Spitler is a stalwart Democrat 
and for some time he served as chairman of 
the central committee of Mount Zion town- 
ship, but the greater part of his time and 
attention is devoted to his business interests. 
Since his arrival in Mount Zion he has been 
an important factor in its advancement and 
prosperity. The man who establishes on a 
firm basis and conducts large and paying 
enterprises does more for a city than he who 
gives large sums of money for its embellish- 
ment, for the former furnishes the means 
of livelihood to many and promotes com- 
mercial activity, which is essential to the 
welfare of any community. Mr. Spitler is 



recognized as one of the prominent business 
men of Macon county and is a popular and 

honored citizen of Mount Zion. 



DWIGHT F. LEWIS. 

The mercantile history of Decatur would 
be incomplete without mention of Dwight 
F. Lewis, who for a quarter of a century 
was connected with commercial interests 
here and throughout that period he sus- 
tained a most enviable reputation, having 
the trust of the public to a high degree. A 
native of Hartford, Connecticut, he was 
born on the i6th of July, 1829, a son of 
Charles and Melissa (Dodge) Lewis, both 
of whom were natives of Connecticut, where 
the father was engaged in carding wool 
and in the dyeing business for many years. 
He afterward came to the Mississippi val- 
ley and resided in Decatur until his death, 
while his wife also passed away in this city. 
There is but one of their children now liv- 
ing here, H. B. Lewis, who is a retired 
grocery merchant, residing on College 
street. 

To the public school system of his native 
state Dwight F. Lewis was indebted for 
the educational privileges he enjoyed, but 
his opportunities were somewhat limited. 
However, in later years, he became a well- 
informed man, adding continually to his 
knowledge by reading, observation and ex- 
perience. He was married in Herkimer 
county. New York, to ?.Iiss Mary Jane 
Grove, of Onondaga county, that state. She 
was born January 10, 1832, a daughter of 
Adam and Eliza (Hoag) Grove. The father 
was a tailor by trade and both he and his 
wife spent their entire lives in the Empire 
state. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were born 
three children: Charles H., who now holds 
the position of freight agent in Decatur in 
connection with the Wabash Railroad Com- 
pany ; George T., who is also a clerk in the 



416 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Wabash freight office, and resides with his 
mother; and WilHam H., who occupies a 
similar position and who married Aliss 
Laura Ryder, their home being on Marietta 
street, in this city. 

At the time of his marriage .Mr. Lewis 
came to the west, beheving that he might 
have better business opportunities to gain 
a good Hving for himself and his Ijridc in 
this district of the country, which was then 
not so thickly settled as the older portions 
of the east. Its rapid growth, however, 
furnished e.xcellent business openings and 
he resolved to try his fortune in Illinois. 
Accordingly he settled in Rockford, where 
he worked at the carpenter'^ trade for a few 
months, and then came to Decatur in 1856. 
The embryo city bore little resemblance to 
the Decatur of the present day. There were 
many evidences of frontier life still existing 
here and the town was small but its future 
seemed bright and Mr. Lewis identified his 
interests with the business affairs of the 
city. He worked at the carpenter's trade 
for four years and then with the capital 
he had acquired through his own energy 
and economy he established a grocery store 
on Broadway. After remaining there for a 
few years he removed to the corner of Cerro 
Gordo and Morgan streets, where he con- 
ducted his store for a quarter of a century. 
In that time Mr. Lewis became very widely 
known in business circles of the city and 
was honored and respected by all. not alone 
on account of the excellent success which 
he achieved, but also because of the straight- 
forward Inisiness policy he ever followed. 
He was energetic, prompt and notably re- 
liable in all his trade transactions, never 
making an engagement that he did not till 
nor incurring an obligation that he did not 
discharge. One of his friends remarked: 
"Everybody knew D wight Lewis and liked 
him." This is certainly an indication of a 
splendid character — one that c<immanded 
the respect and good will of all. 



-Mrs. Lewis resides in a beautiful home 
at No. 450 North Morgan street. She is 
a member of the Episcopal church of De- 
catur and is a lady whose friends are many. 
In his political views Mr. Lewis was a Re- 
])ublican of mifaltering faith in the party 
and its principles. He died April 26, 1900, 
and a feeling of deepest regret spread about 
tlu- city when the news of his demise was 
recei\ ed. In everything pertaining to the 
upbuilding of Decatur he took an active 
part and was a liberal contributor to the 
enterprises which insured its progress. He 
was a self-made man in the fullest sense of 
that oft misused term, his prosperity in life 
being due to his industry and integrity. His 
life was a living illustration of what ability, 
energy and force of character can accom- 
plish, and it is to such men that the west 
owes its prosperity, its rapid progress and 
its advancement. 



MRS. MARGARET ANN FREEMAN. 

Among the old and honored citizens of 
Macon county must be numbered Mrs. 
.Margaret Ann Freeman, who is one of the 
few remaining " snowbirds," a name given 
to those who arrived here before the great 
snow of 1830-31. She has, therefore, wit- 
nessed almost the entire development and 
improvement of this section of the state 
and can relate many interesting incidents of 
])ioneer days when this was a wild region 
largely covered with ponds and sloughs. 

Mrs. F'recman was born on the loth of 
.May, 1822, in Montgomery county, Vir- 
ginia, a few miles west of the Blue Ridge 
mountains, and one of the most pleasant 
recollections of her childhood is that of the 
beautiful forest covered mountain range 
lying to the .southeast. Her parents were 
.•\braham and Barl)ara .Allen (Maury) Shep- 
pard, the former a native of Mrginia and 
the latter of Pennsvlvania. The father was 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



417 



born on tlie 4th of July, 1776 — the natal day 
of this great republic — and was a son of. 
John Sheppard, who came to this country 
from England in colonial days. After the 
Revolutionary war, Mrs. Freeman's father 
located near Newburg in Montgomery 
county, Virginia, where he rented a farm 
of a large landowner, and in connection 
with its operation he conducted a distillery, 
in this way using all the grain raised upon 
his place. With the aid of his sons, who 
were half-brothers of Mrs. Freeman, he 
hauled the finished product, together with 
cured pork fattened at the distillery, to 
Lynchburg, a distance of over one hundred 
miles, that being the nearest available mar- 
ket. For his second wife Mr. Sheppard 
married Barbara Allen Maury, a daughter 
of John and Christina (Sprinkel) Maury. 
Her grandfather Maury, was a school 
teacher by profession. In September, 1830, 
they started west, accompanied by the 
smaller children of the family and a few of 
Mrs. Freeman's grown half-brothers. The 
mother and the younger children rode in an 
old-fashioned carryall, a wagon being the 
conveyance for the remainder of the party. 
They were many days upon the road but 
finally arrived in Decatur, Illinois, on the 
loth of October. It was impossible to find 
a house to live in as the few log buildings 
then on the site of Decatur were then all 
occupied, so the family went into camp 
upon some open ground adjoining the court- 
house, it being the present site of the St. 
Nicholas Hotel. There they remained until 
the weather became very cold and they 
were compelled to look for better quarters. 
Mr. Sheppard then rented a house on the 
Smallwood farm near the present city lim- 
its on. the north but as the former tenant 
could not move out for a few weeks, they 
found temporary shelter in a blacksmith 
shop, which was fitted up for their accom- 
modation. 

By his first marriage Abraham Sheppard 



had five sons and three daughters, namely : 
James, born February 9, 1796; William, 
born March 28, 1799; Mrs. Mary Manley, 
born December i, 1801 ; John, born October 
25, 1803 ; Stephen R., who was born Jan- 
uary II, 1806, and was first married in 
Montgomery county, Virginia, January 10, 
1825., to a Miss Snuffer, and second in Macon 
county, Illinois, January 17, 1833, to Mary 
Hawks ; Letitia, who was born April 24, 
1808, and died in Virginia; Russel, who was 
born August 16, 181 o, and was married in 
Macon county in 1832 to Sarah Manley, but 
died on the 24th of June, 1839; ^'""^ Rhoda, 
who was born December 28, 1813, and 
was married in Macon county to Albert 
Lemons. Her death occurred September 
27, 1836. Five children were born unto 
Abraham and Barbara Allen (Maury) Shep- 
pard, as follows: Henry Allen, born Nov- 
ember 6, 1817, died in Montgomery county, 
Virginia, June 20, 1824; Margaret Ann, 
now Mrs. Freeman, is the next in order of 
birth ; Elizabeth Jane, born July 3, 1824, 
married John Spangler, of Macon county; 
Leurany, born March 28, 1827, married 
Freeman Jones and died August 6, 1901, 
while visiting her sister, Mrs. Freeman, and 
she left several children, one of whom is 
Mrs. Houchin, a resident of Jefiferson City, 
Missouri ; and Rachel E., born May 19, 
1829, married John Hull, of Logan county, 
Illinois, and later went to Kansas, where 
she died in May, 1902. Her children now 
live near Sabetha, that state. 

Amid pioneer surroundings, Mrs. Free- 
man grew to womanhood and on the nth 
of October, 1838, she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to James Milor, of Ohio, the cere- 
mony being performed by Elijah Freeman, 
a justice of the peace, who lived on a farm 
adjoining that of her father, about three 
miles east of Lincoln's log cabin in Harris- 
town township, and who was the father of 
her second husband. James Freeman. Mr. 
Milor took up government land a mile or 



418 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



two north of Harristown and partially im- 
proved the place but unfortunately became 
ill and died in 1845 before it was proved up 
and it went back to the government. By 
that union three children were born : Will- 
iam Marion Milor, born August 30, 1839, 
married a Miss Dunlap and in 1876 went 
to Kansas. He had three sons, Franklin, 
Elmer and William. Saline Jane Milor, 
born December 11, 1841, was married Jan- 
uary 2, 1862, to Horatio J. Eyman and 
spent her life on a farm about two miles 
southeast of Warrensburg, where she died 
March 24, i8g6. Mr. Eyman was born July 
21, 1825, and died December 16, 1882. Their 
children were as follows : Lillie May, born 
December 9, 1862, died January 7, 1873 ; 
Charles W., born July 11, 1865, was killed 
in a planing mill in Decatur, November 5, 
1893; Minnie Ann, born October 11, 1867, 
was married April 22, 1891, to Edwin F. 
Boss, of Petoskcy, Michigan, where they 
now reside, and they have one child. L. 
Cecil, born November 17, 1892; John A., 
born August 7, 1869, now a furniture dealer 
and undertaker of Argenta, Illinois, was 
married No\-ember 22, 1900, to Anna B. Rey- 
nolds, of that place, and they have one child, 
Neflfa, born Jahuary 22, 1902; James M., 
born September 11, 1871, was married De- 
cember 17, 1901, to Cora Culp and lives on 
the old home farm, which he owns ; Arthur 
M., born October 8, 1873, died September 
18, 1874; Sarah Margaret, born August 31, 
1875, was married May 31, 1903, to Dr. F. 
B. Baker, of Chicago, where they reside ; 
Samuel, born December 25, 1878, died on 
the same day ; and Harry Horatio, born 
February 7, 1883, is with his brother, John 
\., in Argenta. John McHenry Milor, the 
youngest child by IVtrs. Freeman's first mar- 
riage, was born March 11, 1843, ""id was 
married June 13, 1875, to Eliza Cathey, at 
Greenville, Michigan, where he was en- 
gaged in the nursery business for several 
years and later in merchandising. In April, 



1879, he removed his stock of goods to Pe- 
toskey, Michigan, and conducted the first 
exclusive shoe store at that place. He also 
carried on a general store up to the time of 
his death except for a few years when en- 
gaged in the manufacture of woodenware. 
He died October 15, 1899, leaving two 
children : Carroll, who was born in Green- 
ville, .Michigan, August 28, 1876; and Win- 
nie E., born in Petoskey, October 17, 1879. 
They now reside with their mother in the 
latter city. 

Left a widow at the age of twenty-three 
years with three small children depending 
upon her, Mrs. Freeman had to fight the 
battle of existence in a frontier country with 
the wolves howling nightly in the forest 
not far from her log cabin home. She was 
again married on the 4th of July, 1847, her 
second union being with James Freeman, 
shortly after his return from the ^Mexican 
war, in which he had served as a private 
in Company C, Fourth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry. He enlisted on the 27tli of 
August, 1846, and was discharged on ac- 
count of illness at New Orleans, May 25, 
1847, before the expiration of his term of 
enlistment. The first lieutenant of his com- 
pany was Richard Oglesby, who afterward 
became so distinguished and beloved by the 
people of Illinois. The regiment saw some 
severe service in the campaign under Gen- 
eral Taylor and in the march to the City 
of Mexico. A relic much treasured by the 
children of Mrs. Freeman is a letter from 
Tampico, Mexico, written by James Free- 
man to the young widow, Margaret Milor, 
proposing marriage. This was written on 
his learning of the death of her first hus- 
band. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Freeman lived on a farm southwest of De- 
catur, about three miles east of the Lincoln 
log cabin, until his death, which occurred on 
the 6th of April, i860. 

There were seven children born of the 
second union, namely: Cerilda D.. born 






aA/h><-^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



421 



April 7, 1848, was married June 25, 1876, to 
L. E. Mackey, now a resident of Indianap- 
olis, Indiana, and their children are Mar- 
garet May, who married John McClintock 
and has one child, Laveta Evans ; and 
William Allen, who married Elizabeth 
lloaglin and has one child, Herman Evans. 
Susan Lavena, born February 7, 1850, died 
August 30, 1859. Joel Seth, born March 
28, 1852, was named for Captain Joel S. 
Post, who was second lieutenant in Mr. 
Freeman's company in the Mexican war. 
Alatilda Ann, born March 15, 1854, is the 
wife of William Minson, living east of De- 
catur, and their children are Claud, Roy, 
Jessie, George, Otis and Ruth. The last 
named is now deceased. James Douglas, 
born April 12, 1856, entered the retail shoe 
business at Petoskey, Michigan, in 1882, 
and continued in the same vmtil 1893, when 
he accepted a position as traveling salesman 
for a wholesale shoe house, with headquar- 
ters at Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was mar- 
ried October 26, 1882, to Ida M. Boss, and 
they ha\c three children : Lowell C, who 
was born October 25, 1884, and is now a 
promising student of architecture and civil 
engineering; Homer D., who was born 
March 16, 1889, and died January 27, 1890; 
and Bessie M., born July 18, 1891. Rosella, 
born April 3, 1859, was married November 
2, 1881, to F. B. Ritchie, a dealer in imple- 
ments and coal in AVarrensburg, Illinois, 
and they had two children, Litta, born Feb- 
ruary 22, 1888, and Vilas Lamar, born Feb- 
ruary 23, 1891, Avho died in infancy. Rachel 
Emeline, born January 11, 1861, died in 
December of the same year. 

For the past twenty years Mrs. Freeman 
has lived with her daughter Mrs. Ritchie 
at a pleasant home in Warrensburg, where- 
she dispenses a cordial old-fashioned hospi- 
tality to every visitor. She is remarkably 
vigorous for one of her years, her faculties 
of sight and hearing are still keen, and being 
very active she still takes enjoyment in per- 



forming the lighter household tasks. Her 
memory is good and she delights in telling 
many interesting reminiscences of pioneer 
days. One of these is a tale of apparent 
danger but with a rather ludicrous ending. 
One dark night her grandfather, John Shep- 
pard, who was then living near the Blue 
Ridge mountains, was aroused by a terrific 
noise near the river and concluded it was a 
band of marauding Indians, who were then 
quite hostile. Believing that they would 
attempt to kill the entire family the grand- 
mother hastened to arouse her children and 
prepare for flight, but on going out to learn 
the cause of the noise her husband found, 
to his great relief, that the disturbance was 
caused by two colored women who were at 
the river washing clothes in the old way 
and who, becoming involved in a quarrel, 
had fallen to belaboring each other with the 
heavy wooden paddles used to beat the gar- 
ments on the rocks. Mrs. Freeman has been 
a life-long member of the Christian church, 
first attending meetings in Illinois in the old 
courthouse at Decatur soon after the arriv- 
al of the family in this county. She is be- 
loved by all who know her and has a wide 
circle of friends and acquaintances through- 
out this section of the state where she has 
so long resided. 



JOHN P. PARKER. 
John P. Parker, a prominent citizen of 
Maroa, now retired from active business 
cares, was born in Preble county, Ohio, in 
1853, and is a son of James S. and Rachel 
Parker, of whom extended mention is made 
in the sketch of James H. Parker, on an- 
other page of this volume. Our subject was 
only eighteen months old when brought by 
his parents to Illinois, and he is indebted 
to the schools of this state for the educa- 
tional privileges he enjoyed during his bo)^- 
hood and youth. Until twenty years of age 



4-22 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



he remained under llic parental roof, giving 
his father the benefit of his labors in the 
operation of the home farm. Later he en- 
gaged in farming on his own account for ten 
years and is still the owner of four hundred 
and eighty acres of valuable and well-im- 
proved land in Maroa township and eighty 
acres in Blue Mound township, besides a 
nice house and lot in the village of Maroa, 
where he now lives. While on the farm he 
gave considerable attention lu the raising 
of cattle and horses and had a tine herd of 
registered shorthorns. He continued to 
handle fanc_\- horses for five or six years 
after coming U> Maroa, and as a stock- 
dealer he met with excellent success, being 
a good judge of all kinds of farm animals. 
He has traded to a considerable extent in 
w'estern lands and has placed good inprove-' 
ments on all the land which he owns, in 
this way materially advancing the interests 
of the localities where he owns properly. 
He seems to have inherited much of the 
business ability of his father, who was a 
very successful man and who, during that 
first twenty-one years of his residence in 
Alacon county, bought and paid for twenty- 
one hundred acres of land. For the past few 
years our subject has been living a retired 
life in Maroa, having already acquired a suf- 
ficient competence to enable him to lay aside 
all business cares. 

Mr. Parker was married in 1875 ^o Miss 
Hannah E. Gray, who was born and reared 
in Maroa township, a daughter of John N. 
Gray. Two children blessed this union : 
Elzina, who died at the age of one year; and 
James G., now twelve years of age. The 
parents are both active and consistent mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
and Mr. Parker is also connected with the 
Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias 
and Order of the Eastern Star. He is a Re- 
publican in politics and served as road com- 
missioner one term. He is extremely benev- 
olent, being noted for his kindness and liber- 



ality to the poor, and no worthy one has 
ever sought his aid in vain. Especially has 
he given his assistance to young men just 
making a start in life, having aided a num- 
ber in this way. His life has been manly, 
his actions sincere, his manner unaffected, 
and his example is well worthy of emula- 
tion. 



WILLIAM S. GARVER. 

\\ illiani S. Garver, who is conducting 
business at No. 222 and 224 East W'abash 
avenue, iJecatur, under his own name, is 
well known in commercial circles in this 
city. Pie is yet a young man, but has al- 
ready attained success that many an older 
man might well envy. He was born in 
Plumboldt, Kansas, on the 6th of Febru- 
ary, 1870, and is a son of Samuel H. and 
Sarah J. (Magee) Garver. The Garver 
family was established in America at an' 
early period in the colonization of this 
countr}-, the first of the name in the new 
world being Jacob Gerber, who came from 
Europe. His descendants were John, Sam- 
uel, Nancy, Christian and Jacob F. Among 
his children, Jacob F. is the direct ancestor 
of the subject of this review, the grand- 
father of the Carvers who settled near De- 
catur, Illinois. The descendants of the or- 
iginal ancestors became residents of Wash- 
ington county, Maryland; of Lancaster, 
I'Vanklin and Dauphin counties. Pennsyl- 
vania : and of different ])arts of Ohio. The 
name has undergone many changes in spell- 
ing as the family has thus become separated. 
Those in Pennsylvania have generally 
spelled the name as does the subject of this 
•review, while the branches of the family in 
Maryland and Ohio use the spelling of 
Clarver, Gerber, Garber and even Carver is 
found. To-day representatives of the name 
are found in nearly all the states and terri- 
tories of the Union. 

Christian Garver, the father of the Illi- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



423 



nois branch of the famil}', removed from 
Lancaster to Dauphin county, Pennsyl- 
vania, and died in 1841. Jacob Carver, the 
grandfather of our subject, was married in 
1820 in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, to 
Susan Hisey, and, removing westward, 
took up his abode near the city of Decatur, 
Illinois, in the year 1838. There he resided 
continuously until 1871, when he went to 
Humboldt, Kansas, where his wife died in 
1878, leaving ten children. Jacob Carver 
passed away in Macon county, Illinois, in 
1888 at the age of eighty-nine years. Their 
children were C. H., Nancy, J. H., Barbara, 
Mary, D. H., S. H., Susan, D. H. and A. H. 
After the death of his first wife Jacob Car- 
ver was again married, his second union be- 
ing with Christina Servin, whom he wedded 
in 1881. 

Samuel H. Carver, the father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Pennsylvania, and after 
arriving at years of maturity was married 
in 1856 to Miss Sarah J. Magee, a daughter 
of John Alagee, wlio came to Alacon county, 
Illinois, from Ohio, in the year 1829. Mrs. 
Magee was born in Ohio and by her mar- 
riage she became the mother of ten chil- 
dren, eight of whom are now living, as fol- 
lows : J. U., who is superintendent of the 
pumping station on the Sandwich Islands ; 
Ellen, who is the wife of. Samuel Ouigley, 
of Jennings, Louisiana ; Samantha, who is 
the wife of Louis Moomey, of Decatur ; 
Amelia the wife of James Hufif, of Ham- 
mond, Illinois ; William S., of this review ; 
Frank, who is living on the old homestead 
farm in Alacon county; Theodore, who is a 
member of the regular army in the L^nited 
States Cavalry, and has entered upon his 
second term of three years, being now sta- 
tioned in the Philippines; and two, who died 
in childhood. The parents are now resi- 
dents of Jennings, Louisiana. 

William S. Carver was only four years 
of age when his parents came from Hum- 
boldt, Kansas, to Alacon county, Illinois, 



and here he was reared on the home farm, 
acquiring his education in the common 
schools. Entering upon his business career 
he engaged first in the grain, feed and 
grocery business at No. 620 East Eldorado 
street, in Decatur, during the years 1894 
and 1895. In 1897 he opened a place at 
No. 1036 North Water street and in 1900 
he came to his present location at Nos. 222 
and 224 East Wabash avenue, Decatur, 
where he is buying and selling grain and 
feed and doing a custom grinding business. 
He is a man of energy and enterprise and 
is prospering in his work. Mr. Carver be- 
longs to Celestial Lodge, No. 186, I. O. O. 
F. He is one of the young business men 
of the city and in trade circles as well as 
in social life he has gained many friends. 



CHARLES C. H. COWEN. 

To the real estate and insurance business 
the subject of this sketch is now devoting 
his attention, and is regarded as one of the 
most energetic and reliable business men 
of Warrensburg. His life has been mainly 
passed in Illinois, his birth having occurred 
in Magnolia, Putnam county, this state, 
June 24, 1861, and he was named for his 
father's preceptor. Dr. Charles C. Hildreth, 
of Zanesville, Ohio. His father. Dr. Jesse 
M. Cowen, was a native of Muskingum 
county, Ohio, and a son of Robert Cowen. 
Our subject's great-grandfather, who also 
bore the name of Robert Cowen, was of 
Scotch-Irish descent and was one of three 
brothers who came to this country from 
Ireland at an early day. Robert Cowen, 
Jr., made farming his life occupation. He 
married Miss Martha Miller, who was a life- 
long resident of the Buckeye state and lived 
to be nearly ninety years of age. 

Dr. Jesse M. Cowen, our subject's father, 
was graduated at the Ohio Medical College 
in 185S and soon after receiving his de- 



424 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



gree came lo Illinois, making the journey by 
boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi 
and IlHnois rivers to Henry, IlHnois, and 
thence across the country to Magnolia, 
where he was engaged in the practice of his 
profession until 1869 with the exception of 
the three years he spent in the army during 
the trying days of the Rebellion. In the 
fall of 1862 he enlisted as surgeon in the 
Seventy-seventh Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry, which left Peoria under the com- 
mand of Colonel Greer. The regiment was 
first with the Army of the West and later 
with the .-Vrmy of the Potomac. Before 
entering the service Dr. Cowen was mar- 
ried at Hennepin in i860 to Miss Amelia 
Ann Dent, a native of Putnam county, Illi- 
nois, a daughter of George and Comfort 
Dent, who were from Virginia. Her father 
became quite an extensive farmer of this 
state. Mrs. Cowen was one of two daugh- 
ters in a large family, the oldest son being 
Thomas Tjams Dent, a prominent lawyer 
of Chicago. She was a distant relative of 
Mrs. Julia (Dent) Grant, the wife of General 
U. S. Grant. She was educated at the Rock 
River Seminary in Mount Morris, IlHnois, 
and was a lady of culture and refinement, 
as well as a devout and earnest Christian 
worker in the Methodist Episcopal church. 
In 1869 Dr. Cowen and his wife removed 
to Hennepin, Illinois, which was the old 
historic French trading post in the west 
and is to-day one of the quaint old towns of 
the state, being without railroad, telegraph 
or other connection with the outside world, 
although it was formerly, during steamboat 
days, one of the busy towns of the state. 
Mrs. Cowen died there of rheumatism of 
the heart when only thirty-six years of age, 
leaving many friends as well as relatives 
to mourn her loss. Our subject at that time 
was only fourteen and his brother Robert 
M. was twelve. The latter is now married 
and living in Peoria. He had six children 
but the oldest is now deceased. Dr. Cowen 



was the only son in a family of several chil- 
dren. He long survived his wife, dying at 
Hennepin of apoplexy in September, 1890, 
at the age of fifty-six years. Both were 
laid to rest in the Hennepin cemetery. For 
many years he was leader of the choir and 
chorister in the Alethodist Episcopal 
churches of Magnolia and Hennepin and was 
also leader of musical clubs in both towns, 
lie was a man highly honored and esteemed 
by all who knew him on account of his 
many sterling traits of character. 

Charles C. H. Cowen's early education 
was limited to the common branches taught 
in the public schools of Hennepin but a 
solid foundation for knowledge acquired in 
subsequent years was laid by his parents at 
home. Until eleven years of age he assisted 
in the work of the farm during the summer 
months, while during the winter season he 
attended school. During the early "80s 
lie entered the employ of Ed White, who 
was serving as postmaster at Bureau Junc- 
tion, Illinois, and was engaged in business 
as a general merchant and grain dealer. 
He remained there four years, during which 
time the business passed into other hands. 
The following year was spent at Peoria 
in the wholesale dry goods house of Day 
Brothers & Company, and he was next em- 
ployed in a dry goods house in Chicago for 
one year. For two years he was engaged 
in railroad claim work for the Missouri Pa- 
cific Railroad Company at St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, and for the Santa Fe, at Galveston, 
Texas, and at the end of that time came 
to Warrensburg, Illinois, where he resumed 
merchandising with his former employer, 
Ed White. The business being sold to D. 
C. Myers in 1896, Mr. Cowen has since been 
engaged in the insurance and real estate 
business on his own account. 

On the 17th of August, 1893, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Cowen and Miss 
Millie Pearce Batchelder, a daughter of 
lohn J. and Mary F. (Thorndikc) Batchcl- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



427 



der. Her elementary education was acquired 
in the district school near her childhood 
home and she afterward attended the De- 
catur high school-, where she was graduated 
in 1889. Later she was graduated at Knox 
College, Galesburg, Illinois, which was then 
under the presidency of Dr. Bateman, who 
had formerly served as state superintendent 
of public instruction. In 1891 and 1892 
she taught in the Ryerson school of Chicago, 
after having cadetted in the Ogden school 
on the north side of that city. By her mar- 
riage she has become the mother of two 
children : Joy Batchelder, born January 9, 
1896; and Nira Elizabeth, born April 2:2, 
1900. Mr. and Mrs. Cowen are both mem- 
bers of mini Congregational church, located 
on land set apart for church purposes on 
her father's farm, and she is also a charter 
member of Concordia Club, which is a 
literary and musical organization formed in 
1899. Our subject and his wife are very 
popular socially and have a large circle of 
friends and acquaintances in the community 
where thev now make their home. 



JOHN WHEELER BROWN. 
For many years J. Wheeler Brown was 
connected with agricultural interests in 
Christian county, Illinois, but in more recent 
years has devoted his time and energies to 
the banking business, which he is now fol- 
lowing in Blue Mound. He was born near 
North Stonington, Connecticut, September 
17, 1S38. His father, John Denison Brown, 
was born in North Stonington, March 23, 
1S09, and was the oldest son of John and 
Sally (Denison) Brown. His ancestry, 
however, can be traced back to Lady Anne 
Bordell, a member of the English nobility. 
After arriving at years of maturity the 
father of our subject was joined in wedlock 
to Mary Ann Wheeler, who was the third 
in a family of twelve children born unto 



Peres and Desire (Wheeler) Wheeler. The 
mother of our subject traces her ancestry 
back for thirty-five generations, through 
Godfrey I, Henry II, Lambert III, Lady 
Geoberga, wife of Lambert of Lorain I, 
Charles, duke of Lorain, Louis II, King of 
France, Charles III, King of France, Louis 
II, King of France, Charles II, King of 
France, Louis I, King of France, to Em- 
peror Charlemagne, born in 742 A. D. The 
Wheelers were also connected with the 
Grant family, of whom General U. S. Grant 
was the most illustrious member, and both 
the Grant and Wheeler families were repre- 
sented in the Revolutionary war. At an 
early period in the development of Christian 
county, Illinois, John Denison Brown lo- 
cated there with his family, and in 1839 
secured a tract of land on which he de- 
^•eloped a good farm, making there a com- 
fortable home for his family. When thirty- 
two years of age he united with the Baptist 
church at Stonington, Christian county, Ill- 
inois, and seven years later was chosen one 
of its deacons, in which capacity he acted 
for over thirty years, and though seventy 
years of age at the time of his death, he 
was active to the last in anything that con- 
cerned the church and its welfare. Both the 
father and mother of our subject have 
passed away. 

J. Wheeler Brown received but limited 
educational privileges, attending school for 
only about three months in each year. His 
first teacher was the late Judge Wilham 
Hammer, who died but a few years ago, 
and under whose instruction he pursued 
his preliminary studies in the winter of 
1843-4. His best mental training, however, 
was received from his father, who was him- 
self a well educated man, taking an active 
interest in educational affairs, and who, in 
connection with Judge William S. Frink, of 
Taylorville, was instrumental in securing 
the services of two of the most prominent 
teachers that ever came to the west — Miss 



428 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



Ihinihain, who taught in Stoiiington, and 
Miss Holland, who taught in Taylorville, 
both from Governor Slade's school in Mas- 
sachusetts. When not engaged in the duties 
of the school-room Mr. Brown worked in 
the fields and meadows and early became 
familiar with the experiences that fell to the 
lot of farmer boys in the west in those days. 

On the 'SOth of September, 1862, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Rebecca T. Cath- 
erwood, a daughter of Joseph and Lydia 
Catherwood, and one of a family of ten 
children, four of the number, Catherine. 
Joseph, Allen and Mrs. Brown are now de- 
ceased ; the others being John, William T., 
Mrs. Eliza J. Bonnel, J. Steele, Lydia A. 
and Mrs. Emma Powell. ^Irs. Brown re- 
moved with her parents to Guernsey county, 
Ohio, in 1846, and there her father died. 
The family afterward went to Shelby coun- 
ty, Illinois, in" 1857, and in 1859 took up 
their abode near Old Stonington, Christian 
county, Illinois. On the 30th of September, 
1862, Rebecca Catherwood gave her hand in 
marriage to J. Wheeler Brown, and for 
twenty-eight years she resided with him 
upon the old home farm. 

Mr. Brown continued to reside on the 
old homestead which had been purchased 
by his father in 1839, until September, 1890, 
when he removed with his family to Normal, 
Illinois, there remaining for nearly two 
years. On the ist of August, 1892, he went 
to Moweaqua, and in connection with Will- 
iam Miller, now of Decatur, Illinois, and the 
late Hon. D. P. Keller, he established the 
Commercial Bank under the firm style of 
Miller, Brown & Keller. This institution 
opened its doors for business on the 2d 
of December, 1892, and Mr. Brown re- 
mained in Moweaqua until the ist of May, 
1896, when he came to Blue Mound, having 
in connection with Ralph Ayers purchased 
the bank of J. M. Brownback. About the 
1st of May, 1900, Mr. Brown purchased his 
partner's interest and in turn sold him his 



own interest in the Commercial Bank at 
Moweaqua. He then transferred one-third 
of the Blue Mound bank to his son, John A. 
Brown, and the present firm of J. W. Brown 
& Company was established. They are now 
conducting a good banking business, having 
a large patronage and enjoying in high de- 
gree the confidence of the public. 

After the removal to Blue Mound Mr. 
Brown was called upon to mourn the loss 
of his wife, who died on the 2d of October, 
1896, and was laid to rest in the old Ston- 
ington cemetery. Her mother, Mrs. Lydia 
Catherwood, died in Taylorville in the 
spring of 1897, at the very ad\anced age of 
ninety-three years. She was noted for her 
strong religious character and her upright 
life. In the fall of 1867 Mrs. Brown was 
converted and immediately united with the 
"Nebraska Schoolhouse Class," which at 
that time was an auxiliary of the Methodist 
Ki)isco[)al church at Aloweaqua. In 1890 she 
transferred her membership to the church in 
Normal, and after the removal of the family 
to Moweaqua she joined the Methodist 
church in that place, remaining a consistent 
member there until her death. She took 
great pleasure in aiding in the work of the 
churches to which she and her husband be- 
longed, being especially active in the Ladies' 
^Missionary Society, and as long as health 
permitted she faithfully attended the church 
and worshiped at all its services. She was 
a devoted and loving wife and mother and 
her loss was very deeply felt, not only by 
her immediate familj', but by many friends 
throughout the county. L^nto Mr. and Airs. 
Brown were born four children : John 
.\rthur. who is now the junior member of 
the banking firm of J. W. Brown & Com- 
pany, of Blue Mound ; Mary A., now Mrs. 
J. Riley Anderson, and the mother of ten 
children ; Grace L., wife of O. E. Briggs : 
and S. Agnes, at home with her father. 

Mr. Brown has always given his political 
support to the Republican party. He has 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



429 



held nor sought no office save township po- 
sitions. \\'hile living upon his farm he was 
called upon by his fellow townsmen to serve 
in a number of local offices and was super- 
visor, overseer and justice of the peace. Fe 
was also school airector for seventeen yearb. 
In May, 1845, 'ic became one of the scholars 
in the Sunday-school organized at Old 
Stonington — the first Sunday-school formed 
in Christian county, Illinois. In November. 
1850, he united with the Baptist church at 
that place and has held membership there- 
with continually since. Fraternally he is 
a Master Mason, belonging to Blue Mound 
Lodge, No. 682, F. & A. M. In his business 
life he has prospered. For long years he 
followed farming, and in connection with his 
banking and property interests in Blue 
Mound he still owns six hundred acres of 
land in Prairieton township, Christian 
county, a part of which is included within 
the old homestead, which came into his 
father's possession in 1839. He was only 
about a year old when the family came to 
Illinois, and in this state he has spent his 
remaining days, always living in this por- 
tion of the state. He is, therefore, well 
known to its citizens and his life history 
has been such as to win for him the regard 
and confidence of his fellow men. 



ROBERT N. BAKER. 
Robert N. Baker was a life long resident 
of Macon county and spent many years in 
Decatur, where he became widely known as 
a citizen of worth and one of business enter- 
prise and integrity. He was born on a farm 
near Antioch in Macon county on the loth 
of September, 1834, and was a son of James 
and Arrahnah (Hodge) Baker, both of 
whom were natives of Tennessee. In an 
early day they came to Macon county and 
established their home upon a farm near 
Antioch, first living in a log cabin after the 



primitive manner of the times, but later 
building a more comfortable and modern 
residence. The father continued to engage 
,11 farming on the old family homestead near 
Antioch throughout his remaining days, 
but he died in the prime of life, passing away 
when about forty years of age. For a num- 
ber of years thereafter his widow resided 
on the old home farm and then removed to 
the village of Mount Zion, where she made 
her home with her daughter for a few years. 
Afterward she came to the city of Decatur, 
where she continued to reside until called 
to her final rest in 1896. There were but 
two children in the family, the daughter 
being Sarah Ann, the wife of James Greg- 
ory, of Lovington, Macon county. 

Robert N.Baker, who was the older, began 
his education in the common schools near 
his native place and accjuired a good prac- 
tical knowledge of the English branches of 
learning. He was reared upon the old 
home farm and after he had attained his 
majority he engaged in farming on his own 
account near his father's homestead for a 
few years, but later he sold his property 
and came to Decatur. After his marriage 
he was employed as express messenger by 
both the American and Pacific Express 
Companies, but finally secured a position 
with the latter which enabled him to remain 
at home. Previous to this time his services 
had called him upon the road. He con- 
tinued with the express company until his 
death and was one of its most faithful and 
trusted employes. In his work he was sys- 
tematic and methodical, prompt and re- 
liable and he enjoyed the confidence of all 
with whom he came in contact. 

In the city of Decatur Mr. Baker was 
united in marriage to Miss Sylvira M. Mat- 
thews, a native of Fayette county, Indiana, 
and a daughter of Gerard and Sarah 
(Cooper) Matthews, who were natives of 
Baltimore, Maryland, whence they removed 
to the west, settling in Favette countv, 



430 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Indiana. There the father was engaged 
in farming for thirteen years, after which 
he took up his abode in Springfield, Illi- 
nois, where he spent one winter. On the 
expiration of that period he settled on a 
farm in Sangamon county, this state, mak- 
ing it his home for several years and then 
came to Macon county, purchasing a farm in 
P)lue .Mound township, on which he con- 
tinued to reside up to the time of his death. 
His attention and energies were devoted to 
general farming and to the raising, buying 
and shipping of stock and his business af- 
fairs were capably managed. He died at 
the age of forty-eight years, in the prime of 
life, and his wife passed away when forty- 
seven years of age. They were the parents 
of five children, who are now living, namely : 
Mrs. Baker; John, a retired farmer residing 
in Decatur; Mrs. J. C. Bell, a resident of 
Springfield, Illinois; Mary J., whose home 
is in Nebra.ska: and Mrs. S. M. Trump, who 
resides in Indiana. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Baker was born one son, Lewis G., who 
married Emma Wagner, and resides in 
Decatur. He is now express messenger for 
the Pacific Express Company, his route be- 
ing between Decatur and ?kloberly. He also 
has one child, Gladys, aged eleven years. 

Mr. Baker was a citizen of prominence, 
active in public afTairs and several times 
was solicited to become a candidate for 
public office, although his aspirations were 
not in that direction. He served as city 
marshal of Decatur for one year and was 
ui-ged to become a candidate for sheriff of 
Macon county, but declined the nomina- 
tion. In his political views he was a Re- 
publican and took a deep interest in poli- 
tics, believing firmly in the principles of the 
party and doing everything in his power to 
secure their adoption. He held membership 
in the Masonic Lodge at Decatur and be- 
longed to the First Methodist Episcopal 
church, of which his wife is also a member. 



His life was honorable, his actions kindly 
and sincere and the salient traits of hi.« 
character were such as won for him the 
regard and good will of all with whom he 
>vas associated. He passed away April i, 
1899, but his memory is still cherished and 
revered by those who knew him. Mrs. 
Baker now owns and occupies a nice resi- 
dence at No. 404 West Decatur street, 
which was built by her husband. She is 
an estimable lady and has many friends in 
this city. 



GEORGE FAITH. 

This well known and progressive citizen 
of mini township, who is now so success- 
fully engaged in farming and stock-raising 
on section 11, was born in Cumberland 
county, Maryland, on the 26th of January, 
1863, and is a son of Joseph and Catherine 
(Hasine) Faith. His paternal great-grand- 
father was born in Alsace-Loraine, Ger- 
many, though it then formed a part of 
France, and he was of French descent, while 
his wife was born in Amsterdam, Holland, 
and was of Dutch ancestry. Our subject's 
father was born in Baltimore, Maryland, 
April 25, 1823, and in early manhood he mar- 
ried Miss Catherine Hasine, a native of the 
same state, whose birth occurred on the 5th 
of March, 1826. For some years he worked 
at the machinist's trade in Cumberland, 
Maryland, but finally selling his property 
in the east he came to Illinois in the spring 
of 1871 and settled on a farm west of War- 
rensburg in ]\Iacon county, his time being 
devoted to agricultural pursuits until his 
retirement from active labor. He and his 
wife are now living in Decatur and they 
have the respect and esteem of all who 
know them. More extended mention is 
made of them in the sketch of Charles H. 
l-'aith, on another page of this volume. 

George Faith is the eleventh in order of 




PETER BETZEK 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



433 



birth in a family of fourteen children, nine 
of whom came with the parents to Illinois. 
Our subject completed his education in 
the schools of Warrensburg, and on laying 
aside his text books at the age of nineteen 
years he devoted his entire time to farming, 
giving his father the benefit of his labors 
until twenty-two years of age, when he went 
to Stanton, Kansas, and pre-empted one 
hundred and sixty acres of government land. 
After constructing a dugout, in which to live, 
and a sod barn, he began to break and im- 
provehis land andplanted a number of trees. 
Selling out in iSgg, he returned to Illinois, 
and entered the employ of C. J. Off, of Peoria, 
training race horses. Two years later we 
again find him in Warrensburg and he is 
now successfully engaged in farming and 
stock-raising on bis own account, feeding 
over one hundred and thirty hogs and a 
large number of cattle for market. He has 
a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
in Austin township and carries on his work 
in a most approved manner. 

On the 26th of February, 1890, Mr. Faith 
married Miss Alice Schroll, of Warrens- 
burg, the only child of D. L. and Alice 
(Watkins) Schroll. Her father is a veteran 
of the Civil war and endured all the hard- 
ships of armv life while assisting the gov- 
ernment in her efforts to preserve the 
Union. Mrs. Faith was educated in the 
district schools of Macon county and is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church 
of Warrensburg. The children born to our 
subject and his wife are David Franklin, 
whose birth occurred August 21, 1891 ; and 
Edna Joy, born October 11, 1893. Politi- 
cally Mr. Faith is independent, and socially 
is a member of the Modern Woodmen of 
America and Good Templars. In this county 
where he has so long made his home he is 
widely and favorably known, and wherever 
he has lived he has made many friends for 
he is pleasant and courteous in manner. 



PETER BETZER. 

Peter Betzer, who was one of the old and 
prominent citizens of Macon county, took 
up his abode in this part of the state in 
1856, and up to the time of his death re- 
mained a valued citizen of the community, 
interested in all that pertained to the gen- 
eral welfare and active in support of many 
measures for the public good. He was a 
native of Chillicothe, Ross county, Ohio, 
born on the 17th of January, 1820. His pa- 
rents were William and ^largaret (Mc- 
Harvey) Betzer, both of whom were natives 
of Pennsylvania, whence they removed to 
Ross county, Ohio, at an early period in 
the development of that portion of the 
Buckeye state. There the father engaged in 
farming until his death, and the mother also 
passed away there. 

Mr. Betzer was educated in the common 
schools of his native county and in early 
life, learned the plasterer's trade, which he 
followed in Ohio for a number of years. 
While still making his home in the state 
of his nativity he was united in marriage 
to Miss Elizabeth Bunn, also a native of 
Ross county, Ohio, born on the 30th of Sep- 
tember, 1823. Her parents were Ezekiel 
and Mary (Prutzman) Bunn, both of whom 
were natives of Pennsylvania, whence they 
removed to Ross county, Ohio, the father 
becoming identified with agricultural pur- 
suits. His death occurred in that county, 
after which his widow came to Decatur and 
spent her last days in the home of her 
daughter, Mrs. Betzer, where she died at 
the advanced age of eighty-five years. Unto 
:Mr. and Mrs. Betzer were born four chil- 
dren : W. O. died October 16, 1875 ; Alice 
M. is now the wife of Dr. C. D. Camp, a 
practicing physician of Chicago; Margaret 
is the wife of Benton Blackstone, who is 
connected with the firm of Linn & Scruggs, 
of Decatur ; and Frank C. married Florence 
Ellis and thev have three children; Frank 



434 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



E., I^'Iorcnce .\da and William Cass. He 
and liis family now reside with Mrs. Bet- 
zer and he is engaged in the grain business 
in Decatur. 

,\fler his marriage Mr. Betzer settled 
upon a farm in Ross county, C3hio, and was 
engaged in its improvement and cultivation 
for a few years, or until 1856, when, thinking 
that he might have better business oppiir- 
tunitics in the west, he came to Illinois, 
settling in .Macon county. Here he pur- 
chased a tract of land in Hickory Point 
township and resided thereon for eleven 
years, devoting his energies to general farm- 
ing with good success. Then on account of 
impaired health he sold his property and 
in 1867 took up his abode in Decatur, pur- 
chasing a residence on North street, after 
which he lived a retired life until called 
to his final home. He died on the 17th of 
January, 1876, which was the hfty-si.xth 
anniversary of his birth. 

In public alTairs he had been [irnminent 
and active and he served as assessor of his 
township in Macon county for one year 
and as township collector for two years. 
His political allegiance was given to De- 
mocracy and his religious faith was indi- 
cated by his membership in the German 
Reformed church of Ross county, ( )hio. 
The Betzer family became prominent in 
Macon county and Mr. Betzer was widely 
and favorably known, the sterling traits of 
his character winning him the friendship 
and favor of many with whom he came in 
contact. Mis l)usiness career was attended 
with prosjH-rity, owing to the capable con- 
duct of his affairs, his laudable ambition 
and his indefatigable industry. Mrs. Bet- 
zer, who still survives her husband, owns 
a nice brick residence at No. 406 West Ma- 
con street, where she is living with her son 
and his famih\ She also has other property 
on North street, in Decatur, and thus is 
comforlablv situated in life. 



HARRY L. HOLIDAY. 
Harry L. Holiday, who is a traveling 
salesman of Decatur, was born in I'airfield, 
Iowa, December 8, i860, and is a son of 
John 1'. and Frances A. (Wright) Holiday. 
The father was of Scotch ancestry and was 
a native of Xenia, Ohio, while the mother, 
who was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, 
was of Irish lineage. When only nine years 
of age John Holiday was left an orphan 
but in connection with his three sisters 
he maintained the old family home until 
all had reached adult age. By trade Mr. 
] loliday became a carpenter and followed 
that pursuit throughout his active business 
career. About 1840 he came to Macon 
county, journeying by stage from Indiana 
to Alount Zion. He then forded the river 
on horseback and continued on his way 
until he reached Decatur, arriving here 
before any railroad was built in the county. 
He was thus one of its pioneer settlers and 
he took an active and helpful ])art in the 
work of ])rogress and impro\emenl. .\ 
nunil)er oi years later he removed to Fair- 
field, Iowa, where the subject of this review 
was born. He had been married before 
coming to the west and eight children 
graced the union, of whom one died in in- 
fancy. The others are as follows: J. W., 
who married l-".mma l)a\is, by whom he has 
four children, and is now living in Bur- 
lington, Iowa: C. W'., who married Jennie 
Leisk, but is now a widower; J. I-'rank, 
who wedded Sallie Delzell and is located 
in Morning Sun, Iowa; Janies F., who 
wedded Mary Priest, of Decatur, and 
has one son ; C. D., who married Emma 
Christman and is living in Chicago; Harry 
L., of this review; Fannie, the wife of 
Lyman Crosthwait of Nebraska, by whom 
she has three sons. In 1869 the father re- 
turned from Iowa to Macon county, Illi- 
nois, where he continuefl to work at his 
trade until his death. He assisted in the 
erection of many buildings in this city and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



435 



did considerable contracting on his own 
account. He was a devoted member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and died in 
that faith June 26, 1897, when seventy- 
nine years of age. His widow still survives 
him and is now living with her son. Dr. 
J. W. Holiday, of Burlington. Iowa, in the 
seventy-eighth year of her age. 

Harry L. Plolida}'. who was the seventh 
in order of birth in ilieir family, pursued his 
education in the schools of Decatur and 
after putting aside his text books learned 
the carriage-maker's trade, which he fol- 
lowed for four years. On the 24th of June, 
1886, he entered the employ of the Standard 
Oil Company as a salesman and has since 
remained with that corporation, for which 
Tie is now doing special work, his duties 
being of an important and responsible 
nature. That he has the entire confidence 
of those whom he represents is indicated 
by his long continuance in the one em- 
ploy. 

On the 27th of January, 1894, Mr. Holi- 
day was united in marriage to Miss Eu- 
genia ?ilaxfield. a daughter of B. F. and 
Charlotte J. (Davis) Maxfield. The father 
was a native of Kentucky and the mother 
of Illinois. Of their three children one is 
now deceased and the youngest sister of 
Mrs. Holiday is Ella M. Maxfield, who re- 
sides in Decatur with our subejct and his 
wife. 

In his political atlfiliations Mr. Holiday 
is a Republican, firm in support of the 
principles of the party, but never an office- 
seeker. He has witnessed the growth and 
development of Decatur from a very early 
period. He has seen it when it was but a 
\'illage and in his boyhood days he had 
ample opportunity to indulge his love of 
hunting in this locality. He yet enjoys 
that sport and follows it to some extent 
during periods of rest and recreation. In 
his business afTairs he is methodical and 
during his long connection with the Stand- 



ard Oil Company he has kept an accurate 
account of all business transactions to 
which he can refer on a moment's notice. 
In all his trade dealings he has been 
strictly fair and reliable and is justly re- 
garded as a man of strong individuality 
and U])right character and as one of the 
early settlers of Alacon county he certainly 
deserves representation in this volume. 



JABEZ J. COMBS. 

Jabez J. Combs, an honored and highly re- 
spected citizen of Macon, now living a re- 
tired life, was born in Wilkes county, North 
Carolina, December 7, 1824, and is a son of 
William and Asenath (Ellis) Combs, also 
natives of that state, the former born in 1802, 
of English ancestry, and the latter in 1800 of 
Welsh lineage. In early life the father 
was engaged in farming in North Carolina 
and from there removed to Indiana .in 1833, 
becoming one of the pioneer settlers of that 
state, where he improved a farm and made 
it his home until his death in 1866. His 
wife survived him a few years and died in 
1872. They were married in North Caro- 
lina an'd became the parents of eight child- 
ren, five of whom are still living, namely: 
Jabez J., of this review: Niram, a farmer 
of Hancock county, Indiana ; JMartha, who 
lives on the old home place in the Hoosier 
state: Eli, who is also living on the home 
farm and is unmarried; and William, who 
married Bell Fauset and occupies a part 
of the old homestead. 

The subject of this sketch was quite 
young when he accompanied his parents 
on their removal to Indiana and upon the 
home farm in that state he grew to manhood, 
his education being acquired in a log school 
house with slab seats, greased paper win- 
dows and an old-fashioned fireplace. The 
farm consists of over five hundred acres 
and is to-dav one of the finest and best im- 



436 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .MACON COUNTY, 



proved places in Ihat part of the state, 
Ijut when the land came into possession of 
our subject's father it was covered with 
a dense growth of timber and was entirely 
unimproved. In those early days the fam- 
ily had to haul their corn thirty miles to 
mill and were forced to endure all the 
hardships and privations of pioneer life. 

On attaining his majority Jabez J. Combs 
left the parental roof and learned the black- 
smith's trade, at which he worked for sev- 
eral }-ears. In the meantime he was mar- 
ried, November 4, 1849, to Miss Sarah 
Whitaker, who was born December 2, 1832, 
a daughter of James and Susan (Cullison) 
Whitaker. Twelve children blessed this 
union, namely: Judson is now proprietor 
of a general store at Moweaqua, Illinois ; 
Edward P.. is a farmer of South Macon 
township this county; Albert is now a 
bookkeeper in a general store in Paunee, 
Nebraska, but was formerly engaged in 
teaching school and was principal of the 
schools at that place for several years ; 
^VilIianl M. is at home with his parents; 
Su.san died at the age of five years ; Eli S. 
is carrying on a lumber and coal yard at 
Findlay, Illinois; James A. was at one time 
bookkeeper in the Woodcock Bank of 
Macon but is now with his brother, Eli, 
in the lumber and coal business at Findlay ; 
Mary G., wife of O. S. Highley, a farmer of 
South Macon township ; Flora B., wife of 
Frank Tomlinson, a farmer of the same 
township ; Ada L., wife of Benjamin Arm- 
strong, superintendent of the coal mines 
at Niantic, Macon county ; Ethel, wife of 
Orin Lindley, a farmer of South Macon 
township ; and Sarah, wife of Robert Pat- 
terson, Jr., a dealer in horses and mules at 
Macon. Mr. and Mrs. Combs take a just 
pride in their family as none of their sons 
drink or lia\e any bad habits. They also 
have twenty grandchildren and one great- 
grandchild. 

Coming to Illinois in April, 1861, Mr. 



Combs first settled in Christian county, 
where he engaged in farming upon rented 
land for four years, and then removed to the 
village of Macon, which at that time con- 
tained not more than a half dozen houses. 
After working at his trade in that place 
for four years he resumed farming upon 
rented land in South Macon township, this 
county, and continued to engage in agricul- 
tural pursuits for twenty-two years. At the 
end of that time he sold out and returned 
to Macon, where he has since lived a re- 
tired life, enjoying a well earned rest. Here 
he owns a nice home and eight lots, the 
residence being surrounded by beautiful 
shade trees and a small orchard which fur- 
nishes its fruits in season. When Mr. 
Combs came to this ])art of the country 
ponds and sloughs were to be seen on every 
hand, there were no roads, and it looked 
as tk.ough this region would never be fit 
for habitation. There were only two houses 
between Macon and Mt. Auburn, and our 
subject has watched with interest the 
development of the county, at the same time 
aiding in its upbuilding, lie has contrib- 
uted liberally of his means to churches 
and schools and in other ways has mate- 
rially advanced the interests of the com- 
munity in which he has lived. 

For over half a century Mr. and Mrs. 
Combs have traveled life's journey together 
as man and wife, their mutual respect and 
love increasing as the years have gone by. 
As children they attended school together 
and through the long j-ears that have since 
passed they have never had a quarrel or 
misunderstanding of any kind. Both are 
earnest members of the Baptist church of 
^loweaqua and their lives have been in har- 
mony with its teachings. Politically Mr. 
Combs is a Republican but has never cared 
for office, though he served as road com- 
missioner for a few terms. Pie is now near- 
ing the eightieth milestone on life's journey 
but is still hale and hearty for nature deals 




MOSES B. BATCHELDER 




MRS. MOSES B. BATCHELDER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



439 



kindly with the man who abuses not her 
laws, and he has the confidence and respect 
of all who know him. 



MOSES E. BATCHELDER. 
There is particular satisfaction in revert- 
ing to the life history of the honored and 
venerable gentleman whose name initiates 
this review, since his mind bears impress 
of the early historical annals of the country 
and from the fact that he is a worthy repre- 
sentative of a very old and patriotic family. 
He was born on the 12th of July, 1823, in 
Hampton Falls, Rockingham county, New 
Hampshire, of which state his parents, 
Moses and Abigail (Drake) Batchelder, 
were also natives. On the paternal side he 
traces his ancestry back to Rev. Stephen 
Batchelder, who was born in England in 
1561, and came to America in 1632. He 
was an Episcopalian minister and was eject- 
ed from his vicarage because of his religious 
views. He brought with him to this coun- 
try his grandson, Nathaniel Batchelder, 
Jr., who founded the old homestead at 
Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, in 1638. 
The latter's fourth child was Josiah Batch- 
elder, whose youngest son was Davitl, the 
grandfather of our subject. David Batch- 
eWer wedded Mary Emery, who was per- 
sonally acquainted with the nurse of Han- 
nah Dustin, who was captured by a north- 
ern tribe of Indians. Mrs. Batchelder was 
familiar with all the circumstances leading 
up to this capture. At night Mrs. Dustin 
and her nurse would be placed on rugs of 
skins and the Indians would lie all around 
them with their feet upon the women. After 
several days spent in captivity the Indians 
got drunk on some rum they had secured and 
in the night Mrs. Dustin and the nurse 
quietly got up and killed the seven red men 
while they slept. They thus made their es- 
cape, and on her return home Mrs. Dustin 



found that her husband had erected a new 
house on the site of the one burned when she 
was taken prisoner. Our subject well re- 
members his grandmother telling this and 
other wonderful tales of early New England 
life. She was born in 1741 and died in 1834. 
Three of her brothers were soldiers in the 
Revolutionary war and endured all the 
hardships of army life at that time. On one 
occasion one of her brothers was granted a 
twenty-four hour leave of absence and re- 
turned home. Being in rags his mother 
asked him if her other sons were in the 
same condition, and when told that they 
were she went to a cupboard, got a pair of 
sheep shears and told her youngest son to 
go to the barn and shear some sheep and 
bring the fleece to the house. She thcK 
sent for a shoemaker and with his assist- 
ance and that of three women she made 
three full suits of clothes, including stock- 
ings and shoes, all from raw material, before 
the twenty-four hours expired, which was 
no easy undertaking in those days, when 
all sewing had to be done by hand, not to 
say anything of the carding, spinning and 
weaving. All of her sons survived the war. 
Aloses E. Batchelder was educated in the 
school at Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, 
where he attended during the winter months 
until seventeen years of age, while he 
worked on the home farm during the sum- 
mer. After leaving school he engaged in 
general farming and also assisted in carry- 
ing on a lumber business in the east. On 
the 22d of January, 1852, he was united in 
marriage to Miss Sarah A. L. Batchelder, 
a daughter of Colonel Nathaniel Batchelder, 
of Pittsfield, New Hampshire. She was born 
in March, 1822, and was educated in Pitts- 
field. Five children blessed this union : 
Fred Janness, who married Elizabeth J. 
Jones, and lives in Illini township; Na- 
thaniel Cary and Frank Drake, both at home 
with their parents; Edward L., who is en- 
gaged in farming south of Warren.sburg, 



440 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Illinois ; and Clarence Emery, who owns 
and operates a farm of three hundred and 
twenty acres near Lamar, Missouri. 

It was in 1864 that Mr. Batcheldcr 
brought his family to Illinois and purchased 
a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on 
section 19, Illini township, Macon county, 
paying for the same thirty dollars per acre, 
In 1867 he bought another one hundred and 
sixty acre tract for ten dollars per acre and 
to the cultivation and improvement of his 
land he has since devoted his attention with 
marked success. He has also raised consid- 
erable stock and has found that branch of 
his business quite profitable. 

Since his earliest years Mr. Batchelder 
has always taken a great interest in politi- 
cal affairs and well remembers the cam- 
paign cries of "Tipi)ecanoe and Tyler, too," 
and "Old Tipp's the boy that swings the 
flail and makes the Locos all turn pale."' 
He also remembers when Jackson was first 
elected president in 1828. At that time men 
would work from fourteen to fifteen hours 
and would only earn fifty cents per day. 
Mr. Batchelder cast his first vote for the 
Whig candidate of 1844, and since the or- 
ganization of the Republican party has been 
one of its stanch supporters. He served as 
school director a good many years and 
has always aided in promoting any enter- 
prise calculated to advance the educational, 
moral and social welfare of his community. 
He and his wife are to-day the only charter 
members of the Congregational church of 
Illini township now living in the town- 
ship, and they arc people highly respected 
and esteemed by all who know them. 



WALTER POPE. 

Although a number of years have passed 

since Walter Pope departed from the scene 

of earthly activities he is yet remembered 

by many who knew him well and esteemed 



and honored him. He was an active factor 
in business life in Decatur for long years 
and was one of the early settlers of the 
county, dating his residence here from 1856. 
Mr. Pope was born in County Waterford, 
Ireland, on the 19th of November, 1835, 
and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William 
Pope, were also natives of that county and 
there spent their entire li\es. The son 
acquired a common school education on the 
Emerald Isle and remained a resident of his 
native land until al)out twenty-one years 
of age, when, thinking to benefit his finan- 
cial conditions in the new world he crossed 
the Atlantic to .America. He had heard 
favorable reports concerning the business 
opportunities of this country and he re- 
solved that he would make his home here. 
He first settled in Quebec, but only re- 
mained there for a short time, after which 
he came direct to the city of Decatur, where 
his remaining days were passed. He began 
W'Ork here as a common laborer and a few 
years later he purchased a horse and dray 
and began teaming. This was the extent of 
his outfit for several years and then when 
his financial resources had increased he 
purchased more horses and drays until he 
controlled and operated nearly the entire 
drayage .system of Decatur. He continued 
in the transfer business until October, 1894, 
receiving a very liberal patronage, whereby 
a large sum of money was annually returned 
to him in compensation for his services. 
At length failing health obliged him to 
put aside the arduous duties of a business 
career and for several months he lay ill at 
his home and then death came and on the 
21 St of July, 1893, he passed away. 

Mr. Pope was married in Decatur in 1864 
to Miss Margaret Turner, also a native of 
Ireland, and a daughter of James and Mary 
Turner, who were likewise horn on the 
Emerald Isle, where her father, a brick-layer 
by trade, was connected with the building 
interests for a number of years. In 1850, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



441 



accompanied by his family, he bade adieu 
to friends and native land and sailed for the 
new world, taking up his abode in New 
Orleans, but the climate did not seem to 
agree with him and because of his ill health 
he started to return to Ireland. He died, 
however, ere reaching his destination. His 
widow went back to Ireland in later years 
and there spent her last days. 

'Sir. and Mrs. Pope never had any child- 
ren of their own. They were very con- 
genial and companionable, however, and 
theirs was a happy married life. Mr. Pope 
never sought or held office, preferring to 
give his time and energies to his business 
affairs and the enjoyments of social life. He 
voted with the Democratic party, believing 
firmly in its principles and desiring its suc- 
cess. In his business affairs he was ver}' 
successful and became a prominent citizen 
of Decatur, widely known and honored be- 
cause of his fidelity to strict business ethics 
and his just and honorable dealing at all 
times. Mrs. Pope is now the owner of 
much valuable property in the eastern part 
of the city, including her residence at No. 
702 East Wood street, also three other 
houses and lots on the same street, a house 
and lot on East Williams street and another 
on East Jackson street. She is a member of 
St. Patrick's Catholic church and like him 
she shares in the high regard of many 
friends. 



DAVID E. BRETT. 

There are in every community men of 
great force of character and exceptional 
ability, who by reason of their capacity for 
leadership become recognized as foremost 
citizens and take an active and prominent 
part in the.afifairs of the locality with which 
they are connected. Such a man is David 
E. Brett, who is serving as supervisor of 
Hickory Point township. 

A native of this county, he was born 



May 23, 1859, on t^lie old homestead on sec- 
tion 35, Hickory Point township, where he 
now resides. His father, David Brett, was 
born in Prince William county, Virginia, 
on the 2ist of December, 1817, and was a 
son of Richard A. and Margaret (Lee) 
Brett. The grandfather was also a native of 
the Old Dominion and of English descent. 
In his family were fifteen children, all of 
whom grew to man and womanhood. 

The father of our subject attended a sub- 
scription school conducted in an old log 
cabin, and the knowledge there acquired 
was greatly supplemented in later years by 
reading and observation, which made him a 
well informed man. He remained under the 
parental roof until coming west and after 
the death of his father took charge of the 
old homestead in Virginia. It was in 1835 
that he arrived in. Macon county, Illinois, 
and after spending two years on a rented 
farm in Decatur township, he removed to 
Hickory Point township, where he entered 
one hundred and sixty acres of land from 
the government, paying one dollar and a 
quarter per acre. In 1848 he purchased the 
farm on section 35 where our subject now 
resides and took up his residence thereon 
in 1852, making it his home throughout the 
remainder of his life. In 1847 li^ was united 
in marriage to Miss Elizabeth P. Wheeler, 
and to whom were born five children: Annie 
M.; Richard, who is engaged in farming 
on section 4, Hickory Point township; 
Frances, wife of John Christie, of the same 
township ; Edward, who died when about 
one year old ; and David E., of this re- 
view. The mother died on the 7th of Oc- 
tober, i8ri4, in the faith of the Christian 
church, of which she was a faithful and con- 
sistent member. The father was a Baptist 
and in politics was a stanch Republican. 
He filled the offices of school director and 
school trustee but never cared for political 
preferment. After a useful and well spent 
life died on the old homestead December 



4-12 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



29, 1893, honored and respected by all who 
knew him. 

Mr. Brett, whose name introduces this 
sketch, gave his father the benefit of his 
labors upon the home farm during his 
minority, and for a year and a half after his 
marriage he remained there. In the spring 
of 1885 he removed to Maroa township, but 
in 1896 returned to the old homestead on 
section 35, Hickor}' Point township, where 
he is now living. He has set out a young 
orchard and made a number of other im- 
provements to the place. 

On the 8th of November, 1883, Mr. Brett 
was united in marriage to Miss Addie S. 
Rife, a daughter of Joseph and Rosanna 
(Campl)ell) Rife, both natives of Pennsyl- 
vania. The mother was born in Adams 
county, that state, and followed teaching 
in early life. Mrs. Brett's ancestors were 
among the earliest settlers of Macon 
county, her paternal grandfather having 
located here in 1832. Plis father was of 
German and his mother of English descent. 
In the family were three children, namely : 
Jacob; Joseph, the father of Mrs. Brett; 
and Elizabeth, wife of Andrew Trimmer, 
whose sketch appears on another page of 
this volume. The father of these children 
was a charter member of Boiling Springs 
church, which he helped to organize, and to 
which he was a most liberal contributor. 
In business affairs he met with success and 
he not only left a comfortable competence 
but also the priceless heritage of an untar- 
nished name. His word was considered as 
good as his bond and he was honored and 
respected by all who knew him. In early 
life Joseph Rife accompanied his father on 
his removal to this state and he was mar- 
ried in Decatur to Miss Rosanna Campbell. 
They spent their married life on his father's 
old homestead where their son, Frank, now 
resides. Mr. Rife died May 23, 1892, and 
his wife passed away on the 21st of Decem- 
ber, 1886. They were the parents of eight 



cliildren, namely: Mrs. Mary Carruthers, 
now a resident of Wichita, Kansas; Mrs. 
Minnie Moore, of Niantic, Illinois ; Addie 
S., wife of our subject; Mrs. Cora Willard, 
of Johnson City, Illinois; Frank, who is 
single and lives at Bearsdale; James B. : 
Elizabeth A. ; and Harry L., deceased. Mr. 
and Mrs. Brett have three children: Edna 
E., David Franklin and Harry Richard. 

Since attaining his majority Mr. Brett 
has affiliated with the Republican party and 
has taken quite an active and influential 
part in [)olitical affairs. Since 1896 he has 
served continuously as a director of the 
Mound school and is now president of the 
board. He was elected townsship collector, 
and so acceptably did he fill the office that 
he was re-elected the following year, and in 
the spring of 1903, he was chosen to the 
office of supervisor. His official duties have 
always been most capably and satisfactorily 
discharged, and he has done all within his 
power to promote the interests of his town- 
ship and county. 



JACOB W. BARTH. 
Among the representatives of real estate 
and insurance business in Decatur is Jacob 
W. Barth, who has here resided since 
1892. He was born in Newark, Ohio, on 
the 7th of April, i860, and is a son of 
Michael and Anna Maria (Dittus) Barth. 
The father was a native of Stuttgart, Ger- 
many, and in 1832 came to America, locat- 
ing first in Ohio. At the time of the Civil 
war he responded to the call of his adopted 
country for aid and served for eleven 
months as a private in the Union army. 
He joined the Seventy-sixth Ohio Volun- 
teer regiment, was assigned to Company E 
and remained with that command until re- 
ceiving an honorable discharge on account 
of physical disability. He afterward re- 
moved to Illinois, settling in Macon county 
in 1868. He purchased a farm in Friends 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



445 



Creek township east of Maroa and with 
characteristic energy began its develop- 
ment, placing it under a high state of cul- 
tivation. There he carried on general agri- 
cultural pursuits until his life's labors were 
ended in death in 1892, when he was 
seventy-six years of age. His wife, to 
whom he was married in Ohio in 1857, died 
in the year 1888, at the age of sixty years. 
She was a daughter of Jacob Dittus, who 
lived and died in Germany, in which 
country Mrs. Barth was born. By her 
marriage she became the mother of four 
children : John A., who is now living in 
York, Nebraska ; Jacob W., whose name 
introduces this record ; Mary, the wife of 
Joe Schall, also of York, Nebraska ; and 
Annie P., the wife of Oscar Allert, of 
Louisville, Colorado. 

Jacob W. Barth acquired his preliminary 
education in the public schools and later he 
pursued a business course in the Indianap- 
olis Business University, in which he was 
graduated with the class of 1888. The 
duties of the home farm next demanded 
his attention and he there remained until 
after the death of his father, when he dis- 
posed of his agricultural interests and in 
.892 removed to Decatur. Here he estab- 
lished a real estate and insurance business, 
in which he has since successfully contin- 
ued. He has won for himself a good client- 
age and has written a large amount of in- 
surance, annually receiving therefrom a 
profit that has made his income a desirable 
one. He has also informed himself thor- 
oughly concerning realty values and loca- 
tions and has thus been enabled to place at 
the disposal of his clients propert)' inter- 
ests such as they desire, while in the con- 
duct of his negotiations he has won fair 
success. 

On the 27th of December, 1899, Mr. Barth 
was united in marriage to Miss Barbara 
K. Klenk, a daughter of David and Anna 
(Mezger) Klenk. They are well known in 



Decatur and have the warm friendship of 
a large circle of acquaintances. Mr. Barth 
of this review votes with the Republican 
party, but is not active in politics, preferring 
to give his time and attention to his busi- 
ness interests and to the enjoyment of 
pleasures of home and social life. 



COLONEL NATHAN W. TUPPER. 

Colonel Nathan W. Tupper was one of the 
early members of the Macon county bar, 
becoming an attorney of Decatur at an 
early date. He settled here in April, 1855, 
when the greater part of the ground on 
which the city now stands was a cow pas- 
ture. He gained distinction as one of the 
leading attorneys of this part of the state 
and left the impress of his individuality and 
his talents upon the early judicial history of 
Macon county. 

Colonel Tupper was born in St. Lawrence 
county. New York, July 8, 1830, a son of 
Harvey and Joanna (Willis) Tupper, both 
of whom were natives of the Empire state, 
where they resided until 1833. They then 
removed to Akron, Ohio, and afterward to 
Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. His death 
occurred at Sheboygan Falls and his widow 
afterward removed to Missouri, where her 
last days were spent. 

As Colonel Tupper had little interest in 
farm work, desiring to become an attorney, 
he did not occupy and operate the farm 
which his father had secured for him in 
Wisconsin, but left that state and went to 
Potsdam, New York. There he boarded 
with an aunt while attending the St. Law- 
rence Academy, wherein he pursued his 
studies for a few years. He then began 
teaching school in Potsdam and afterward 
became principal of the schools at that 
place, but this he regarded merely as an ini- 
tial step to other professional labor for 
throughout all this time it was his ambition 



446 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



to become a member of the bar and also 
was the goal toward which he was striving. 
He devoted all of his k-isure lime outside 
of the school room to the study of law and 
thus continued his teaching and study until 
1852, when he returned to Sheboygan Falls, 
Wisconsin, where he was admitted to the 
bar and then opened an office, practicing 
in that place for one j-ear. Early in the 
year 1854 he removed to West Bend, Wash- 
ington county, \\'isconsin, where he re- 
mained for a year and in 1855 he came to 
Decatur. 

In the ])re\ious year — 1853 — Colonel Tup- 
per had been married in St. Lawrence 
county, New York, to Miss Lamira M. Peck, 
a native of Alalonc, New York, born Febru- 
ary II, 1829, and a daughter of Samuel 
and Myra (Hickok) Peck, who were natives 
of Vermont. After their marriage, how- 
ever, they settled in Malone, New York, 
where the father owned and operated a 
tannery and was also engaged in the manu- 
facture of shoes. He died in that place 
but his wife, long surviving him, died at the 
age of ninety-two years at the home of her 
daughter, Mrs. Tupper, in Decatur. Unto 
Colonel Tup]3er and his wife were born 
three children : Herbert Eugene died at the 
age of six months. Sheridan, who is now 
a very prominent actor on the American 
stage, residing in New York city, was asso- 
ciated with Roland Reed and other noted 
actors and at the present time is connected 
with the William H. Crane Company. He 
man'ied Ada Shattuck, an actress, and they 
make their home in New York city, al- 
though Mr. Tupper owns property in De- 
catur near his mother's residence. He and 
his wife usually spend their summer months 
in this city, visiting his mother. Emorett, 
the youngest of the family, died at the age 
of ten months. 

When Colonel Tupper came to Decatur 
he found that the little village was situated 
in the midst of a district which was largely 



wild prairie land and what is now the pub- 
lic square of the city was then covered with 
weeds. In the village, however, Colonel 
Tupper opened a law office, forming a part- 
nership with Mr. Thorpe, with whom he 
practiced for a number of years. He then 
entered into partnership with Judge \\'ill- 
iam E. Nelson, who is still residing in De- 
catur and who is represented elsewhere in 
this work. They opened an office in the old 
Power's Building, practicing there together 
for several years, during which time they 
secured a very large and distinctively repre- 
sentative clientage. Colonel Tupper had a 
broad and comprehensive knowledge of the 
principles of jurisprudence. His arguments 
were forceful, his logic convincing and his 
appeals were strong so that his presentation 
of a case always carried weight with judge 
and jury and seldom failed to gain the ver- 
dict desired. 

The Colonel continued in the active prac- 
tice of the law until after the outbreak of 
the Civil war when his patriotic spirit was 
aroused and he offered his aid to his country 
in defense of the Union. Pie became col- 
onel of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Illi- 
nois Regiment and in command of his 
trooj)s went to the front and participated 
in many important battles. In 1862 he was 
taken ill and never recovered his health 
throughout the remainder of his term of ser- 
vice. Returning to his home in Decatur 
on the /th of January, 1864, he lay ill 
until the loth of March, following, when 
he was called to his final rest, thus practi- 
cally giving his life in defense of his country. 
His political support was given to the De- 
mocracy in early life, but when the Civil war 
was inaugurated he joined the ranks of the 
new Republican party, which stood as the 
defender of the Union. He was a man of 
marked personality and strong individuality 
and the salient features of his career were 
such as to win for him the unqualified confi- 
dence and respect of his fellow men. He was 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



447 



ever fearless in defense of his lionest convic- 
tions and no trust reposed in him was ever 
betrayed. He gained distinction at the bar 
and upon the field of battle and as long 
as memory remains to the American people 
he will be honored as one whose life was 
given as a noble sacrifice to his country. 
Mrs. Tupper now owns a nice home at No. 
247 West Eldorado street, where she has 
resided for the past forty-eight years. She, 
too, is well known in Decatur and is a mem- 
ber of the Presbvterian Church here. 



AMSTEAD S. KNOUFF. 
In taking up the personal history of 
A. S. Knouff we present to our readers the 
life record of one whose success has been 
worthil}' achieved through his own efforts. 
Decatur's enterprise and commercial activ- 
ity, which characterize both the city and the 
people, naturally cause one to ask what are 
a man's business connection. The business 
history of .\mstead S. Knouff in recent years 
is one well known to the people of this city 
for the Decatur Lumber & Manufacturing 
Company, with which he is financially con- 
nected, is well known to the public. The 
enterprise has become an important factor 
in industrial circles here and the methods 
employed in its conduct indicate the excell- 
ent business capacity, keen foresight and 
energy of the owners. 

Mr. Knouft' was born on the 17th of 
March, 1837, upon a farm in Guernsey 
county. Ohio. His father, Henry Knouff, 
was a native of Frederick City, Maryland, 
his birth having occurred there about forty 
miles northwest of Washington, D. C. The 
family is of German lineage and there is a 
German Bible possessed by representatives 
of the name which is one hundred and sixty 
years old. In his boyhood days Henry 
Knouff accompanied his parents on their 
removal to Ohio, a home being established 



just across the line from Wheeling, West 
Virginia, where for a number of years after 
attaining to man's estate Henry Knouff 
engaged in the shipping of produce, flour, 
bacon and other articles of food by flatboat 
to New Oreleans. This was before the ad- 
vent of railroads when all transportation 
was by means of water. Later Mr. Knouff 
removed to a farm in Guernsey county, 
Ohio, and carried on agricultural pursuits 
until his death. In his political views he 
was a Democrat in early life, but at the time 
of the Civil war he espoused the cause of 
the Republican party, which was the de- 
fender of the Union and remained one of 
its stanch advocates until his demise. In 
early manhood he was united in marriage 
to Mary Kinsey, who was born in the city 
of Dover, Delaware, and was of Scotch 
lineage. Her grandparents on the maternal 
side were slaveholders in Delaware, but 
gave to their bondsmen freedom. When 
-Mrs. Knouff was quite a young girl her 
parents removed to the city of Philadelphia 
and later to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. A 
number of years afterward they went to 
(Jhio, settling in the vicinity of West Vir- 
ginia and it was in that locality that Mary 
Kinsey became the wife of Henry Knouff. 
She was a lady of superior mental culture, 
being well informed on many subjects. 
She read extensively, keeping in touch with 
standard works and current literature. In 
her religious faith she was a Methodist. 
J\Ir. Knouff, who was reared in the Pres- 
byterian church, became a member of the 
Methodist church later in life and both 
were earnest Christian people. He died at 
the advanced age of eighty-four years and 
his wife passed away at the age of eighty 
years. 

In the public schools of Ohio A. S. Knouff 
of this review pursued his education, mas- 
tering the branches of reading, writing, 
arithmetic and higher mathematics, includ- 
ing algebra and geometry, chemistry, nat- 



448 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ural philosopliy, astronomy, history, mental 
and moral philosophy, elocution and the 
theory and practice of teaching. His early 
ambition was to secure superior educational 
advantages and he devoted his meager earn- 
ings during his school years to the purchase 
of books. He has always been a great 
reader and is to-day a well informed man, 
keeping in touch with the world's progress 
along literary as well as other lines. He 
was graduated from the Ohio public schools 
at the age of sixteen years and when seven- 
teen years was employed as a teacher there, 
his identification with educational work in 
that capacit}' covering a decade. He was 
quite successful in the schoolroom, impart- 
ing readily and clearly to others the knowl- 
edge that he had acquired. In the meantime 
he had purchased a four year's scholarship 
in a college with a view to preparing him- 
self for the profession of law, but conditions 
over which he had no control led him into 
commercial lines and his ambition to be- 
come a member of the bar was never re- 
alized. 

After retiring from the profession of teach- 
ing Mr. Knouff entered into partnership 
relations with his father-in-law in the live 
stock trade, shipping cattle and other stock 
to the eastern markets, principally to Bal- 
timore, but occasionally to Philadelphia, 
Pittsburg and New York. For several 
years he followed that pursuit and later 
he devoted some time to the raising of 
cattle and sheep upon his farm in Ohio. 
Afterward he was engaged in the dry goods 
business and in the conduct of a general 
store in the Buckeye state. At the time of 
the Civil war he was engaged in the cattle 
trade and traveled over the Baltimore & 
Ohio Railroad when it was hazardous to 
make such a trip, being menaced by the 
rebel forces. On one return trip he and his 
partner lost three thousand dollars in cur- 
rency, the train being captured and burned 
and the passengers robbed by Colonel John 



S. Mosby. .At the time General Lee men- 
aced Baltimore Mr. Knouff corralled his 
cattle under the range of the guns of Fort 
Henry for protection. 

On disposing of his business interests in 
Ohio he removed to Illinois and engaged in 
the grain trade, also dealing in hay. He 
afterward conducted a grocery store at 
Pana. Illinois, for two years. In 1890 he 
purchased an interest in the business of the 
Decatur Lumber & Manufacturing Com- 
pany, of Decatur, with which he is now 
actively identified as a stockholder and as 
one of its officers, being the secretary at 
the time of this writing. This company 
maufactures doors, sash and blinds, store 
and office fixtures and fine interior finish- 
ings and also deals in lumber, lath and 
shingles. The factory and lumber yards 
cover a space of ground one hundred and 
thirty by three hundred and twenty feet 
adjacent to the Wabash Railroad tracks, 
thus securing to them good shipping facili- 
ties. This company commenced business 
in 1888 with a capital stock of fifty thou- 
sand dollars and in 1892 increased the cap- 
ital stock to one hundred thousand dollars 
and enlarged the plant. They have from 
time to time made many improvements 
until now they have one of the best 
equipped plants in this part of the state. 
The company has furnished the interior 
finish for a large number of the best build- 
ings erected throughout this section of Illi- 
nois, shipping within a radius of one hun- 
dred miles. The present officers of the 
company are Thomas \'. Jones, president; 
J. B. Good, vice president ; H. M. Prescott, 
treasurer; and A. S. Knouff, secretary. 
.A.11 are practical men in their line of busi- 
ness and they have made a decided success 
in the control and enlargement of this enter- 
prise. 

In 1861 Mr. Knouff' was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Margaret Depew, the wedding 
taking place at her father's home in Ohio. 




WILLIAM ARMSTRONG 




MRS. ELIZABETH ARMSTRONG 



PAST AivlJ PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



453 



She is a daughter of Abraham Depevv, 
now deceased, who was born in New York 
and was a cousin of the Hon. Chauncey M. 
Depew, the present United States senator 
from New York. There .was a marked 
resemblance in their facial contour and ex- 
pression and Mrs. Knouflf's father was a 
man of fine physique and marked personal- 
ity. She has one brother living in Barnes- 
ville, Ohio, and two sisters in this state, 
one in Ellworth, Kansas, a fourth in Ore- 
gon, while her youngest sister is in St. 
Louis and is the wife of T. R. Ballard, the 
president of the St. Louis Chamber of 
Commerce. Mr. and Mrs. Knouff lost two 
children in infancy and their only living 
child is Virginia M. She was educated in 
the public schools of Ohio, continued her 
studies in Zanesville and pursued a course 
in music in DePauw University of Indiana. 
She is now the wife of Dr. J. F. Fribley, of 
Decatur, who is a graduate of the Chicago 
College of Dental Surgery and is practicing 
his profession here. Both the doctor and 
his wife are members of the First Methodist 
Episcopal church, in this city. 

Mr. KnoufT cast his first presidential 
vote for Abraham Lincoln and his views on 
political questions are fully in accord with 
the principles and policy of the Republican 
party. He took an active interest in politi- 
cal work when in Ohio, but he has never 
sought any position of public trust as a 
reward for his party fealty. About forty 
years ago he united with the Methodist 
Episcopal church under the pastorate of 
Rev. C. W. P. Hamilton, the father of 
Bishop J. W. Hamilton, of that denomina- 
tion, and his wife became a member of the 
same church during her girlhood. Mr. 
KnouiT has a firm faith in the validity of the 
scriptures and believes in the doctrines and 
polity of the denominations. Both he and 
his wife hold membership in the First 
Methodist Episcopal church of Decatur. In 
matters of citizenship he is public spirited 



and progressive, co-operating in many 
movements for general progress and mater- 
ial upbuilding here. Wherever he is found 
he is a social, afifable and genial gentleman, 
whose affairs are conducted in an upright 
way and all honor and esteem him for his 
many virtues and genuine worth. Success 
is not measured by the heights which one 
may chance to occupy, but by the distance 
between the starting point and the altitude 
he has reached and therefore Mr. Knoufif 
has gained splendid success — a just reward 
of meritorious, honorable effort which com- 
mands the respect and admiration of all. 



WILLIAM ARMSTRONG. 

The deserved reward of a well spent life 
is an honored retirement from business in 
which to enjoy the fruits of former toil. 
To-day after a useful and beneficial career 
Mr. Armstrong is quietly living at his pleas- 
ant home in Argenta, surrounded by the 
comfort that earnest labor has brought him. 

A native of Virginia, he was born 
in Highland county, that state, on the 23d 
of July, 1839, a son of James and Sallie 
(Smith) Armstrong, the former a native of 
Scotland and the latter of Germany. The 
father was a soldier of the war of 1812 and 
was a farmer by occupation. Our subject 
was reared and educated in Virginia and 
before leaving that state he was engaged 
in farming upon rented land for a time. 

In 1868 Mr. Armstrong came to Illinois 
and locating in Macon county was em- 
ployed by the month on the farm of Robert 
Gray west of Maroa for three years. The 
following year he operated a rented farm 
and then removed to the Parker farm, which 
he cultivated on the shares, giving one-half 
of the proceeds for the rent of the place. 
During the five years he spent there he met 
with excellent success and has since steadily 
prospered in all that he has undertaken. 



454 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



His first purchase of land consisted of a 
tract of one hundred and sixty acres in 
Friends Creek township, to which he after- 
ward added one hundred and sixty acres 
more, and still later one hundred and fifteen 
acres, paying over fifty dollars per acre for 
all of it. He raised both grain and stock 
and always the best of each, and he made 
many improvements upon his land which 
was divided into two farms, supplied with 
all the conveniences and accessories found 
upon the model farm of the present century. 

In i86l Mr. Armstrong was united in 
marriage to Miss Elizabeth Cdadwell, who 
was killed by lightning June i8, 1866. P.y 
that union were born four children, namely : 
Edward, who married Mary Hensley and is 
now living in Champaign county, Illinois; 
Elizabeth, who died about 1885; Sallie, wife 
of B. Walker, of Decatur; and William 
who wedded Emma Taylor and makes his 
home in Friends Creek township. Mr. Arm- 
strong was again married in 1871, his 
second union being with Mrs. Elizabeth 
James, by whom he has one son, James H., 
who married Lula Yates and lives on the 
old homestead. 

]vlrs. Armstrong was born in Crambrook. 
Kent, F.ngland, June 7, 1837, and is a 
daughter of John and Jemima Chapman. 
In 1842 she came to America, landing in 
New York on the 1st of October after being 
five weeks and five days out of sight of 
land. She first lived in Cincinnati, and 
from there removed to St. Charles, Mis- 
souri, in the fall of 1844, making her home 
in the latter place until her marriage De- 
cember 18, 1856, to William James, who 
was also a native of England and a farmer 
by occupation. In March, 1865, they came 
to Macon county, Illinois, and purchased 
a farm in Maroa township, which Mr. 
James operated until his death on the 23d 
of December, 1868. By that union six child- 
ren were born but three died in early life 
and one died after reaching womanhood. 



Those still living are Charles James, who 
owns and ojieratcs a farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres near Oreana, Macon count\- ; 
and Mrs. William Clifton, whose husband 
is a farmer of Friends Creek township, 
owning two hundred and forty acres of 
land. 

In 1895 Mr. Armstrong retired from the 
active management of the farm and re- 
moved to Argenta. where he bought a home 
and im])roved it. Two years prior to this 
he had erected a large brick building in the 
\illage. the lower tloor of which is now oc- 
cuijied by the store of Kuhns & Ruddock, 
while the upper story is the Argenta (Jpera 
House. Mr. Armstrong also has seven 
acres of laud at the edge of the town, for 
which he ])aid one hundred and twenty-five 
dollars per acre and as a public-spirited 
and ]5rogressive citizen he has done much 
toward promoting the welfare of the place. 
He never forgets or ignores the bond of 
common interest which should unite the 
people of every community and he has 
always been ready to promote progress in 
every line. He is most efficiently serving 
as trustee of the village and both his pub- 
lic and private duties have always been 
faithfully and conscientiously discharged. 
Since attaining his majority he has affili- 
ated with the Republican party, and both 
he and his wife Jire earnest and consist- 
ent members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church. Although he started out in life 
in limited circumstances he has steadily 
and perseveringl}' worked his way upward, 
leaving the ranks of the many to stand 
among the successful few, and is to-day one 
of the most substantial men of Argenta, as 
well as one of its most honored and highly 
respected citizens. . 



JACOB MAJOR. 
Jacob Major is one of the honored citi- 
zens of Macon county, who has passed the 
seventy-seventh milestone on life's journey 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



455 



and is now living retired in Warrensburg. 
His career has ever been such as to com- 
mand the respect and confidence of men and 
he is a wortliy representative of the pioneer 
settlers of this section of the state. 

Air. Major was born December 20, 1826, 
in Harrison county, Ohio, twenty miles 
west of \MTeeling, West Virginia, and is a 
son of John and Edith (Webb) Major. 
The mother was born in 1800 and was of 
Quaker origin. By occupation the father 
was a farmer and in aiding in the operation 
of the old home farm in Harrison county, 
Ohio, our subject early becan;ie familiar with 
all the duties which fall to the lot of the 
agriculturist. During his boyhood farm 
machinery was still very primitive, the 
cradle being used in cutting grain. He be- 
gan his education in the district school con- 
ducted in a hewed log" house with a large 
fireplace at one end, and his studies were 
limited to reading, writing and ciphering, 
there being but one geography in the school. 
The teachers at that time boarded around 
among the patrons and received only twenty 
or thirty dolars per month. As a general 
thing they believed in the old saying of 
"spare the rod, spoil the child" and the 
birch was often used without reason. Mr. 
Major was only able to attend school for 
three or four months during the year and 
his education was completed when about 
nineteen years of age. 

He began his business career by working 
on a farm at eight dollars per month but as 
time passed he prospered in his chosen 
work and became the owner of one hundred 
acres of timber land, fifty of which he 
cleared, sawing most of the trees into planks 
for a. plank road. He also cut some cord 
wood, which at that time was only worth 
a dollar and a half per cord. In the sum- 
mer of 1849 '^fr. Major raised six hundred 
bushels of grain and the expense of harvest- 
ing it was only about seventeen dojlars, that 
being the first year the grain separators came 



into use. He continued to make his home 
near Columbus in Franklin county, Ohio, 
until 1858, when he sold his farm for thirty- 
five dollars per acre and came to Macon 
county, Illinois, purchasing a farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres three miles south 
of Warrensburg. Subsequently he bought 
an additional sixty acres, making two hun- 
dred and twenty acres besides his town 
property in A\'arrensburg. He continued 
the operation of his land until 1883, when 
he removed to Warrensburg and has since 
practically lived retired from active labor, 
enjoying the competence secured in former 
years through his industry, perseverance 
and good management. 

On the loth of February, 1848, Mr. Major 
was united in marriage to Miss Rachel 
-Warley, a daughter of Wesley and Jane 
(Virtue) Warley. She was born in Har- 
rison county, Ohio, was educated in the dis- 
trict schools of that state, and in early life 
could rake and bind after the cradles as 
good as any man. She died on the loth of 
February, 1884, loved and respected by all 
who knew her. The children born to our 
subject and his wife are John Wesley, who 
married Martha Carr and is living in De- 
catur; Susan Jane, who married Augustus 
Stine and is now deceased; Edith, who died 
in infancy; Martha, widow of Malcolm 
Hcall and a resident of Warrensburg; 
George, who first married Tennie Burse 
and secondly married Rhoda Munson ; 
Maria, wife of Andrew Moore, of Decatur ; 
Cyrus, who married Hattie Dyer and re- 
sides in Webster City, Iowa ; and James 
Taylor, who wedded Mary Vail and makes 
his home in Findlay, Illinois. Mr. Major 
has twenty-seven grandchildren living and 
eleven deceased ; and has four great grand- 
children, the oldest being eight years of age. 
Mr. Major cast his first presidential vote 
for the Democratic candidate but afterward 
supported .\braham Lincoln and has since 
been an ardent Republican. He attended 



456 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



two meetings of the Know Nothing party 
in 1856. He has filled the offices of jus- 
tice of the peace and road supervisor and 
has always been found true to every trust 
reposed in him whether public or private. 
Since 1843 he has been a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, lias been a 
constant worker and a firm believer in the 
faith. Although now seventy-seven years 
of age he is still hale and hearty, for nature 
deals kindly with the man who abuses not 
her laws. His life is exemplary in all re- 
spects and he has ever supported those in- 
terests which are calculated to uplift and 
benefit humanity, while his own high moral 
worth is deserving of the highest commen- 
dation. 



W. T. COOPER. 

W. T. Cooper, now deceased, was for 
many years engaged in agricultural pursuits 
in Macon county and by indefatigable en- 
ergy and strong determination steadily 
worked his way upward from a very humble 
financial position to one of affluence, becom- 
ing a leading farmer of this portion of the 
state. 

A native of Ohio, Mr. Cooper was born 
in the year 1842, a son of W. T. and Maria 
Cooper. The father was a farmer by occu- 
pation and came to this state when the 
country was very wild, casting in his lot 
with the pioneers who reclaimed the land 
for the purposes of civilization and laid the 
foundation for the present progress and 
prosperity of this locality. He was one of 
the first settlers of Macon county and built 
the first road west of Maroa. His wife is 
still living in Maroa and has reached the 
advanced age of ninety-one years. W. T. 
Cooper was reared upon the old homestead 
and early became familiar with the ardti- 
ous task of developing a new farm. The 
practical experience which he gained in his 
youth, however, proved of great value to 



him when in later years he began busines 
for himself. He started out in life on hi 
own account when about twenty-one year 
of age and the occupation to which he ha( 
been reared he determined to make his lif 
work. 

As a companion and helpmate on life' 
journey Mr. Cooper chose Miss Eliza A 
Gray, a daughter of Robert and Catherin 
Gray, the wedding being celebrated Decern 
ber 23, 1853. The lady was born at Lynn 
ville, Morgan county, Illinois, and whei 
eleven years of age was brought to thi 
county, where she pursued her education ii 
the public schools. At the time of thei 
marriage Mr. Cooper rented forty acres c 
land for two years and they began thei 
domestic life in a little house containing bu 
a single room. There they made a gooi 
start and were enabled to purchase a farn 
of forty acres, on which they lived for abou 
five or six years. On the expiration of tha 
period Mr. Cooper purchased one hundrei 
and twenty acres of land and built a home 
This he afterward traded for one hundrei 
and sixty acres which had been the old horn 
place of Mrs. Cooper and which she stil 
owns. Subsequently they purchased a hal 
section of land in Nebraska and also bull 
a home in Maroa. Throughout his busines 
career, however, Mr. Cooper was interestei 
in farming and for several years was als( 
engaged in the hardware business in con 
nection with his son Frank R. under th' 
firm name of Cooper & Son. As the year 
passed he prospered, adding to his pos 
sessions until his property holdings becami 
very valuable and he was the possessor o 
a very desirable income. 

Unto Mr. and Airs. Cooper were born tw( 
children : Frank R., who married Misi 
Compton, lives in Decatur with his wifi 
and two children; and Linnie I^uanc is thi 
wife of Dr. Weyl, a practicing physiciai 
of Maroa. Mr. Cooper was a devoted mem 
ber of the Cliristian church, to which hii 




f 



NATHAN L. KRONE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



459 



wife also belongs. He held membership 
with the Masonic fraternity and she belongs 
to the Order of the Eastern Star, being se- 
lected at the organization as first worthy 
matron at this place. In his political views 
he was a Democrat and almost continuously 
held some position of public trust, serving 
for some time as school director and also 
as road commissioner. He took an active 
interest in everything pertaining to the pub- 
lic good and his efforts for the general wel- 
fare were far-reaching and effective. He 
passed away January 19, 1902, and was laid 
to rest in the Maroa cemetery, where his 
widow has erected a handsome monument 
to his memorv. 



NATHAN L. KRONE. 
Nathan L. Krone is a popular and well 
known druggist of Decatur and it would be 
impossible to find a business man in this 
city that is more widely known than he. 
He has been a resident of Decatur for 
sixty-one years and thus has been a witness 
of Decatur's development from a mere vil- 
lage to a city whose trade interests have 
caused a new chapter to be written in the 
commercial history of the Mississippi val- 
ley. He was born in York county, Penn- 
sylvania, on the 14th of March, 1833. His 
paternal grandfather, Michael Krone, a 
native of the same state, grew to manhood 
and married Miss Franklynberger. Their 
son, Daniel, the father of our subject, was 
also born in Pennsylvania and in early 
life learned the trade of a carpenter and 
builder, which he followed throughout the 
period of his active connection with busi- 
ness afifairs. He was joined in wedlock to 
Miss Ruth Worley, who was likewise born 
and reared in Pennsylvania and was a 
daughter of Nathan Worley, who was of 
German lineage. His birth, however, oc- 
curred in the Keystone state and he there 
met and married Miss Popp, who was of 



Welsh descent. In the year 1839 Daniel 
Krone removed with his family from York 
county, Pennsylvania, to Decatur, Illinois, 
where he made a permanent location. Here 
he followed his trade for some time and 
he also became proprietor of the Macon 
House, while later he was in the employ of 
the Wayne Sulkyette Company. His 
death occurred in the spring of 1867 and his 
wife, surviving him for a number of years, 
passed away in the spring of 1885. In their 
family were several children : Margaret, 
wife of George W. Bright, of Decatur ; 
Annie, who is the wife of David S. Shella- 
barger, a prominent miller and manufact- 
urer of Decatur; and Mrs. Sophia McChirg, 
of St. Joseph, Missouri. 

Nathan L. Krone spent the first seven 
years of his life in the state of his nativity 
and then came with his parents to Decatur, 
where he entered the public schools. He 
continued his work therein until his six- 
teenth year, when he left school and ac- 
cepted a position as clerk in a dry goods 
store, in which he was employed for four 
years. He entered as a salesman in the 
drug store of King & Reed, of Decatur, 
with whom he remained for three years 
and later formed a business connection with 
Dr. J. E. Roberts, a druggist, with whom 
he remained for seventeen years. On the 
expiration of that period Mr. Krone re- 
moved to Iowa, but after a short stay in 
Council Blufi's again came to this city and 
entered the employ of W. C. Armstrong, 
who was the successor of Dr. Roberts. Six- 
teen vears covers the period of his connec- 
tion with with Mr. Armstrong and certainly 
indicates his fidelity to duty, his capability 
and his trustworthiness. In 1893 he estab- 
lished his present store at the corner of Cal- 
houn and Herkimer streets. His long ser- 
vice as a clerk well equipped him for carry- 
ing on an enterprise of his own. He is thor- 
oughly informed in the business and has a 
most comprehensive knowledge of the drugs 



460 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and other remedial preparations. His asso- 
ciation with this one line of business has also 
gained him an extensive acquaintance in 
Decatur and when he established an enter- 
prise of his own he gained the patronage 
of many whom he formerly met in a busi- 
ness way. 

In 1854 Air. Krone was united in mar- 
raige to Miss Jane Frederick, of this city, 
a daughter of Samuel and Rachel (Robin- 
son) Frederick, and a native of Ohio. They 
now have one child, Charles O., who is as- 
sociated with his father in the store. .Mrs. 
Krone is an acceptable member of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and takes an active 
and helpful interest in its work. 

Mr. Krone is an exemplary member of 
the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Macon 
Lodge, F. & A. .M.; .Macon Chapter, R. A. 
M. ; and Beaumanoir Commandery, K. T. 
In his political support he is a Republican 
and has been honored with local official 
preferment. I'^or nine years he served as 
city treasurer of Decatur and his father 
was one of its trustees for four years. Over 
the record of his life there falls no shadow 
of wrong or suspicion of evil and as a 
public official he gave entire satisfaction to 
those whom he represented. His manner 
is genial and entirely free from ostentation, 
and without pretense or display he com- 
mands the respect of his fellow men who 
regard him as a valued friend. He has 
added much to the brightness of life and 
has been true and faithful in every relation 
in which he has been placed. \'o\v at the 
age of seventy years he commands uniform 
confidence and is an honored representa- 
tive of the trade interests of the city, whose 
develojiment he has witnessed through 
almost its entire historx-. Whatever has 
tended to prove of benefit to Decatur has 
received his endorsement and his active 
co-operation has frequently been of marked 
assistance in advancing the general wel- 
fare. 



BENJ.\.MIN F. LANHAM. 

Benjamin F. Lanham, who is a retired 
builder of Decatur, has passed the seventy- 
fifth mile-stone on life's journey and the 
rest which has been vouchsafed him is well 
merited. His life has been one of industry 
and enterprise, in which his efforts have 
been crowned with success, and now in the 
evening of life he is resting from further 
labor amid a wide circle of warm friends 
w'ho esteem him highly for his genuine 
worth. Mr. Lanham was born upon a farm 
ten miles east of Springfield, Sangamon 
county, Illinois, his natal day being July 8, 
1828. His father, Elijah Lanham, was a 
nati\e of Maryland and after arriving at 
years of maturity wedded Nellie Constant, 
who w-as born in Kentucky. From their 
respective states, however, in early life they 
removed to Clermont county, Ohio, where 
Ihey became acquainted. Subsequently they 
took up their abode in Sangamon count)-, 
Illinois, arriving here in 1826, when pioneer 
conditions still existed for the work of im- 
pro\emcnt and progress had been scarcely 
begun. They took up their abode upon a 
farm which Mr. Lanham improved, placing 
the land under a high state of cultivation 
and nUroduciiig the equipments known at 
that day. There he reared his family and 
died September u. 1847. His political sup- 
port was given to the ^\'hig party and in 
matters of citizenship he was progressive, 
doing everything in his power to promote 
the welfare and advance the best interests 
of the community. His widow, long sur- 
vi\ing him, passed away in Decatur on the 
3d of November, 1870. She had long been a 
member of the Methodist church and was 
an earnest and most consistent Christian 
woman. In the family were eight children, 
five of whom had reached mature years and 
three died in infancy. 

Benjamin F. Lanham, who is the third of 
fi\e who reached adult age, spent his boj'- 
hoixl (lays in Sangamon county and there 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



461 



began his education in the common schools. 
When he had put aside his text books he 
began learning the carpenter's trade pre- 
paratory to making that pursuit his life 
work. His father instructed him in this in- 
dustrial art for Elijah Lanham was a car- 
penter as well as an agriculturist and also a 
brick mason. He continued with his father 
until he was nineteen years of age and then 
started out upon an independent business 
career. Attracted by the opportunities of 
Alacon county, he took up his abode within 
its borders in 1856, living upon a farm for 
four years, while in i860 he established his 
home in the city of Decatur. Here he has 
since resided and with the work of improve- 
ment and development he has borne an ac- 
tive part. Through the line of his business 
operations he has done much for the devel- 
opment of the city and to-day many of the 
substantial structures of Decatur stand as 
evidence of his handiwork. He has here 
erected not only residences, but also 
churches and schoolhouses, and has done 
much of the building in the surrounding 
country. He continued his active connec- 
tion with his chosen vocation until 1899, 
when he retired to private life. He had in 
the meantime been accorded a liberal 
patronage and the public reposed in him 
entire confidence because of his fidelity to 
the terms of a contract and his excellent 
work as a builder. 

The home life of ?.Ir. Lanham has ever 
been most pleasant. In April, 1855, he 
wedded Miss Marinda Stockton, of Sanga- 
mon county, Illinois, a daughter of Ira and 
Ruth (Fugett) Stockton. Her father was 
a native of Kentucky and her mother was 
born in Virginia. They became residents 
of Sangamon county in 1836 and in 1855 
took up their abode in Macon county, where 
Mr. Stockton died in 1892. The mother, 
however, was not long permitted to enjoy 
her home in this county for her death oc- 
curred in 1858. Mrs. Lanham was born 



February 16, 1833, in Bath county, Ken- 
tucky, and by her marriage has become the 
mother of six children, of whom a son and 
four daughters are now living, namely : 
Certrude ; Isadora, the wife of A. H. Cope, 
of Decatur; Lucy, the wife of N. P. Foulks, 
of Portland, Oregon ; Arthur F., at home ; 
and Nellie, the wife of Stephen Ryan, of 
St. Paul, Minnesota. For almost forty 
years Mr. and Mrs. Lanham have traveled 
life's journey together, sharing with each 
other its joys and sorrows, its adversity and 
prosperity. 

He gives his political support to the Re- 
publican party and in former years took an 
active interest in its work, but never sought 
office. As he prospered in his business un- 
dertakings he made judicious investments 
in real estate and is now the owner of some 
valuable property which enables him to live 
retired, enjoying the comforts and many of 
the luxuries of life. 



WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS. 

This venerable gentleman, who is now an 
octogenarian, having passed the eightieth 
mile-stone on life's journey, is at the present 
time living retired and the rest which is 
vouchsafed him has been well earned. 
Through activity, business energy and 
strong purpose in former years he gained 
the competence that now enables him to 
enjoy many of life's comforts and luxuries 
without recourse to further labor. 

Mr. Williams was born near Annapolis, 
Maryland, on the 12th of August, 1821, and 
is a son of John and Olivia (Fobes) Will- 
iams. The ancestral line can be traced back 
to Roger Williams and to Miles Standish. 
The father, also a native of Maryland, 
served his country in the war of 1812 and in 
1836 he removed to Knox county, Ohio, 
where he spent his remaining days, passing 
away in 1843, when fifty years of age. His 



462 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



wife died in 1869. She was a daughter of 
Azariah Fobes, who belonged to an old 
Massachusetts famil}-. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Williams were born eight children, namely: 
William H., of this review; Mary Eleanor, 
who is the wife of Allen Scott ; Charles, 
who died at the age of five years ; Lilburn 
A. ; Louisa, the wife of Robert Watson ; 
Julia, the wife of Charles A. Polland ; Sarah, 
the wife of Alfred Florcy; and Emily Su- 
sana. 

William H. Williams spent his early life 
in the place of his nativity and in 1836 went 
to Ohio. When still a boy he worked for 
Iiis uncle, Azariah Fobes, under whose di- 
rection he learned the tailor's trade in Gam- 
bier, Ohio. He afterward followed that pur- 
suit for fourteen years. He had been well 
equipped for life's practical and responsible 
duties by excellent mental training, having 
supplemented his public school course by 
study in Kenyon College. In 1843 he re- 
sumed work at his trade and continued to 
follow that pursuit during his residence in 
Ohio. In 1853 Mr. Williams arrived in 
Macon county and during the first winter 
here he engaged in teaching in a country 
school. He then purchased a farm near De- 
catur and in connection with its cultivation 
he engaged in the dairy business, in fact, 
made it his chief occupation until 1893, 
when he retired from further business cares. 
For forty years he had been an active factor 
in agricultural circles in this county and his 
business methods were such as would bring 
to him excellent success and also an honor- 
able name. Year by year he added to his 
capital until, having acquired a handsome 
competence he put aside further business 
cares and took a trip to California. Upon 
his return he established his home in Deca- 
tur, where he has since lived. 

In the year 1847 Mr. Williams was united 
in marriage to Miss Lovina Hampshire, 
who was the third child of Peter and Eliza- 
beth (Kline) Hampshire, whose home was 



near Shippensburg, P'ennsylvania. The 
marriage was celebrated in Ohio, in which 
state Mrs. Williams had located in 1846. 
She belonged to a family of eight children, 
namely : Rebecca, now deceased ; William, 
who has passed away ; Lovina ; Susan, who 
is the wife of Ephraim Bear ; Samuel ; John 
and David, who are now deceased ; and Bar- 
ney. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have reared a 
family of five children, three sons and two 
daughters, and are still happily traveling 
life's journey together. They hold mem- 
bership in the .Methodist Episcopal church 
and are people of the highest respectability 
and of genuine worth. Mr. Williams is a 
nioilest. unassuming man, but has ever been 
an excellent citizen and is one of the es- 
teemed residents of Macon county, pos- 
sessing those sterling traits of character 
which in every land and clime command 
confidence, regard and friendship. 



L. A. MELVIN. 

L. A. Melvin. who carries on farming and 
stock raising on section 21, Friends Creek 
township, was born in Adams county, Ohio, 
in 1848, and is a son of John H. and Eliza- 
beth Jane Melvin, who were life-long resi- 
dents of that state. The father, who was 
also a farmer by occupation, was born in 
1815 and died in 1881. and the mother was 
born in 1824 and died in 1849. 

In the state of his nativity our subject 
was reared and educated in much the usual 
manner of farmer boys of his time. At the 
age of sixteen years he donned the blue 
uniform of the northern army, enlisting in 
\SC>4 in Com])any F, First Ohio Light .'Kr- 
tillcry. Tic was at Decatur, Alabama, and 
in many small engagements, and at the 
close of the war was mustered out at Camp 
Dennison, Ohio, on the 23d of July, 1863. 

The following two years Mr. Melvin spent 
at liDmc with his father, and at the end of 




7^^ #1^ 




% 



Q-^-;caW6>v ^ c/^/^^^2^ 



PAST AND PRESEx\T OF ^lACON COUNTY. 



4()5 



that lime went to McLean county, Illinois, 
where he lived for two years. He then 
spent a short time in Piatt county, this 
state, ami in 1872 first came to Macon coun- 
t\-, where he farmed for three years and 
then in 1876 purchased forty acres of land 
in Piatt county, where he resided for six 
vears, and on disposing of that place he 
bought eighty acres in Friends Creek town- 
ship, Macon county, where he is now living. 
Prosperity at length crowned his efforts and 
he and his wife now own one hundred and 
sixty acres here ; a half section three miles 
north of the home place and one hundred 
and sixty acres in De Witt county. Mr. 
^lelvin is a progressive farmer and a self- 
made man, who was not only without capi- 
tal on coming to this state but had to bor- 
row the money to buy his railroad ticket. 
He has worked earlv and late, lived econom- 
ically and managed his affairs in a worthy 
manner, so that he is now quite well-to-do. 
He has erected a good house and barn upon 
his Y>\ace and made all necessary improve- 
ments. He raises grain mostly, but also 
raises some stock. 

In 1872 Mr. Melvin married Miss Martha 
A. Chandler, a native of Indiana, and they 
ha\'e six children, namely: Lutie, who mar- 
ried Charles Parr and now lives in Piatt 
county; Henry, who married Alma Olson: 
Ernest, who married Lillie Hanrruff and 
resides in Cisco; Maud, wife of G. E. Har- 
lan, of Cisco; and ]\Iabel and Alyrtle, both 
at home. Mr. and Airs. Melvin hold mem- 
bership in the Alethodist Episcopal church 
and he also belongs to the Grand Army of 
the Republic. His political support is given 
the Republican party, and he served on the 
grand jury in 1903. 



ALEXANDER T. METTLEN. 
(Jne of the pioneer citizens of Macon 
county is Alexander T. Mettlen, now re- 
tired from business activity and (piietly 



enjoying the income he accumulated in 
former years. He has many interesting 
reminiscences of early days in this county 
and well remembers when Decatur was a 
mere village and the surrounding country 
mostly wild and unimproved. 

Mr. Mettlen was born in Juniata county, 
Pennsylyajiia, on the 5th of December, 1830, 
his parents being Robert and Elizabetli 
(Custer) Mettlen, who were also natives 
of Pennsylvania and of Scotch and German 
descent, respectively. Leaving their old 
home in the east the family came to Illi- 
nois in 1840 in company with the Dailey 
family, consisting of two grown people and 
nine children. As a bare-foot boy our 
subject walked the greater part of the way, 
as did all the others who were able to do 
so, the remainder of the party making the 
journey in a prairie schooner. Their route 
lay through Ohio. Indiana and the Black 
Swamp, and thej' were five weeks upon the 
road. On arriving in Macon county they 
spent the first winter in Decatur and then 
removed to a farm northwest of the city. 
In the fall of 1841 the Mettlen family lo- 
cated on North Water street, where Milton 
Johnson now lives, the site of his residence 
being then a cornfield. They resided there 
until the spring of 1844, when he removed 
to Stephen's creek, northwest of the city, 
on land later owned by Orlando Powers, 
and upon that place the father of our sub- 
ject died the following fall. Only fifteen 
acres of land had been broken at that time, 
the remainder being wild prairie covered 
with brush. Mrs. Mettlen survived her hus- 
band about ten years, dying on the 20th 
of August, 1854, and two days after her 
death her daughter Martha also passed 
away. There were six children in the fam- 
ilv. namely: Samuel Jordan, now deceased; 
Alexander T., our subject; Joseph C, a res- 
ident of Dillon, Montana ; David E., a prom- 
inent citizen of that place ; Martha, de- 
ceased ; and one who died in infancy. 



466 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Our subject's early education was ac- 
quired in a primitive log school house with 
greased paper windows, a fireplace with a 
mud and stick chimney and slab benches. 
He was only able to attend school about 
three months during the winter season, as 
during the remainder of the time he had 
to work on the farm. He has broken many 
an acre of prairie in Hickory Point town- 
ship and the first plow which he used had 
a wooden mold-board made by his father. 
He has cultivated corn with a single shovel 
plow and has cut grain with a sickle and 
later with a cradle. During those early 
days the women of the family used to drop 
most of the corn and cover it with a hoe. 
They also spun and wove most of the 
cloth to be converted into clothing for the 
familv. During- the boyhood of our subject 
all the candles used in the Mettlen house- 
hold were made by dipping but after the 
death of the mother a mold was bought 
for that purpose. When they came to this 
county deer, wild turkey and all kinds of 
game were plentiful and furnished most of 
the meat for the early settlers. 

Mr. Mettlen of this review remained at 
home with his mother until his marriage, 
which was celebrated on the ist of January, 
1852, the lady of his choice being Miss 
Malinda Jane Hanks, who was born near 
the Boiling Springs church in this county 
in January, 1831, and was a daughter of 
John and Susan Hanks, the former a second 
cousin of Abraham Lincoln. Five children 
blessed this union, namely : John, now de- 
ceased ; .Martha, who married Frank Bear 
and had two children, both now deceased; 
Sarah, wife of Frank Beal ; Emma, wife of 
Marion Moore, of Jasper county, Illinois ; 
and Jane, deceased. The mother of these 
children died in August, 1874, and was 
buried in the Boiling Springs cemetery. 

On the 5th of June. 1887. Mr. Mettlen 
was again married, his second union being 
with Mrs. Sarah A. M. Kilpatrick, nee 



Kerr, who was born near Chambersburg, 
Pennsylvania, November 25, 1840. By her 
former marriage she has one son, Edgar 
Kilpatrick, who is married and has one son; 
and one daughter, Florence Slayback, who 
has six children. Mr. Mettlen has sixteen 
grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and 
seven step-grandchildren. 

After his first marriage Mr. Mettlen lo- 
cated on section 30, Hickory Point town- 
ship, where he owned eighty acres of land, 
on a part of which the village of Bears- 
dale now stands. He made his home there 
from 1852 until 1861 and then removed to 
section 34, the same township, which farm 
at that time was only partially improved. 
He cleared the remainder of the tract, tiled 
the land and erected good substantial build- 
ings. To the cultivation of his farm he 
devoted his time and energies for many 
years but is now living a retired life, en- 
joying a well earned rest. 

Since casting his first presidential vote 
for Franklin Pierce Mr. Mettlen has sup- 
ported the Democratic party, and has taken 
quite an active and influential part in pub- 
lic affairs. On the organization of Hickory 
Point township he was elected the first 
highway commissioner and most capably 
filled that office for the long period of thirty 
years. He has also served as school direc- 
tor many years and is now school treas- 
urer of his township. During his boyhood 
he many times attended religious services 
hold in the barn of Joseph Rife, Sr., this 
being before the church was built at Boil- 
ing Springs. He has seen almost the entire 
development of Macon county and his name 
is inseparably connected with its upbuild- 
ing and progress for he has ever borne an 
important part in the work of improvement. 
His first wife spun the wool which Grand- 
ma Jlornback converted into blankets that 
won the premium at the State Fair in 1869 
and which were presented to Mrs. Mettlen 
as a souvenir. .Vmong the most valuable 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



467 



relics belonging to our subject is a solid 
silver medal presented to his uncle, Alex- 
ander Mettlen, September lo, 1813, for 
bravery displayed in the fight on Lake Erie 
in the war of 1812. In size it is large as 
two silver dollars and weighs as much as 
four dollars. 



SAMUEL RITCHIE. 
Samuel Ritchie, publisher of "The Big 
3," the Warrensburg Times, Forsyth World 
and Oreana Herald, was born in Franklin 
county, Pennsylvania, December 23, 1840. 
He was the son of Samuel and Susan (Hin- 
zie) Ritchie. His father was a farmer, of 
Scotch-Irish stock, and his mother was a 
German. They were the parents of twelve 
children, six sons and six daughters, though 
■one of the latter died in infancy. With the 
other eleven children they moved to Macon 
county, Illinois, in the spring of 1856. They 
came all the way in one two-horse wagon, 
carrying cooking utensils and bedding with 
them, stoppings nights at "moving houses" 
along the turnpike roads and arriving in 
Decatur June 7, 1856. The first summer 
they lived in a little house owned by Jacob 
Bear, near what is now Bearsdalc. They 
bought some prairie land a few miles north 
and put up a substantial house, which after 
the lapse of nearly fifty years, still stands, 
HI fairly good condition, though now un- 
occupied. It is called the "Old Ritchie 
bome." Samuel Ritchie, Sr., with his boys, 
at once commenced to improve the land, 
and for two successive years Samuel 
Ritchie, Jr., then a youth of sixteen years, 
broke raw prairie land with four yoke of 
oxen. Several years later in connection 
with his brother William, he bought a tract 
of land a few miles farther west and they 
engaged in farming for themselves. Still 
later Samuel engaged in grain buying at 
Forsyth, Wyckles and later in Warrens- 
burg. He also bought and shipped live 



stock from 1868 to the present date, and is 
still engaged in that business. In the fall 
of 1869 he was married to Miss Clara M. 
Dudley, of Sangamon county. For five 
years they resided on their farm, and then 
moved to Warrensburg, which was then a 
new town. 

In January, 1885, Mr. Ritchie commenced 
the publication of the Warrensburg Times, 
which he has successfully managed, with 
the assistance of his wife, up to the present 
time. 

Mr. Ritchie for many years has been a 
zealous member of the Church of God. He 
and his wife assisted in organizing the 
church at Warrensburg in 1875, and are 
charter members of the same. He is 
much interested in educational work, 
and is a trustee of Findlay College, Ohio, 
which position he has held for six years. 
In politics he is a stanch Democrat, "deep- 
dyed," as was his father before him, and 
his five brothers are also Democrats. 

Mr. Ritchie has quite a legal turn of mind, 
and although he never read law at school, 
nor associated with any lawyer, only in a 
general way, yet he has given the study of 
law some attention, so that his advice and 
his services are constantly being sought, and 
his judgment and decisions on legal cases 
are respected and usually found to be cor- 
rect. He has filled the office of justice of 
the peace several years, and has also served 
as village attorney in Warrensburg a num- 
ber of years. He is now serving his third 
term as notary public. If he had given his 
early time and attention exclusively to the 
study of law he would doubtless have made 
an eminent attorney. 

Samuel Ritchie and wife have seen the 
• building and growth of the village of War- 
rensburg, also the building of what is now 
the Peoria division of the Ilhnois Central 
Railroad, which was commenced in the fall 
of 1 87 1, and which cut off a corner of their 
farm on the southwest. As soon as the vil- 



i6S 



PAST AXI) PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



lage was laid out in lots Mr. Ritchie bought 
a strip of land west of his farm and next to 
the town plat and had it laid off in lots, 
which is now known as "Ritchie's addition 
to Warrensburg." For twenty-six years 
Mr. Ritchie and wife lived in I'^asl Warrens- 
burg, but two years ago they purchased a 
piece of ground of seventeen acres in the 
west end, which is a sort of suburban resi- 
dence, where they have a commodious 
house and pleasant grounds, so this will 
probably be their permanent home, unless 
they should decide to leave Warrensburg. 
They have no children of their own, but 
have reared and educated a niece of .Mrs. 
Ritchie's, whose mother died when she was 
but three years old. She has a fine musical 
education, being a graduate of the musical 
department of F'indlay College, Ohio. She 
is now the wife of R. Ilerrod, a hardware 
merchant, and resides in Warrensburg. 

In a newspaper way Samuel Ritchie and 
wife are known as the "Times Pair," and 
have traveled extensively through the Unit- 
ed States, from the lakes on the north 
to the gulf on the south, and from the At- 
lantic to the Pacific, visiting nearly every 
state in the Union and most of the 
large cities and places of interest, thus ac- 
quiring much valuable information in regard 
to our own country, and for the benefit of 
the ])atrons of their i)aper. 

The W'arrensburg Times is one of the 
oldest pajiers in Macon county, anil has a 
large and increasing circulation. 

This paper was tounded in January, 1885, 
and from a little two by four sheet with a 
ready print inside, and outside printed in 
Mt. Pulaski, it has grown to its present 
vast proportions — four pages, eight columns 
wide and all Warrensburg jirint. The I'"or- 
syth W'orld and Oreana Herald are also 
printed at this office. 

S. Ritchie, ])ublisher, and Mrs. C. M. 
Ritchie editor, constitute the "Times Pair," 
and stand at the head of this great enter- 



prise. Miss Nettie S. Lindsay is the compe- 
tent lady foreman at the office, which has a 
strong force and a large amount of work 

is turned out from this printing office every 
week. 

This office has a splendid \'aughn's Ideal 
newspaper printing press, a fine Gordon 
job press and an immense amount of type 
and other ])rinting material. The office was 
enlarged two years ago last spring to ac- 
commodate the ra])idly increasing business. 
In fact the Warrensburg Times is well 
known — not only in Warrensburg and Ma- 
con county, but all over the United States, 
and even to the PhiliiJpines and far distant 
China. 



MRS. C. M. RITCHIE. 

Mrs. Clara :\I. (Dudley) Ritchie, editor 
of the Warrensburg Times, was born at 
Mendon, Adams county, Illinois, not far 
from Ouincy, August 27, 1847, ^""^ '^''^ '''" 
ways Hvcd in this state. She is the daugh- 
ter of Timoth}- and .Monimia (Penton) Dud- 
ley, who were of English descent, of old 
Puritan stock, and both were born in New 
Ha\en county, Connecticut, in 1808, arid 
moved to Illinois in 1836, and settled near 
the town of Mendon. Mrs. Ritchie remem- 
bers interesting stories of the early settlers 
of that part of the state, as told by her 
parents, and particularly of the Mormons, 
as they were thickly settled about .Xauvoo, 
which was not far from her old home. 
Her parents were both of a literary turn of 
minil, and both weie school teachers in tlieir 
younger days. Mrs. Ritchie was the young- 
est in a faniilv of four children, comi^oscd of 
one boy and three girls. When she was but 
five vears old her parents moved to Jack- 
sonville, in order to educate their children. 
For nine years ?klr. Dudley was a traveling 
agent for the American Bible Society and 
canvassed Morgan, Macoupin. Scott and 
Pond counties. Although but a little girt 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



46'J 



Hi that time she would frequently accom- 
pany her father on his trips and calls them 
her early* "missionary tours." Her brother 
died of quick consumption, after one year 
in Illinois College, and one sister gradu- 
ated from the Presbyterian Academy of 
Jacksonville. Mrs. Ritchie received her ed- 
ucation in the public schools of Jackson- 
ville and commenced teaching at the age of 
eighteen years. During the Civil war her 
parents moved to Waverly, and later to 
Loami, not far from Springfield. She was 
married at Loami September 26, 1869, to 
Samuel Ritchie, of Macon county, who 
owned a large farm twelve miles northwest 
of Decatur, to which place she moved with 
her husband, and continued teaching school 
for a number of years after her marriage. 
She followed the occupation of teaching 
almost continuously for fifteen years. From 
1876 to 1879 she taught in the school at 
Warrensburg, which was then a new town. 

Mrs. Ritchie has always been greatly in- 
terested in church, Sunday-school, mission- 
ary and temperance work, and has always 
been actively engaged in these lines of work. 
She was a member of the Independent Or- 
der of Good Templars for many years, also 
of the Woman's Christian Temperance 
Union, and is still a member of that organ- 
ization ; has been a teacher in the Stmday- 
school for thirty years and was superin- 
tendent for ten years ; was always much in- 
terested in work among the children, and 
conducted a "P>usy Bee Mission Band" in 
Warrensburg for twelve years. She was 
always possessed of a missionary spirit, 
and is now secretary of the board of direct- 
ors of the Women's General Missionary So- 
ciety of the Church of God, which organi- 
zation she has been connected with ever 
since her marriage. Although reared a 
Congregationalist, and for several years a 
member of that church, she believes thor- 
oughly in the doctrines of the Church of 
God. She was always musicallv inclined. 



and learned to read music at the age of 
eight years, and has been chorister and 
organist of the Warrensburg church of God 
for twenty-eight years. 

In regard to Mrs. Ritchie's experience 
in the newspaper work, we quote her own 
words : 

My experience in newspaper work covers 
a period of nearly nineteen years, and I 
have laid the flattering unction to my soul 
that if I had started in newspaper work 
when 1 was in the "bloom of youth" I might 
possibly have accomplished something in 
this direction ; as it is, I have simply a 
smattering of what a woman can do with a 
"country newspaper." 

\Vhen I was a girl — O blissful period of 
the long-ago past — I don't remember of 
having any particular ambition to become 
an editor or to be connected in any way 
with a newspaper. I rather regarded edi- 
tors and publishers as superior beings, of a 
higher order of intelligence, and even good- 
ness, than other people ; in fact, only a very 
little lower than the angels of Heaven ! 
But having mingled with them for nearly 
twenty years, and getting a closer insight 
into their characters and dispositions, their 
motives and aims, I find them to be made 
out of just common clay, after all! 

When I was eighteen years old I became 
a school teacher, and like many young girl 
teachers, who fancy they are doing some- 
thing wonderful when they begin to teach 
"the young idea how to shoot, ' I kept what 
we called a "journal" of my every-day work 
and at stated periods sent this journal to an 
absent sister, also a teacher, that she might 
be apprised of the remarkable ( ?) work that 
I was doing! Years after, at the death of 
this sister, my letters to her, including these 
journals, were returned to me. On look- 
ing them over I found they were gotten up 
in regulation newspaper style ! The girlish 
journal was issued monthly, and was digni- 
fied bv the name of "Gazette!'' It was Vol. 



470 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ]MACON COUNTY. 



I, and each month was numbered. It was 
devoted to "Art, Science and the Current 
News of the Day;" though where the "Art 
and Science" came in it would be difficult 
to tell ! My "Gazette" had the very pert 
motto — "Independence in Thought, Word 
and Deed." I had dubbed myself "Edi- 
tress," and in the editorials made profuse 
apologies to my patrons for all mistakes^ 
the poor print, scarcity of news, etc., etc., 
just as amateur editors do nowadays. I 
recall this simply to show that after all I 
must have had some unrecognized aspira- 
tions for newspaper work. 

One day in early January, 1885, Mr. 
Ritchie suddenly announced that he was 
going to engage in the newspaper business! 
I meekly inquired: "How?" He replied by 
saying that he expected me to write pieces, 
the news and so on, but that he would be 
the editor, publisher, business manager and 
general boss ! The very idea ! Now wasn't 
that cheeky? But who ever saw a news- 
paper man that didn't have an abundance 
of cheek? And that's all right, for who 
could run a newspaper without it? And 
with this understanding, our work began, 
and the Warrensburg Times was established 
and my actual "newspaper experience" com- 
menced. 

For several years we used ready print 
inside, and the mechanical work was done 
first in Mt. Pulaski, and then in Decatur. 
As the years rolled on and I did much of 
the writing, my liege lord permitted me to 
share the honors of editorship and gra- 
ciously granted me the position of associate 
editor. 

In the spring of 1894 we established our 
our own ]irinting office in Warrensburg, 
and then the hard work began. In the 
meantime I had learned to set type, and 
picked up a deal of information about the 
printing offices where we had our papers 
printed. Wc hired a boy. to work in the 



office and run the press, and to learn alt 
about printing from me, who knew so little, 
.Mr. Ritchie continued to do the outside 
work, solicit "ads," furnish printing* mater- 
ials for the office, write telling articles for 
the paper, buy and ship stock, and very 
obligingly take all the lickin's when some- 
thing appeared in the paper which didn't 
suit somebody. I have usually been accred- 
ited with writing all the " goody-goody" 
articles, such as funeral notices, obituaries,, 
etc., (when we send people to ' Heaven on 
flowery beds of ease,") resolutions of re- 
spect, cards of thanks, weddings, where the 
bride looked sweet and lovely, revival meet- 
ings, etc., while Mr. Ritchie has been 
blamed for the sharp articles and the shak- 
ings up that the people get for their mis- 
demeanors, when in fact, many of the latter 
I have written, as I rather enjoy writing 
articles of that character. 

A few 3-ears later Mr. Ritchie promoted 
me to the chair of editor-in-chief, while he 
continued as publisher and business man- 
ager. For the last five years we have our 
papers all home print, and it takes hustling 
to get it up and have the matter all fresh and 
l)right. 

As editor of the paper I enjoy the work 
amazingly well, with the publisher as a 
strong bulwark upon which to lean. If 
anything goes wrong at the office and the 
devil gets saucy and talks of putting 
me out, I simply have to call up the pub- 
lisher, and the devil is settled at once. If 
a form gets " pied " as once happened last 
winter, he calmly steps in and chaos soon, 
becomes order. 

My time is not all spent at the printing 
office, as much of my editorial work is done 
at homo, but the telephone does good ser- 
vice, and with its aid I am always in close 
touch with the office force and know how 
business is moving on there. 

And so this work is pleasant in a great 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOxN COUNTY. 



471 



many respects, and after nearly twenty 
years of experience I liave never regretted 
entering the journalistic field. 



JOHN J. BATCHELDER. 

John J. Batchelder, deceased, through the 
years of his identification with Macon coun- 
ty, enjoyed the highest respect of his fellow 
citizens by reason of his strict integrity and 
many sterling qualities of mind and heart. 
■ His early home was in New England, for 
he was born at Pittsfield, New Hampshire, 
June i6, 1824, his parents being Colonel 
Nathaniel and Abigail (Jenness) Batchel- 
der. His father died on the 3d of Decem- 
ber, 1858, in consequence of injuries sus- 
tained while felling a tree. By occupation 
he was a farmer and stock-raiser, making a 
specialty of the breeding of Morgan horses. 

J. J. Batchelder was the second in order 
of birth in a family of five children, and was 
educated in the high schools of Pittsfield 
and Gilmanton, New Hampshire. On leav- 
ing school in 1846 he took up the carpen- 
ter's trade, which he followed at Holyoke, 
Massachusetts, until 1849, ^"d then went 
south, spending some time in Georgia, Ala- 
bama, Mississippi and Tennessee, where he 
was employed as a bridge builder. Return- 
ing north in 1857 he settled in Harristown 
township, Macon county, Illinois, where he 
lived until 1864, when thinking he would 
meet with better success elsewhere, he sold 
his farm and removed to Illini township. 
Here he purchased land and successfully 
engaged in agricultural pursuits until his 
death, which occurred August 23, 1898. He 
formed what was known as the Yankee set- 
tlement and was regarded as one of the 
leading and valued citizens of his com- 
munity. Success attended his efforts toward 
acquiring a home and competence and he 
became the owner of four hundred and 
eighty acres of rich and arable land in Illini 
township. 



Mr. Batchelder was twice married, his 
first union being with Miss Malinda A. 
Green, by whom he had one child, Howard 
M., a resident of Omaha, Nebraska, who 
married Annis R. Childs and is government 
meat inspector at that place. For his 
second wife our subject wedded Miss Mary 
Thompson Thorndike, who is the fifth in a 
family of seven children, her parents being 
John Larkin and Maria (Joy) Thorndike. 
Her father was born in Concord, New 
Hampshire, April 23, 1796, and died January 
23, 1884; while her mother was born in 
Durham, New Hampshire, April 25, 1804, 
and died September 20, 1845. Mrs. Batch- 
elder began her education in South Berwick, 
Maine, and later attended the Bowdoin 
street school of Boston, Massachusetts, and 
also the Boston Normal School on Mason 
street, that city. While there she made 
her home with an aunt, Mrs. Pearce. By 
. her marriage to our subject she became the 
mother of three children : Mary Pearce, 
wife of Charles H. Cowen, who is engaged 
in the real estate and insurance business 
in Warrensburg, Illinois; Bessie Ingleton, 
wife of Joseph T. Tucker, a farmer and 
stock-raiser; and Georgiana, who lives with 
her mother in Warrensburg, to which place 
they removed in 1899, shortly after the 
death of our subject. 

As a Republican, Mr. Batchelder took 
quite an active and prominent part in local 
politics and was called upon to serve as 
supervisor of his township for a number of 
terms and as township treasurer for thirty 
years. He was a charter member of the Il- 
lini Congregational church and was a man 
highly respected and esteemed by all who 
knew him. In his business dealings he was 
ever prom.pt, reliable and entirely trust- 
worthy, and although he gained a greater 
degree of success than came to many of his 
fellow citizens it was because he was very 
energetic, perservering and capable in man- 
aging his business affairs. In his death the 



472 



PAST AND 1"RF.SF':.\T OF .MACOX COUXTY. 



comnniiiily lost one of its best citizens, his 
neighbors a faithful friend and his family a 
considerate Juisband and father. Since the 
age of seventeen years Mrs. Batchelder has 
been a member of the Congregational 
cliurch and her earnest Christian life has 
endeared her to all with whom she has come 
in contact. 



SAML'EL K. SMITH. 

.Macon comity "s de\elopment had not 
been carried on through many years nor had 
it reached an advanced stage of progres- 
sion when Samuel K. Smith established his 
home in this county and became actively 
identified with the business interests and 
with the impro\ement of this portion of the 
state. It was in the year 185J that he lo- 
cated here. He was born in Caldwell coun- 
ty, Kentucky, in I''ebruary, 1824, and was 
a son of William and Rebecca (Maxwell) 
.Smith, both natixes of Kentucky. The 
father died when our subject was only a 
boy. His education was acquired in the 
common schools of his native state and he 
remained a resident of Kentticky until about 
twenty-eight years of age, when he deter- 
mined to seek a home in Illinois, believing 
that in this new but rapidly developing dis- 
trict he would have good business privi- 
leges. Accordingly removing to Macon 
county, he settled upon a farm in Mount 
Zion township. Here he purchased a good 
tract of land and with characteristic energy 
began its development and cultivation. He 
continued to carry on general farming 
throughout his remaining days and in his 
business affairs he prospered. He divided 
his place into fields of convenient size by 
well kept fences, plowed and planted his 
land and because of the practical methods 
which he ever followed was enabled to 
gather rich harvests as a reward for his 
labors. 

.Mr. Smith was twice married. He first 



wedded Miss Eliza .Miller, who died in 
Mount Zion. She was to him a faithful com- 
panion and helpmate on life's journey for 
many years and she bore him seven chil- 
dren : Sarah, who is now the deceased wife 
of the Rev. R. G. Cardinal : Mary, the wife 
of .V. R. Scott, of Bethany, Illinois; Eliza, 
the wife of Dr. McMillan, a practicing phy- 
sician of Bethany; Josephine, who is the 
wife of J. T. McGaughey, of Mount Zion; 
Laura, the wife of Thomas L. Boone, a 
grain dealer of Bethany; Maggie, the wife 
of hVed Williams, a resident of Texas; and 
Samuel 1)., who is now living a retired life 
in Mount Zion. .\fter the death of his first 
wife Mr. l^mith was again married, his sec- 
ond union being with Miss Cynthia A. Pow- 
ell, of Cass county, Illinois, a daughter of 
Hugh R. and Susan (Price) Powell, who 
were early settlers of Cass county, where 
the father carried on general farming imtil 
his death. 

Mr. Smith was never an office seeker and 
yet his fellow townsmen, recognizing his 
worth and ability, several times called upon 
him to serve in local offices, wherein he dis- 
charged his duties with promptness and 
fidelity. He voted with the Republican 
party in early life and afterward became a 
stanch Prohibitionist, because of his deep 
sympathy with the cause of temperance and 
his earnest desire that the sale of intoxicants 
shall be suppressed. Both he and his wife 
were members of the Cumberland Presby- 
terian church and for several years he served 
as one of the elders of the church and took 
a very helpful part in its work, contrib- 
uting generously to its support and doing 
everything in his power for its improve- 
ment and upbuilding. He died in the Chris- 
tian faith yVugust 16, 1896, after having been 
a resident of the county for forty-four years. 
During that time he had become very wide- 
ly known. He was a faithful friend, a good 
neighbor, a devoted and loving husband, a 
consistent Christian gentleman, his loss was 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



475 



felt throughout the entire community. Af- 
ter her husband's death Mrs. Smith removed 
to Decatur and purchased her present home 
at No. 717 ^^'est North street, making many 
improvements here. She also owns a farm 
at P)ethany, this county, and thus her prop- 
erty interests return to her a good income, 
supplying her with all of the comforts and 
many of the luxuries of life. 



LIEUT. COL. ANSEL TUPPER. 

When the tocsin of war sounded and the 
dark cloud of destiny gathered over the 
country, bringing in its wake destruction 
and death, a strong feeling was aroused 
throughout the length and breadth of the 
land. The south remained in opposition to 
the supremacy of the national government 
at Washington and the north donned the 
blue uniform in defense of the LTnion. There 
is in all modern times no account of such 
desperate warfare as was then waged and 
in many a home there came gloom and sad- 
ness because of the destruction of life which 
took place upon the southern battlefields. 
Lieutenant Colonel Tupper was one whose 
life was given on the altar of his country. 
His memory is enshrined in the hearts not 
only of all those who knew him, but also of 
his fellow countrymen who love their native 
land and have gratitude for its preservers.' 
Certainly he deserves mention in the his- 
tory of Macon county, where he was living 
at the time he joined the army and where 
he had become known as a respected, 
worthy and upright citizen. 

Lieutenant Colonel Tupper was born in 
St. Lawrence county. New York, June 5, 
1832, a son of Harvey and Johanna (Willis) 
Tupper. His parents, likewise natives of 
the Empire state, resided there until 1833, 
in which year they became residents of 
Akron, Ohio, but subsequently they estab- 
lished their home in Slieboygan county. 



Wisconsin, where the father carried on 
farming. He died in that place, but the 
mother afterward went to Missouri, where 
her last days were spent. 

Lieutenant Colonel Tupper was but a 
small lad when his parents went to Ohio 
and was a youth of fourteen when they ar- 
rived in Wisconsin, where he acquired the 
greater part of his education. He studied 
law with" Hon. N. W. Tupper, his brother, 
in the counties of Sheboygan and Washing- 
ton, Wisconsin, and in June, 1854, was ad- 
mitted to the bar, after which he fiegan prac- 
tice in the village of Hartford, where he 
soon won recognition as a young man of 
more than ordinary ability and prominence. 

He was married in Hartford, Wisconsin, 
December 16, 1855, to Miss Mary Wiley, a 
native of Trumbull county, Ohio, and a 
daughter of William and Mary Wiley. 
Her father was born in Pittsburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, and her mother in Youngstown, Ohio. 
When twenty years of age he removed to 
Ohio, where he engaged in farming for a 
time, but later turned his attention to the 
real estate business, buying and selling 
much land in that locality. There he re- 
sided until 1847, when he removed to Har- 
rison, Washington county, Wisconsin, 
where he was engaged in farming and also 
in real estate dealing. There he died in 
1852 and his wife, who long survived him, 
passed away in Harrison in 1888. Mr. and 
Mrs. Tupper became the parents of two 
children: Leonidas H., born January 15, 
1857, became a student in Cornell Univer- 
sity at the age of eighteen years and pur- 
sued his studies there for five years. He 
then went to New York city and became 
one of the editors at dilTerent times of the 
New York \A'''orld, New York Journal and 
New York Sun, being a prominent factor in 
journalistic circles in that city for a long 
period. P)ecause of ill health, however, he 
left the Atlantic coast and spent a few years 
in Louisiana. He then returned to Brook- 



476 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOx\ COUNTY. 



lyn, New York, and for one year was con- 
nected with the Brooklyn Standard Union, 
after which he devoted his attention to liter- 
ary work, writing for magazines for a few 
years. He had many friends in New York 
city and Brooklyn and, in fact, in every 
locality in which he was known, and he was 
very prominent in social circles and also 
active in philanthropic and benevolent work, 
the poor and needy finding in him a valued 
friend. Becoming ill he was taken to one of 
the hospitals of New York city, where he 
remained for a few days and was then taken 
by his mother to his sister's home in She- 
boygan Falls, Wisconsin, where his last 
days were spent, his death there occurring 
on the 1st of September, 1902. The daugh- 
ter, Ella, was born April 17, 1858, and is 
now the wife of Aretus Tupper, a resident 
of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, now one of 
the most wealthy and prominent citizens of 
that place. Mrs. Tupper resides at her at- 
tractive home in Decatur at No. 273 West 
Cerro Gordo street. She yet remains true 
to her husband's memory and well may she 
cherish her recollections of his honorable 
manhood, his kindly nature and his unfalt- 
ering bravery in the hour of danger. 

The last six years of Lieutenant Colonel 
Tupper's life were passed in Decatur, where 
he located as a young man full of hope and 
with a determination to win a creditable 
place at the bar. Perhaps no better ac- 
count of his career can be given than by 
quoting from the funeral sermon which was 
delivered at his grave on the 22d of April, 
1862. The minister. Rev. J. H. Moore, in 
speaking of his removal to Decatur said: 

" Here likewise his talents were soon 
acknowledged, and his business became 
profitable. Yet he did not rapidly accumu- 
late property, for, as is usual with men of 
such a spirit as he possessed, he spent freely 
what he had earned and was benevolent to 
a fault. Such men never suddenly become 
wealthy, but fail not, if life is spared, to 



rise to distinction, and li\e in the hearts 
of their fellow men. Nor are such men 
ever indifferent to the stirring events which 
are going on in the world around them, but 
are. constantly awake to whatever is likely 
to affect, for weal or woe, the destinies of 
mankind. 

" Colonel Tupper was not long in sur- 
rounding himself with numerous ardent and 
devoted friends. His social qualities were 
of a high order and those who knew him 
most intimately, who knew the nature of 
that deep under current of manly, generous 
feeling, not so readily discerned by the 
superficial observer of character, loved him 
best, and esteemed him the most sincerely. 
In all his intercourse with the members of 
his own profession he showed himself to 
be a gentleman in the most emphatic sense 
of that term. He was manly, frank, open 
in all his business transactions at the bar 
and with the community at large. He was 
quick tempered, impetuous as a mountain 
torrent, and fearless as the grave ; but gen- 
erous, honorable and just. Whatever sen- 
timents he espoused, he dared fearlessly to 
utter and defend, on all suitable occasions, 
regardless of consequences, so far as they 
might affect himself. But he cherished a 
decent respect for those who honestly and 
sincerely differed with him in opinion. He 
was proverbially large-hearted, kind and 
sympathetic. No man was more ready to 
do a favor than he. He strongly felt for 
the suffering, the weak and the defenseless. 
As a husband, he was a model of tenderness 
and affection. He was a loving and indul- 
gent father and unsurpassed in all the qual- 
ities of good neighborship. So acute and 
tender were his sensibilities that scarcely 
could he either eat or sleep, or in anywise 
take rest, while any member of his own 
family, or any of his friends were suffering 
from pain or disease — such a man could 
never have been a bad man. And though 
we may not say that he was a Christian in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



477 



the most exalted sense of that term yet his 
was a noble nature and the longer he had 
lived, the more would he have endeared 
himself to society and the more would the 
noble qualities of his soul have unfolded 
themselves to the world. With such at- 
tributes of character as these, he could not 
fail to secure the confidence and esteem of 
the community in which he lived. He was 
a rising star, but recently emerged from the 
mists of the morning twilight, shining more 
refulgently as it neared its meridian height. 
But a thick cloud, shall I say, has suddenly 
passed over that rising luminary, hiding it 
from our vision forever? Have its fires 
paled, and its light gone out in darkness and 
obscurity? Nay, verily. But rather may it 
be said, it was, ere it reached its noontide 
splendor, snatched from its particular orbit 
to make one more in that bright constella- 
tion which our stormy heavens have so 
recently revealed. Colonel Tupper deserves 
for his gallantry, shown on more than one 
bloody battle-field, henceforth to be men- 
tioned along with those other fallen heroes, 
leaders of our citizen soldiers, in this the 
second great struggle of the American 
people for the maintenance of free demo- 
cratic institutions. He entered the service 
of his country with a willing and cheerful 
heart. He uncovered his arm in her de- 
fense. She had sheltered him and his 
fathers in the past, and he was now ready 
to swear by his life's blood that his own 
loved ones should live in the future be- 
neath her broad-spreading aegis and know 
no fear nor ever feel the blush of shame. He 
was not the man to fold his hands and 
quietly and with indifference behold the 
heart-sickening spectacle of traitors, with 
fell intent, striking his beloved country, 
dismantling her forts and trailng her ban- 
ner in the dust. A genuine, warm-hearted 
patriot, feeling that his own honor and that 
of all whom he held dear to him on earth, 
was inseparably blended with the honor 



of his country, he would have chosen to 
die, rather than to look upon her degrada- 
tion and shame. And he is a coward and a 
base driveler, whoever he may be, and what- 
ever may have been his antecedents, who is 
willing to survive the wreck and ruin of his 
country. Who that posseses any of the attri- 
butes of a noble nature, would wish to live 
without a country he cAn call his own or 
that could endure to see it become a hissing 
and a by-word among the nations of the 
earth ? Verily none but such as are already 
fit for manacles and chains and the ty- 
rant's whip could become reconciled to such 
a state of things. The Almighty has im- 
planted in man's heart for the most obvious 
reasons the passion of patriotism and in- 
tended that it should burn with an inextin- 
guishable flame ; and whoever is true to God 
and his race is by no means a stranger to 
its powerful and generous impulses. 

" Colonel Tupper, we have said, cheer- 
fully, we might have said eagerly, entered 
the service of his country ; and nobly did he 
sustain himself in every position and rela- 
tionship from the day that he enlisted until 
his short but illustrious career was ended. 
He was beloved by his men, popular with 
his brother officers and ready and efficient 
in the discharge of every duty whether in 
the camp, on the fatiguing march or facing 
the enemy upon the field of battle. In short, 
he showed himself to be the true soldier, 
brave as the bravest and generous as brave. 
On the bloody Held of Donelson he rushed 
into the fight, fearless of the terrible shafts 
of death as they fell thick and fast around 
him. He breasted the storm of battle with 
a lofty heroism, marching on to nobler 
deeds of daring as the combat thickened. 

" His friends rejoiced when he emerged 
from that fearful struggle unscathed by his 
country's foes and honored by all who wit- 
nessed his noble bearing. But a still more 
fearful conflict awaited him and his brave 
men. But no matter, for he had a heart 



478 



PAST AXn TRKSKXT OF M ACoX (OrXTV 



for any fate. At the call of country he was 
ready, if need l)e, to rush c\en into the \ery 
jaws of death. 

" That conllict came, at lenglli, at Pitts- 
burg landing, April 6th ; more terrible than 
had been anticipated and more terrible than 
it should have been. Somebody was at 
fault, but who, we leave for the future to 
disclose. Yet by how much the more sud- 
den, unexpected and overwhelming was the 
onset of rebel hordes, bj-^ so much the more 
conspicuously shone the invincible valor 
of our glorious western army. They tinall) 
rolled back the tide of battle; they were 
victorious, though the slaughter was im- 
mense and the odds fearfully against them. 
lUit in no previous engagement has the 
superiority of the armies of the republic 
been so clearly manifest as on that occa- 
sion. The enemy ought, under the circum- 
stances, to have taken our whole army, 
before high noon of that eventful day. If 
all the favorable circumstances had been 
ours, the advantage of the attack, the sur- 
prise and of almost double the number of 
forces, we would certainly lia\e captured 
them and scarcely felt the struggle. Why 
they did not take us is absolutely a stupen- 
ous wonder: and thanks to a kind Provi- 
dence and our incomparably brave men that 
that they did not. In that bloody fray Col- 
onel Tupper led on the brave Forty-first 
Regiment in person, the veteran Pugh 
having been detailed to the command of a 
brigade. .'\nd never were brave men more 
bravely led. lie infused his fiery spirit into 
every breast. Not one of them faltered, 
or turned his back to the foe. .And rest as- 
sured, my friends, that when the men of 
that noble regiment return home, whether 
living or dead, you will he proud to ac- 
knowledge that every man of them was a 
hero. And thus will it e\-er be with our 
bra\-e citizen soldiers. There will be no 
running, no pale and unmanly fear, if they 
are led on 1)\- brave and skillful ofVicers. 



■■ ( )n that ever memorable da_v. that 
bloody .Sunday, the bloodiest hitherto re- 
corded in .\merican history, the noble Tup- 
])er fell, fell gloriously, fell in the defense of 
constitutional liberty, fell bearing aloft the 
ensign of his fatherland, that ensign which 
has floated in proud triumph over every sea, 
and commanded the respect of everj' land 
and dishonored never, only by traitors. He 
fell with his sword unsheathed and his face 
to the foe. Thus ever fall the brave "who 
rush to glory or the grave.' He fell, but 
the banner that he loved still proudly waved 
o'er the land of the free and the home of the 
brave. 

" .\nil now, for whom did he fall ? For 
what was his blood poured out? For you, 
my fellow citizens, and for me ; for your 
rights and mine ; for your wives and child- 
ren and for mine; for generations yet un- 
born : for the struggling and down trodden 
of all lands ; for God and Liberty and native 
land. 

■■ .\nd shall we ever be unmindful of the 
■lo\ed ones he has left behind? .Shall we 
be i^artakers of the benefits of his death, 
and forget to bestow the gratitude upon 
those he loved which would have been more 
particularly due to him, had he continued 
to live and walk among us? — Shall not the 
warm, gushing sympathies of this commun- 
ity ever flow t)ut strongly toward his 
stricken widow, and his now fatherless 
children?' Will not an appreciating jjeople, 
blessed by such a sacrifice as this, cheer and 
console these stricken ones, through all the 
pathway of their future trial, and so en- 
courage and strengthen them that they shall 
feel that the staff upnu which they have 
hitherto leaned with so much confidence 
and security, has in a measure been restored 
to them in the thanks and kind offices of 
those who share with them their heavy 
griefs to-day? 

" Colonel Tup])er is dead : Treason has 
done the deed. The enemies of his countrv 



PAST AXD PRESEXT OF AL\CON COUNTY. 



471) 



are his murderers. Could you but look 
upon that pale visage, it is marred by traitor 
hands. Think of it, my countrymen, and 
here, over the dead body of the slaughtered 
brave, swear anew allegiance to your coun- 
try and eternal uncompromising enmity to 
treason. Rest thee now our fallen brother, 
in the grave which affection and gratitude 
have prepared for thee ! 

" 'For thou art Freedom's now and Fame's ; 
One of the few, immortal names 
That were not born to die ! ' 

"Colonel Tupper leaves behind a stricken 
wife, worthy of the relationship she bears 
to the honored dead, and two lovely chil- 
dren, a son five and a daughter three years 
of age. But he leaves them the inheritance 
of a noble name, he has secured for them 
the consideration of a grateful country and 
by that country shall they never be for- 
gotten. I claim them as henceforth belong- 
ing to my country, as the jewels of my 
country, because they are the relics of her 
patriot dead. We hail you then to-day, dis- 
consolate, mourning friends, tossed as you 
are upon life's stormy sea, forlorn, it is 
true, but not forsaken, cast down but not 
destroyed, enveloped in clouds and rocked 
in this fearful tempest, but yet assured that 
there is an Almighty one who rides upon 
the whirlwind and controls the storm, in- 
finite in goodness and pledged to be the hus- 
band of the widow and a father to the or- 
phan. 

"May the kind Providence who has hith- 
erto watched over our families, and our 
country, temper the storm to the shorn 
lamb, keep under his divine protection the 
loved ones of the departed, and preserve 
to them and to us a country and a home, 
honored, feared and respected, even to the 
ends of the earth, and by the latest gen- 
erations of men." 



JOHN R. MATTHEW, M. D. 

Successfully engaged in the practice of 
medicine in Blue Mound, Dr. John B. Mat- 
thew has worthily won his reputation as a 
skilled physician. He was born March 2, 
1850, on a farm near Palmer in Christian 
county, Illinois, his parents being Oscar F. 
and Margaret (Britton) Matthew. The an- 
cestry of the family can be traced back to 
the time of Cromwell when a Matthew was 
appointed by the Iron Chancellor as gov- 
ernor over one of the British colonies and 
thus served for eight years. He was the 
first framer of a republican form of govern- 
ment under the old colony system. After 
his death the adherents of the royal cause 
seized upon the opportunity to proclaim 
Charles II king of England and to invite 
Berkley to resume his rule of the colony. 

The paternal great-grandparents of our 
subject were Nathaniel and Mary Matthew. 
It is not definitely known at what time the 
former left England, but it is an authentic 
fact that he was one of seven brothers and 
two sisters who came to America at an 
early period in the colonization of this coun- 
try. They were of Quaker faith and settled 
in Jamestown, Virginia. Nathaniel Mat- 
thew was a cooper by trade and made his 
home in the Old Dominion until his death, 
which occurred August 27, 1829, while his 
wife died on the nth day of the same month 
and 3'ear. 

Simon Matthew, the grandfather of our 
subject, was born February 12. 1787, and 
died in Virginia June 18, 1848, at the age of 
sixty-one years, four months and six days. 
His wife, Anna Smith, died October 24, 
1834, at the age of thirty-eight years, three 
months and thirteen days. They were the 
parents of nine children : James D., the 
eldest, was born November 24, 1813; John 
M., the next in order of birth, vvas born 
December ig. 1815; Charles D. was born 
May 24, 1818; Catherine Amanda was born 
November 5, 1821 ; Oscar F., the father of 



480 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



our subject, was the next younger; Francis 
M., born June 29, 1826, left Springfield, Illi- 
nois, in 1853 for California to dig gold and 
located near where Los Angeles now stands. 
There he continued to reside most of the 
time until 1890, when he entered the office 
of sheriff as a deputy and died there in 1901. 
His first child was born while crossing the 
plains and she afterward taught the first 
free shchool in Los Angeles county. In 
1851 Francis M. Matthew married in Spring- 
field and his wife died in California in 1902, 
leaving four daughters and one son, thir- 
teen grandchildren and one great-grand- 
child. The other members of the family of 
Simon Matthew were Sarah E., born March 

11, 1829; David L., October 6, 1831 ; and 
AVilliam Paul, July 25, 1834. 

Oscar F. Matthew, the Doctor's father, 
was born in Kentucky, January 30, 1821, 
and was a farmer by occupation. He wedded 
Margaret Britton, who was born near Cyn- 
thiana, Ohio, in 1821, a daughter of Benja- 
min Britton, who was a veteran of the Mex- 
ican war and became a farmer near Spring- 
field, Illinois, living in the Cotton Hill 
neighborhood. Throughout his entire life 
he followed farming. In 1861 he became a 
constable and served as such' for eight years. 
He died in 1868. It was in ])ioneer 
times in the development of Illinois 
tliat the father of the Doctor came 
to this state and he, too, lived in the Cotton 
Hill district. His death occurred February 

12, 1881, and he was buried in the Cotton 
Hill cemetery. His wife, long surviving 
him, passed away at Edinburg, Illinois, De- 
cember 16, 7898, and her remains were then 
interred by his side. In the family of this 
worthy couple were nine children, of whom 
the eldest, .Anna K., died in childhood. W. 
S. Matthew, D. D., now fifty-five years of 
age, is presiding elder of the San Francisco 
district in California. He is a graduate of 
the Northwestern University of Evanston, 
Illinois, and preached in Taylorville for 



three years ; in Springfield three years ; Red 
Wing, Minnesota, two years; and St. Paul, 
Minnesota, two years. He was dean of the 
Los .Angeles University for four years, was 
editor of the Christian Advocate of San 
Francisco and lives in Berkley, California. 
The Doctor is the third of the family. The 
next is Rebecca Jane PofTenbarger, a wid- 
ow, residing in Edinburg, Illinois. Thomas 
L. is a retired farmer at Springfield. L. L. 
is a farmer and stock-raiser living near 
Pawnee, Illinois. Mary is the wife of John 
T. Vigal, a farmer and stock-raiser of Mex- 
ico, Missouri. Luticia died in girlhood and 
Oscar, Jr., died in infancy. 

Dr. .Matthew was a lad of seven summers 
when in 1857 his parents settled in the Cot- 
ton Hill district near Springfield, Illinois. 
He attended the common schools and also 
the Cotton Hill Academy and in 1870 he 
entered the office of Drs. L. H. and J. H. 
Clark, of Taylorville, with whom he studied 
for two years. He next attended lectures in 
the American Medical College at St. Louis 
for two years and was graduated on the 
i2th of May, 1875, after which he removed 
to Mount Auburn, where he began the prac- 
tice of medicine on the 22d of May of that 
year. There he resided continually until 
November 9, 1892, when he removed to Blue 
Mound, where he has since engaged in ac- 
tive practice, having now a large patronage. 

On the 26th of March, 1868, occurred the 
marriage of Dr. Matthew and Miss Aman- 
da E. Lawley, a daughter of William B. 
and Sarah M. (Duncan) Lawley, the for- 
mer a native of Tennessee and the latter 
of Illinois. Mrs. Matthew belonged to a 
family of six sons and four daughters and 
her brothers, David, Elijah and James, were 
all soldiers in the One Hundred and Four- 
teentii Illinois Infantry, serving in Company 
E under Captain Adam Hivelcy and Colonel 
Shoup. One sister of Mrs. Matthew died in 
infancy. Ruth Jane became the wife of 
Lawrence Salanger and lives in Palmer, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



481 



Illinois. Sara M. is the wife of William 
Knotts, residing near Chatham, IlHnois. 
Ehner died in childhood. Leonard N. re- 
sides at the old family homestead in Cotton 
Hill. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Matthew were 
born five children, but three died in infancy. 
The oldest and the youngest, however, are 
still living. These are Charles Edgar, who 
at the age of thirty-three years is engaged 
in farming, and William Oscar, who is 
twenty-two years of age and is attending 
the Northwestern University. He is a grad- 
uate of the Blue Mound high school and 
spent three years in the academy . of the 
Northwestern University. 

In addition to his practice Dr. Matthew 
is financially interested in industrial afYairs, 
holding sixteen shares in the Illinois Skein 
& Nutlock Company at Pana, Illinois. He 
is a member of the Illinois State Eclectic 
Medical Society and the National Eclectic 
Medical Society. In politics he has always 
been a Republican and takes an active in- 
terest in the work of the party. While liv- 
ing at Mount Auburn he was appointed 
postmaster, but resigned in favor of an old 
soldier. He belongs to the Methodist Epis- 
copal church and the Masonic lodge and to 
the Royal Arch Chapter. He also holds 
membership relations with Joe Miller Post, 
of the Fraternal Armj', the Mutual Protec- 
tive League and is medical examiner for the 
Equitable Life Insurance Company of New 
York, the Prudential of New York, the 
Franklin of Springfield, Illinois, and the Fi- 
delity Mutual Life Insurance Company of 
Philadelphia, and is likewise examiner for 
the Fraternal Army and the Mutual Pro- 
tective League. 

Each year the Matthew family has an an- 
nual reunion held on the last Thursday in 
August at Reservoir Park in Springfield. 
The Doctor has some valuable old papers, 
including a land grant issued and signed by 
John Quincy Adams and also letters re- 
ceived by his father between the years 1816 



and 1861. He represents one of the old 
families of central Illinois and is a promi- 
nent and influential citizen, having the 
warm regard of many friends in Blue 
Mound and this section of the state. 



STEPHEN H. SWAIN, D. V. S. 

Careful preparation through private study 
and a deep interest in his chosen profession 
has made Dr. Stephen H. Swain one of the 
leading veterinary surgeons of the state of 
Illinois. He was born in Madison county, 
Illinois, July II, 1841, and is a son of Asa 
and M. Elizabeth (Truit) Swain, the former 
a native of North Carolina and the latter 
of Tennessee. In an early day the father 
manifested a fondness for horses and 
showed a special skill in treatment of those 
that became diseased. He was an excellent 
judge of horses and made a specialty of 
breeding fine stock. Both he and his wife 
have now passed away and of their six chil- 
dren four are yet living. 

The public schools of his native county 
aiTorded the Doctor his educational privi- 
leges. He spent much of his youth upon 
the home farm and in 1866 he began farm- 
ing on his own account. He seemed to have 
a natural predilection for the work of the 
veterinary profession and in 1875 we find 
him located in Maroa, Illinois, where he was 
following that calling. While upon the 
farm he began the study of veterinary sur- 
gery and while pursuing his investigations 
along that line he was also engaged in the 
breeding of good horses, making a specialty 
of fine trotting stock. In February, 1884, 
he removed to Decatur, where he opened an 
office and his time has been devoted almost 
exclusively since to the practice of his pro- 
fession, in which he has been very success-; 
ful. He is not a graduate of any veterinary 
school, but has an ability scarcely equaled 
in the state. His patronage is now very ex- 



482 



i'AST AXl) l'Ki:SK.\"l" OV MACOX C()L"XTV. 



tensive ancl reaches as far as one hundred 
and fifty miles from Uecatur. He makes 
a si)ecialty of spaying and the castration of 
ridglings and has been a very successful 
operator. He has read broadly and studied 
widely upon the subject of veterinary sur- 
gery and iiis knowledge is now comprehen- 
sive and exact so that he is to-day recog- 
nized as one of the leading veterinary sur- 
geons of central llliiidis. He was instru- 
mental in founding what is known as the 
Illinois \'cterinary Medical and Surgical As- 
sociation and lir drafted its constitution and 
by-laws. 

The Doctor has been twice married. In 
1862 he wedded Miss Mary E. Emerson, 
who died about 1867. They had two chil- 
dren, one of whom is now living: Mary R.. 
who is the widow of William II. .Miller of 
Maroa. 

In 1868 Dr. Swain was again married, 
his second union being with Nancy L. .An- 
derson, of Carlinxille, Illinois, who died 
August 31, \Si)/. Ily this union there were 
born a son and daughter, William .\. Swain, 
who married Imogene Peadler. studied un- 
der iiis father and is now a successful prac- 
ticing veterinary surgeon in Mount I'ulask', 
Illinois, lie also IkjKIs tlie position of sec- 
retary of the Illinois \'elerinary Medical 
and Surgical .\ssociation. Louisa Swain, 
the daughter, is yet at home and with Mrs. 
Mary E. Miller is keeping house for her 
father. The Doctor owns a fine residence 
at Xo. 226 West Decatur street and in con- 
nection has forty acres of farming land in 
Decatur township, upon which 'he keeps 
good horses. lie likewise has other city 
I)ro]ierty and his office is located at 127 
South Franklin street. All that he pos- 
sesses has been acciuired tin-ough his own 
efforts and his property holdings are a 
monmnent to his life of thrift and industry. 
lie has been ambitious to win sticcess and 
has realized that there is no excellence with- 
out labor, so that he has worked hard and 



consecutively in order to win the success 
and prominence which he now enjoys as a 
worthy representative of his profession. In 
politics he is a Democrat but has never 
sought or desired office. He is a member 
of Coeur de Lion Lodge, \o. 17, K. P., of 
Decatur; Decatur Camp, .M. W. .\. ; the 
Royal Circle, and Knights and Ladies of 
Securit\'. 



W. H. WlLLOl'CHr.V. 

.\ prominent rejiresentative of the busi- 
ness interests of Macon. Illinois, is \\ . H. 
W'illoughby, a successful dealer in agri- 
cultural implements. He is a wide-awake, 
progressive business man and by fair and 
honorable dealing has built up- a good trade 
which extends for many miles throughout 
the sttrrounding country in e\ery direction. 

.Mr. W'illoughby is a native of Illinois, his 
birth having occiUTcd in St. Clair county 
on the 15th of November, 1852. His parents 
were \V. E. and Mary (Moore) ^^'illoughby, 
the former of whom was born in Delaware, 
June 7, 1820, and died at Lebanon. Illinois, 
July 20. 1896. and the latter was born in 
St. Clair county, Illinois, June 14, 1825. and 
died at Lebanon. .Xovember 24, 1890. The 
father was of .Scotch-Irish descent and was 
a farmer by occupation. .\t a very early 
day he settled in St. Clair county, Illinois, 
becoming one of its pioneers. In his family 
were four children, of whom W'. H. is the 
oldest, the others l.ieing J. .\mos. who is 
editor of the r.elleville .\d\ocale of I'.elle- 
\ille, Illinois; Mary Julia, wife of Robert 
Keith, of .Milwaukee, Wisconsin: and Ida 
.Mav. who is llie wife of Charles Starr and 
li\es on the old home place at Lebanon, 
1 Ilinois. 

W. 11. W'illoughby completed his literary 
.•dncation at .McKiidey College in Lebanon, 
Illinois, where he was a student until eigh- 
teen years of age, and then turned his at- 
tention to farming. In 1883 he came to 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



485 



Macon county and settled in Pleasant View 
township, where he carried on agricultural 
pursuits until 1891. The following year 
he was engaged in the butchering business 
in Macon and the next year was agent for 
the Champion Machine Company at the 
same place. In 1900 he became associated 
with W. H. Carroll in the implement busi- 
ness, under the firm style of W. H. Carroll 
& Company. This connection has still con- 
tinued and the firm enjoy a large patronage 
which is constantly increasing. Besides 
his town property and business, Mr. Wil- 
loughby owns a quarter section of fine farm- 
ing land in Pleasant View township, which 
is well cultivated and improved. 

On the 20th of September, 1871, in St. 
Clair county, Mr. Willoughby led to the 
marriage altar Miss Emma Forquer, and to 
them have been born four children ; May, 
who married Silas Morehead, of Macon 
county, and died at the age of twenty years ; 
Blanche, wife of W. H. Carroll, who is in 
business with our subject; Harry F., at 
home ; and Edward, who died in infancy. 

In his social relations ]\Ir. Willoughby is 
a member of the South ^facon Lodge, No. 
467, A. F. & A. M., of Macon. He was made 
a Mason at Lebanon, Illinois, in 1880. He 
is a standard bearer in the ranks of the 
Republican party in his locality and is now 
serving as chairman of the central commit- 
tee. He filled the office of constable for 
four years and has ever taken an active and 
commendable interest in public affairs, do- 
ing all in his power to promote the interests 
of his town and county along moral, social 
and material lines. 



SHEFFIE REEVES AIAY, M. D. 

One of the most exacting of all the higher 

lines of occupation to which a man may 

lend his energies is that of the physician. 

A most scrupulous preliminary training is 



demanded, a nicety of judgment but little 
understood by the laity. Dr. May, of Mount 
Zion, is well fitted for the profession which 
he has chosen as a life work and his skill 
and ability have won him a large and lucra- 
tive practice. 

The Doctor was born in Oakland, Illi- 
nois, June 3, 1859, and on the paternal side 
is of German descent. His father. Rev. D. 
E. May, was born in 1829 in Port Republic, 
Virginia, where he was reared and educated, 
and in early life he studied for the ministry, 
becoming a clergyman of the Methodist 
Episcopal church. At the age of twenty- 
five years he came to Illinois and located 
in Coles county. Throughout his active life 
he continued the work of the ministry, but 
is now living a retired life in Mount Zion, 
enjoying a well earned rest. In early man- 
hood he married Miss Sarah Ann Merica, 
whose birth occurred in Page county, Vir- 
ginia, in 1834, and to them were born four 
children, of whom the Doctor is the eldest, 
the others being Edward M. ; Clara, wife of 
J. B. Henry ; and Wilbur F., who died at 
the age of thirty-five years. 

During his boyhood Dr. May attended 
the public schools of his locality and was 
graduated at the high school and also at 
the Springfield Business College in 1876. 
He commenced the study of medicine under 
the direction of Dr. J. L. Connelly, of Har- 
ristown, Illinois, and later was with Dr. 
Buck, of Moweaqua. He next attended 
lectures at the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, and was grad- 
uated with the class of 1880. As soon as he 
obtained his degree, the Doctor located at 
Dalton City, where he was engaged in prac- 
tice for seven years, and from there came 
to Mount Zion, where his skill and ability 
soon won for him a liberal patronage which 
is constantly increasing. He has been re- 
markably successful in the treatment of all 
cases that have been placed in his care and 
he enjoys the largest country practice of 



486 



PAST AND PRESENT UE .\L\COX COUNTY. 



any physician in Macon county. He is mak- 
ing a specialty of electro-therapeutics and 
possesses all the latest electric and X-ray 
apparatus and ap])liances. He also has a 
very fine library, some volumes of which 
were published in 1812. He has become 
interested in real estate and has made sev- 
eral valuable investments in rice planta- 
tions in Louisiana. 

On the 5th of June, 1884, was celebrated 
the marriage of Dr. May and Miss Jennie 
Lawrence, of Mattoon, Illinois, and to them 
•have been born four children: George Shef- 
fie, who was born in Dalton City, June 20, 
1885, and died in Mount Zion at the age 
of three years and eleven months ; C. Jewel, 
born February 10, 1889; Myrtle Louise, 
born February 20, 1891 ; and Freddie 
Reeves, born February 14, 1894. 

The Doctor is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church and belongs to Mount 
Zion Lodge, No. 300, L O. O. F., and De- 
catur Encampment, No. 37. He is also a 
member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- 
ica and the Court of Honor and is medical 
examiner for both of these organizations 
as well as for a great many old line insur- 
ance companies. In connection with his 
profession he holds membership in the 
American Medical Association, the Illinois 
State Medical Society and the Decatur Med- 
ical Society. Genial and pleasant in man- 
ner, he is popular in both ])rofessional and 
social circles and wins friends wherever he 
goes. 



SOLOMON WILLIA^ISON. 
Solomon Williamson, deceased, was for 
many years a contraclor and builder of Ma- 
con county and was a man highly respected 
and esteemed by all who knew him. He was 
a native of Ohio, born in. Ross county, De- 
cember 23, 1830, and was a son of llenr\- 
and Elizabeth (Chaffin) Williamson. In the 
state of his nativity he grew to manhood 



and learned the carpenter's trade in De- 
catur. In 1850 he came west and settled in 
Macon county, Illinois. After living in 
Decatur for two years he removed to the 
farm on section 34, Hickory Point township, 
now owned and occupied by his widow. 
Throughout life he followed contracting 
and building and in the employ of the Illi- 
nois Central Railroad Company he erected 
many buildings along their line. .Mthough 
he resided on his farm of eighty acres for 
many years he left its operation to hired 
help while he worked at his trade. 

Mr. Williamson was very fond of hunt- 
ing and in early days had ample opportunity 
to indulge in that sport as wild game was 
then plentiful in this region. He shot a 
deer about two hundred yards from his resi- 
dence, and from where the barn stands he 
shot wild turkeys. One of his principal 
companions on his hunting trips was John 
Read and together they killed hundreds of 
jjrairic chickens and other game. 

On the 26th of May, 1852, Mr. William- 
son was united in marriage to Miss Eliza- 
beth Johnson, and to them were born ten 
children, of whom seven, are still living, 
namely: Edward, now a contractor of De- 
catur ; Laura, wife of William Slayback, 
of Macon county ; Maggie, wife of Rev. 
(X P). Hust^in, of Charleston. Illinois; 
George, a resident of Decatur ; Eva, at home 
with her mother: May, wife of George Met- 
len, of Dillon, Montana: and Gussie, at 
home. 

Mr. William.son was a prominent and in- 
fluential man in his community and a stanch 
supporter of the Republican party, taking 
an active part in campaign work. He served 
as a delegate to a number of conventions 
of his party and filled various township of- 
fices in a mo.st commendable and satisfac- 
lorv manner. He was a member of the 
l-"irst Methodist l'4)iscopal church of De- 
catur and at his death, which occurred on 
the nth of February. 1892, the community 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



487 



realized that it had lost a valued and use- 
ful citizen. 

Being left an orphan in infancy. Mrs. 
A\illiamson was adopted by Robert and 
Lou Ann (Church) Johnson, who were 
pioneer settlers of Macon county, who emi- 
grated from Dath county, Kentucky, and 
made the journey to this state in a wagon 
by way of Indiana. Settling in Decatur, 
Mr. Johnson bought property in that city 
and also entered eighty acres of land on 
section 34, Hickory Point township, now 
owned by C. E. Akers. For a time he 
worked at his trade, that of shoemaking, 
but afterward removed to his farm just 
north of where Mrs. Williamson now re- 
sides and turned his attention to agricul- 
tural pursuits. He died there in May, 1885, 
at the age of seventy-eight years, honored 
and respected by all who knew him. His 
wife passed away at the age of sixty-seven. 
They had no children of their own. Re- 
ligiously they were members of the church 
of God and politicall}^ Mr. Johnson was a 
Democrat. He filled the office of justice 
of the peace for a time. 

Since her husband's death Mrs. William- 
son has carried on the farm and has dis- 
played good business ability in the manage- 
ment of her affairs. She has a nice peach 
orchard and raises a variety of other fruits. 
During her younger years she spun and 
wo\-e most of the material for her own 
dresses and became very proficient in such 
work. She would weave fine linen for arti- 
cles of wearing apparel and use the re- 
mainder of the flax for toweling. She re- 
members to have seen the old fashioned 
grease lamps in use for lighting, and later 
the molded candles became quite common. 
Cooking was then done over a fireplace and 
everything was baked either in a covered 
skillet or Dutch oven. Mrs. Williamson 
once saw nine hundred Indians march 
through Decatur on their way to the San- 
gamon river and remembers distinctly of 



one time when it took four horses to pull 
a wagon with two sacks of flour in it from 
Decatur to the farm, so bad were the roads 
at that time. On another occasion, while 
returning home on horseback with a child 
in front of her, the creek had risen so high 
on account of a recent rain that she was 
obliged to swim the horse across. In those 
early days she often rode to church on 
horseback, but the conditions of pioneer life 
have now passed away and the people of 
Macon county now have all the advantages 
and conveniences known to the civilized 
world. Mrs. Williamson has a nice home 
on the main road of the township line and 
the residence is surrounded by beautiful 
shade trees and many flowers. Here she 
has resided for about forty-eight years and 
the home has ever been noted for its hos- 
pitality and good cheer. She is a member 
of the Methodist Episcopal church and is 
held in the highest regard by all who know 
her. 



WILLIAM BLANK. 

William Blank became well known as an 
artist and possessed superior talent in that 
direction. He gained fame not only in De- 
catur but in many other parts of the country 
because of his fine paintings and now in 
many of the homes of this section of the 
state his works are seen. He also put forth 
his efforts not only along ornamental lines, 
but also in sign painting, fresco and other 
decorating work of a more practical nature. 

Mr. Blank was born in Wurtemberg, 
Germany, on the nth of May, 1845, a son 
of Gottlieb and Barbara Blanc, both of 
whom were natives of Germany, where they 
spent their entire lives. The subject of this 
review was the only one of the family who 
came to the new world. In his youth he 
attended the [lublic schools in his native 
country for four years and it was noticed 
by liis teachers that he possessed strong 



488 



PAST AXn PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



artistic talent and tendencies for when a 
boy of only seven years he made many fine 
drawings. At the age of fourteen his pa- 
rents, desiring to cultivate his artistic pow- 
ers and temperament, sent him to an art 
school in Stuttgart, Germany. While in that 
city he followed many kinds of employ- 
ment during the daytime in order that he 
might earn tlic money necessary to meet his 
tuition at the night school. He was a stu- 
dent in the night school of art for over 
three years and there his talent was prop- 
erly directed along lines of great benefit in 
his work. He began painting pictures while 
still in the fatherland and also did fresco 
and other decorative work for several years. 

While thus engaged Mr. Blank was united 
in marriage to .Miss Louise Koeppler, who 
was born in Germany on the 19th of July, 
1852, and is a daughter of Gottlieb and 
Caroline (Segar) Koeppler, both of whom 
were natives of Germany. The father was 
a cabinet maker by trade and followed that 
pursuit in order to provide for the wants 
of his family. Both he and his wife died 
in that countrj'. Mr. and Airs. Blank be- 
came the parents of seven children, five of 
whom are now living: Earlea, who resides 
in St. Joseph, Missouri; Emil, who is a 
baker by trade and makes his home with 
his mother; Emma, the wife of W. Fred 
Ferguson, of Decatur; Pauline, who resides 
in Jacksonville, Illinois ; and Schiller, who 
is also with his mother. The two children 
who have passed away were both named 
Paul. 

After his marriage Mr. Blank continued 
to reside in his native country until twenty- 
eight years of age and worked at his chosen 
trade and also in the more artistic lines of 
ornamental painting. He then sailed with 
his family for America, landing in New 
York, but he did not tarry in the eastern 
metropolis. He went, instead, direct to Lan- 
caster, Ohio, where he established his fam- 
ily in a comfortable home and then began 



traveling over the United States executing 
fine paintings and art work of all kinds in 
different portions of the country. After 
traveling for a year and a half he came to 
Decatur, where his talent won recognition 
and be was employed to paint a number of 
fine pictures. Being pleased with the city 
he decided to locate here and sent for his 
family who joined him in Macon county. 
Many of his paintings here sold for as high 
as one thousand dollars each and beautiful 
specimens of his artistic skill adorn the 
walls of many fine homes in this portion 
of the state. At length, however, his health 
began to fail and once more he traveled, 
hoping that he might be benefited thereby, 
his family during this period remaining in 
Decatur. He traveled for a number of 
years, making frequent visits, however, to 
Decatur and his health becoming very bad- 
ly impaired he decided to travel in the west 
and visit many places of interest in that 
section of the country, where he painted 
many fine pictures from nature. He finally 
located in Pueblo, Colorado, and because 
of his marked talent and ability he received 
a very liberal patronage, in fact, the de- 
mands made upon his services as a painter 
were more than he could meet. His health 
gradually grew worse there and he died in 
Pueblo three months after locating in that 
city. He passed away December 23, 1901, 
and was laid to rest on Christmas day in 
a grave on the side of a beautiful mountain 
near Pueblo — a mountain whose loveliness 
he had transferred to can\as only a few 
weeks before. Many of the largest business 
houses of the city were draped in mourning 
at his death, for all of the people of Pueblo 
liad either heard of him, seen his work or 
knew him personally. At the sale of his 
estate in Decatur many of his paintings 
brought thousands of dollars, one of the 
finest of his productions now being in pos- 
session of Mrs. Graham of this city. Mrs. 
Blank has very few of his works, the greater 




JOHN M. LOWRY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



491 



number of them having been sold by him 
prior to his death. The Millikin Univer- 
sity, which is now being erected in Decatur 
and is one of the best educational institu- 
tions in this part of the country, intended 
through the board of directors to have Mr. 
Blank take charge of the art department 
and conduct classes in drawing and paint- 
ing. His work here made him well known 
to all the citizens whose great admiration 
for his talent and ability was strictly mani- 
fest. 

Mr. Blank was a member of the Modern 
Woodmen of America and belonged to the 
church in Germany, but united with no re- 
ligious organization after coming to this 
country. Like those who live on a high 
plane, the circle of his friends was select 
rather than large, but all entertained for 
him the highest respect and his death is 
deplored by all true lovers of art. Mrs. 
Blank still resides in Decatur and has a nice 
home at 467 South Webster avenue, where 
she is living with her two sons. 



JOHN M. LOWRY. 

No history of the business development 
of Decatur and its expansion and its prog- 
ress along commercial lines would be com- 
plete without the history of John M. Low- 
ry, because he was one of the first business 
men of the city and also because his honor- 
able methods, straightforward dealing and 
unflagging energy- commended him to the 
confidence and good will of those with 
whom he came in contact. He took up his 
abode here about 1850 and remained a re- 
spected and valued resident of Macon coun- 
ty until his death. 

Mr. Lowry was born in Clark county, 
Illinois, November 2, 1825, ^"d was a son 
of William and Elizabeth Lowry, both of 
whom were natives of Kentucky. The 
father was born in that state, July 5, 1779, 



and the mother's birth there occurred on 
the 1st of January, 1782. After their mar- 
riage they removed to New York, where 
they remained for several years and then 
came to Illinois, settling in Clark county, 
where Mr. Lowry engaged in farming for 
a few years. He next went to DeWitt 
county, Illinois, where he again secured a 
tract of land and carried on agricultural 
pursuits until his death. His wife died in 
Macon county and was buried in DeWitt 
county. 

John M. Lowry was reared upon the home 
farm and obtained his education in the 
common schools, while during the periods 
of vacation he assisted his father in the 
work of field and meadow. After com- 
pleting his school life he continued to de- 
vote his entire attention to work upon his 
father's farm for a few years and then 
learned the miller's trade, which he followed 
until his removal to Macon county in 1850. 
He settled in Decatur, which was then mere- 
ly a crossroads town, the embryo city giv- 
ing little promise of its future growth and 
development, but he had faith in its pos- 
sibilities and believed it afforded a good 
business opening. He established a small 
grocery store on what is now East Main 
street and about the same time he was made 
assistant postmaster of Decatur, in which 
capacity he served for one year. He con- 
tinued to engage in the grocery trade for 
a few years and then, selling his own place 
of business, he accepted a position as sales- 
man in the Gorin store, where he remained 
for a few years. He was also for some 
time a salesman in the employ of Colonel 
Pugh. He next settled upon a farm in De- 
catur township, where he carried on agri- 
cultural pursuits until after the outbreak 
of the Civil war, when his patriotic spirit 
being aroused by the attempt of the south 
to overthrow the Union he joined the army 
and fought in defense of the stars and 
stripes. 



492 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



After the war .Mr. Lovvry removed to 
Marion county, Iowa, and subsequently set- 
tled in Clark county, that state, engaging 
in farming there altogether for about two 
years. He next spent one year in Bates 
county, Missouri, where he carried on gen- 
eral farming for one year and at the end of 
that time returned to Macon county. He 
had been married in Decatur in 1852 to Miss 
Martha M. Pugh, a native of Fayette coun- 
ty, Illinois, born June 4, i<S32, and a daugh- 
ter of Colonel Pugh, who was one of the 
early settlers and most prominent and in- 
fluential citizens of this part of the state. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Lowry were born four 
children : Elvira E., the wife of Perry B. 
Vance, of Decatur; William Isaac, a printer 
who resides in Springfield, Illinois ; Mary 
A., who is at home with her mother; and 
Silas T., who married Bertie Lusk and re- 
sides in Decatur, where he is now a mem- 
ber of Company No. i of the fire depart- 
ment. 

When Mr. Lowry returned from Missouri 
to Illinois he once more took up his abode 
upon a farm in Decatur township and w-as 
there engaged in the tilling of the soil for 
a few years. Afterward he was elected con- 
stable, in which capacity he served for two 
years and finally he again established his 
home in Decatur, where he lived a retired 
life, having put aside the more arduous cares 
of a business career. He was, however, 
called to public office, being chosen justice 
of the peace, in which capacity he was serv- 
ing at the time of his death. In the dis- 
charge of his official duties he was prompt, 
faithful and impartial and his "even handed 
justice won him golden opinions from all 
sorts of people." In politics he was a stanch 
Republican, having firm faith in the prin- 
ciples of the party and doing everything in 
his power to secure their adoption. He 
belonged to the Masonic fraternity in De- 
catur and was a very prominent and well- 
to-do citizen. He passed away April 8, 



1887, to the deep regret of many friends and 
the great sorrow of his family, who had ever 
found him a loving and devoted husband 
and lather. Mrs. Lovvry still occupies her 
beautiful home at No. 726 North Main 
street and she also owns other property in 
Decatur. She has many friends in this city 
and she and all of her children are mem- 
bers of the First Methodist Episcopal 
church. 



TITUS T. SPRINGER. 

The efforts of Titus T. Springer in behalf 
of Decatur have been of such material bene- 
fit to the city as to render his life one of 
signal usefulness to his fellow men. While 
laboring for his own success he has pro- 
moted the general prosperity by pushing 
forward the wheels of progress and advanc- 
ing commercial activity in the city where 
he has now made his home for eight years. 
No resident in all this state has more justly 
earned the proud American title of a self- 
made man and there is no history in this 
volume which proves more clearly the force 
of industry and of a recognition of oppor- 
tunity than does the life record of Mr. 
.^])ringer. 

\ native of Ohio, his birth occurred in 
Jackson county, in 1853. He first opened 
his eyes to the light of day in a little log 
cabin which was situated upon what was 
then the frontier. His parents were Alan- 
son and Margaret .Springer, ])ioneer settlers 
of Jackson county. The father secured a 
tract of timber land amid the hills near 
the Scioto river and began the arduous 
and strenuous task of developing a new 
farm there. He worked untiringly and per- 
severingly but death claimed him when the 
subject of this review was about five years 
of age and the family was left in straitened 
circumstances. The mother, however, long 
survived her husband and passed away in 
1899. For many years she put forth every 



PAST AND PRESENT OP }>IACON COUNTY. 



493 



effort in her power to promote the welfare 
of her children, assisting them as best she 
could until they were able to care for them- 
selves. 

On account of the limited financial re- 
sources of the family it was necessary that 
the children should begin to earn their own 
living at an early age and when but a boy 
of eight years Mr. Springer, of this review, 
started out for himself. He hired out to 
work for fifteen cents per day and his board, 
and his life was one of unremitting toil. He 
learned to cut wood, peel tan bark, make 
rails and cross ties and he had to endure 
many privations and hardships in order to 
get the few necessities of life. He never 
wore a ready-made suit of clothes until after 
he had earned enough money to pay for it. 
The school privileges were limited to only 
about four months attendance during the 
winter season at a log schoolhouse, where 
the methods of instruction were almost as 
primitive as the little "temple of learning." 
In his youth Mr. Springer worked at every 
kind of employment that he could secure 
which would bring him an honest living. 
He has cut thousands of cords of wood and 
it was in this way that he gained his early 
start in life. 

Desiring a companion and helpmate for 
life's journey JMr. Springer was united in 
marriage in 1870 to Miss Nannie St. Clair, 
a daughter of Thomas St. Clair of Ohio. 
The young couple soon afterward decided 
to seek a home in the west, believing that 
they might have better opportunities than 
in Ohio. Accordingly they started for Illi- 
nois, driving across the country to Loving- 
ton, where they arrived in March, 1876. 
Mr. Springer had about twenty-seven dol- 
lars in his pocket. This constituted his en- 
tire capital, but he possessed resolution, 
courage and determination and upon this 
he has built his success. He first rented a 
small farm on the prairie and during the 
summer months engaged in the tilling of 



the soil, while through the winter seasons 
he cut woo^l, going from four to six miles 
to the timber regions. He traded wood 
to his neighbors for pigs, calves, cows or 
any kind of stock and in this way he grad- 
ually got a start. In two years he had ac- 
cumulated enough money to make a small 
payment upon a forty-acre tract of land and 
with characteristic energy he began its im- 
I^rovement, having the added stimulus of 
knowing that the farm was his own. His 
labors soon wrought a great transformation 
on the place and where was once wild 
prairie was seen rich fields of corn, giving 
promise of golden harvests. 

For five years Mr. Springer there carried 
on agricultural pursuits and then traded 
his farm to Frank Blaine for his general 
store in Lake City, Mr. Blaine removing 
at that time to Decatur. It was predicted 
that JMr. Springer would lose money in this 
transaction, but time soon proved that the 
prediction was not correct. He brought 
to bear upon his mercantile enterprise the 
same energy, keen foresight and sound busi- 
ness judgment that he had ever manifested. 
In six months he had purchased a large and 
very complete stock of goods for a country 
store and was having large sales, his cus- 
tomers coming from miles around. At the 
end of two years he was able to purchase 
from Mr. Blaine the store building and it 
was not long after this that he bought of 
A. Wait, of Decatur, a farm in Moultrie 
county, for which he paid fifty dollars per 
acre. Again his friends regarded the trans- 
action witli dismal foreboding. So high a 
price had never been before paid for land 
in this locality, but ^Ir. Springer said that 
in the course of years he would be able to 
command one hundred dollars per acre for 
the place. This has not only proved true, 
but to-day the farm is worth easily one hun- 
dred and fifty dollars per acre. Whatever 
he has undertaken Mr. Springer has car- 
ried forward to successful completion. 



4li4 



PAST A\U PRP:SEXT of .MACON COUNTY. 



Seeking a still broader liekl of labor ]\Ir. 
Springer came to Decatur in 1895 and en- 
tered its business circles as a grocer. From 
the establishment of his store here his suc- 
cess has been uniform, rapid and gratify- 
ing, and to-day he conducts one of the 
largest retail grocery establishments in the 
city. Jn 1900 he removed to enlarged quar- 
ters at No. 108-114 Merchant street, where 
he has since been located. One of the se- 
crets of his success is that he has always 
been most progressive in his methods, be- 
ing not a follower but a leader in mercan- 
tile circles. His patronage is now large, 
his business profitable and his success could 
not justly be envied by any, because it has 
been so worthily won. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Springer as the years 
have passed several children have been 
born, namely: Alanson ; Lydia K., now the 
wife of C. E. Shiery; William T.; Charles 
C, and Jessie K. The family has a pleas- 
ant and attractive home in Decatur and the 
hospitality of many of the best residences 
in the city is extended to them. 

Since 1887 Mr. Springer has been a valued 
and exemplary member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity, has attained to the Knight Templar 
degree of the York Rite and is also a mem- 
ber of the Mystic Shrine. In politics Mr. 
Springer has always been an earnest Demo- 
crat and has been called upon to serve in a 
number of township offices. He was a jus- 
tice of the peace for eight years and super- 
visor for six years. In the spring of 1903 he 
was the candidate on the Democratic ticket 
for the office of mayor and, although this 
is a strong Republican city, he ran far ahead 
of his ticket, receiving a large support from 
Republicans, who recognized and appre- 
ciate his worth and who felt that they would 
receive from him a business administration 
that would prove of material benefit to De- 
catur. No improvement or measure which 
he believes will contribute to the general 



good or to the advancement of the city 
along material, intellectual or moral lines 
has by him been neglected. His life record 
is that of a typical western man, belonging 
to that class whose efforts have resulted in 
the upbuilding of this wonderful section of 
the country, the growth and progress of 
which has been so great and rapid as to 
seem almost phenomenal. .Mr. Springer has 
never had a dollar that he has not himself 
earned and. that has not been honorably 
won. Although his early life was fraught 
with hardships, difficulties and trials he 
overcame these and to-day is one of the 
prosperous residents of Decatur, whose life 
record should be a source of inspiration and 
encouragement to others. 



HENRY B. KUHNS. 
Henry B. Kuhns, who is engaged in gen- 
eral merchandising as a member of the firm 
of Kuhns & Ruddock, of Argenta, was born 
in New Jersey, on the 4th of July, 185 1, his 
parents being John and Barbara Kuhns, 
both of whom were natives of Pennsyl- 
vania. The father was a farmer by occu- 
pation and therefore the subject of this re- 
view was reared to the work of the farm, 
early becoming familiar with the duties of 
field and meadow as he assisted in the plow- 
ing, jilanting and harvesting. He attended 
the public schools of his native state and 
remained upon the home farm until twenty- 
six years of age, when he started out upon 
an independent business career. For five 
years he worked by the month as a farm 
hand, after which he decided to give his 
attention to mercantile rather than to agri- 
cultural pursuits and established a general 
store at Oreana, where he was engaged in 
business for ten years. He found this pur- 
suit congenial and his capable management 
and energ\- made it profitable. At length 




WILSON S. QAGE 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



497 



determining to make his home in the middle 
west, lie removed to Argenta and on the 
1st of September, 1893, he formed a part- 
nership under the firm style of Kuhns & 
Ruddock, a connection that has since been 
maintained with mutual pleasure and profit. 
They have a large store and carry a com- 
plete line of dry goods. Their stock is 
worth ten thousand dollars and their busi- 
ness is large and profitable. They conduct 
their store along progressive, up-to-date 
lines, carry a good assortment and sell at 
reasonable prices — qualities which always 
insure patronage. 

In 1888 Mr. Kuhns was joined in wed- 
lock to Miss Leah Garver, a daughter of 
C. H. Garver, a well known resident of Ma- 
con county. Two children have been born 
of this union : John C. and George H. 
Mr. Kuhns is a member of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, his wife of the United 
Brethren church, and both are held in the 
highest esteem by a large circle of friends, 
while the hospitality of the best homes of 
the locality is freely accorded them. Mr. 
Kuhns also belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias fraternity and the Modern Wood- 
men Camp. His political support is given 
the Prohibition party and the cause of tem- 
perance finds in him a warm friend. For 
two terms he served as a member of the vil- 
lage board and whether in office or as a pri- 
vate citizen he is always the same loyal ad- 
herent of measures for the general good, 
giving active help to interests for the wel- 
fare of the village and its people. He owns 
a good residence and several lots in Ar- 
genta and his property holdings also include 
a half interest in a farm of one hundred and 
twenty acres in Macon county. There is 
no royal road to wealth. It always comes 
as the result of the labor and sound judg- 
ment of some one, and in the case of Mr. 
Kuhns we find one whose prosperity is the 
direct outcome of his own diligence and en- 
ergy. He is now a prosperous merchant 



and moreover he enjoys the respect of his 
fellow men because of his close adherence 
to the ethics which govern commercial life. 



WILSON S. GAGE. 

Wilson S. Gage, deceased, was for many 
years identified with the commercial and 
agricultural interests of Macon county and 
was recognized as a useful and valued citi- 
zen of the community in which he made his 
home. He claimed New England as his 
birth place, being born in Roxbury, New 
Hampshire, May 21, 1825, a son of Daniel 
and Polly (Shaw) Gage. In the paternal 
line he was a lineal descendant of the British 
General Gage, of Revolutionary fame. His 
father was born in 1780, his mother in 1788, 
and they became the parents of ten chil- 
dren whose names and dates of birth were 
as follows : Marion, July 28, 1808 ; Simp- 
son S., February 6, 1810; Catherine, May 5, 
1813; Susan H., November 3, 1815; Alpha 
S., May 5, 1818; Ruth, October 28, 1820; 
Elizabeth B. and Mary A., twins, July 7, 
1823; Wilson S., May 21, 1825; and Martha 
L., April 20, 1827. In early life the father 
engaged in farming in New Hampshire, 
and from that state removed to Ohio in 1833, 
locating in Washington county, where he 
bought land near Marietta and continued 
to engage in agricultural pursuits. 

Our subject began his education in the 
schools of his native state and after the re- 
moval of the family to Ohio he continued 
to attend the country schools for some 
time, and later taught school for a few years. 
For four years he was employed as book- 
keeper in the Buckhorn Iron Works, of 
Ohio, and was similarly employed in a like 
establishment for two years in a near-by 
town. He then went to Missouri, where he 
was bookkeeper for the Moselle Iron Works 
for a time, and subsequently was engaged 
in mercantile business on the Frisco line 



498 



PAST AND PRRSRXT OF MACOX COLXTV. 



for a number of years or until the breaking 
out of the Civil war, when he returned to 
Ohio and ]>urcliased a part interest in the 
Stacy Hotel at Zanesville. He subse(|uent- 
ly removed to Illinois with his family and 
was engaged in merchandising at Macon for 
several years in partnership with a Mr. 
VN'hitaker. On retiring from that business 
he bought a farm east of the \ illage, which 
he impro\ed and cultivated for two years, 
and then traded the place for the farm of 
two hundred acres in Pleasant \'iew town- 
ship where his widow now resides. He 
continued the operation of his land ii]) to 
the time of his death, which occurred Jan- 
uary 26, 1896, his remains being interred in 
Macon cemetery. He was a man of good 
business and executive ability and achieved 
success in his undertakings. 

On the 28th of January, 1857, Air. Gage 
was united in marriage to Miss Catherine 
Harriet Sterigere, who was born in Frank- 
lin county, Missouri, October 27, 1831, and 
was educated in the country schools of that 
state and at Norristown, Montgomery coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania. Her father, David Steri- 
gere, was born in the Keystone state of 
German parentage and at an early day went 
to Missouri, where he married Emily Pat- 
ton, a native of that state and of English 
and Irish descent. He In^came the owner 
of a number of slaves who were taken from 
him at the time of the Civil war. He raised 
considerable wheal and tobacco, all his farm 
work being done by the negroes. He served 
as circuit judge of the ninth judicial dis- 
trict of Missouri. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gage became the parents 
of seven children, namely: D. Leslie, born 
April 2. 185S, is married and lives on the 
home farm ; Willard E., born December 7, 
i860, is married and is engaged in the prac- 
tice of medicine in Missouri ; Daniel S., 
born August 2, 1863, makes his home in 
Fulton, Callaway county, Missouri; Emily 
S., born February 24, 1868, is the wife of 



Marion \V. Gage, who lives near .Marietta, 
Ohio; Marian H., born September 7, 1871, 
is the wife of Herbert Royston, of St. Au- 
gustine, Florida ; Charles E., born Febru- 
ary 22, 1876, is deceased ; and Franklin, 
born November 16, 1866, died in infancy. 

Pjy his ballot .Mr. Gage supported the 
men and measures of the Democratic part)', 
and in his social relations was connected 
with the .Masonic fraternity. He held mem- 
bership in the Presbyterian church, to which 
his estimable wife also belongs, and she is 
also a member of the Order of the Eastern 
Star. He was a man of the highest re- 
spectability, and those who were most inti- 
mately associated with him speak in unr|ual- 
ified terms of his sterling integrity, his honor 
in business and his fidelity to all the duties 
of public and private life. His death oc- 
casioned the deepest regret throughout the 
community and Macon county thereby lost 
one of its most valued citizens. 



WALTER DELAHUXTY. 

AX'altcr Delahunty. now deceased, was a 
well knowri business man of Decatur who 
took up his abode here in 1863 and became 
active in connection with business affairs, 
gaining for hinisi'lf wide and favorable ac- 
quaintance in the city. He was born in the 
County of Kilkenny. Ireland, on the 3th of 
June. 1842. and was a son of William and 
Ella Delahunty, both of whom were natives 
of the same county and always lived there, 
spending their entire lives on the Emerald 
Isle. 

The subject of this review spent his youth 
and pursued his early education in Ireland 
and remained a resident of his native land 
until 1865, when at the age of twenty-one 
years he crossed the Atlantic to America, 
believing that he might have better business 
opportunities in the new world, concerning 
whose advantages he had heard much. He 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



499 



was two weeks upon the water and then 
landed in New York city, whence he came 
direct to Decatur. His capital was very 
limited and it \Vas necessary for him to 
provide for his support. He began work 
here as a shoemaker in the shoe store owned 
by William F. Busher. There his efficiency 
and fidelity enabled him to work his way 
steadily upward. That he was a most capa- 
ble representative of the firm, true to their 
interests and active and energetic in busi- 
ness is indicated by the fact that he re- 
mained in the employ of the house for four- 
teen consecutive years. 

It was during that time that Mr. Dela- 
hunty was united in marriage to Miss 
Bridget M. Finn, a native of County Lim- 
erick, Ireland. Her father, Thomas Finn, 
spent the greater part of his life in County 
Limerick, residing upon a farm, to the cul- 
tivation and improvement of which he de- 
voted his energies. At length, however, 
accompanied by his wife and eight children, 
he crossed the briny deep to the new world 
and, establishing his home in Decatur, here 
lived retired up to the time of his death, 
which occurred when he had attained the 
age of eighty-six years. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Delahunty have been born eight chil- 
dren : May Ellen, who was born December 
14, 1874, and is the wife of Albert Cocoran, 
a farmer living near Lake City, Illinois 
Catherine, who was born August 14, 1876 
Walter Francis, born January 29, 1878 
Theresa Honora, who was born June 15, 
1879, and is the wife of Ed. Moriarity, of 
Decatur ; James J., who was born Decem- 
ber 10, 1886, and is yet with his mother ; 
Myrtle H., born March 25, 1891 ; one that 
died unnamed ; and Thomas D., who died 
on the 23d of July, 1883. 

After leaving the firm of Busher & Com- 
pany Mr. Delahunty entered into partner- 
ship witli his brother-in-law, P. W. Finn, in 
the establishment of a retail liquor business 
in Decatur. They afterward purchased 



other saloons and continued in that business 
until the death of our subject, who passed 
away on the 23d of August, 1902. In his 
political views Mr. Delahunty was inde- 
pendent, supporting the men whom he 
thought best qualified for office and taking 
an active part in politics. He and his fam- 
ily are all members of St. Patrick's dhurch 
of Decatur and he contributed generously 
to its support. He was a man of social 
nature, always cordial and genial, and these 
qualities made him popular with a large 
number of friends. In his business he was 
very successful and was thus enabled to 
leave his family in comfortable circum- 
stances. Mrs. Delahunty now owns and 
occupies a beautiful home at No. 912 East 
North street and is also the owner of a 
large and valuable farm in Moultrie coun- 
ty, Illinois, near Lake City. She and her 
family are prominent here and have many 
friends in Decatur. 



VICTOR DEWEIN. 
Victor Devvein, who is now successfully 
engaged in the grain business at Warrens- 
burg as the junior member of the firm of 
of Faith & Dewein, was born in Peoria, Illi- 
nois, on the 21S!: of October. 1876, and 
being left an orphan at the age of four 
years he was adopted by his grandparents, 
Valentine and Margaret (Shafer) Dewein, 
both natives of Germany, the former born 
in Alsace-Loraine, April i, 1817, and the 
later in Baden-Baden, April 28, 1823. The 
first of the family to come to America was 
Frederick Dewein, who was the grandfather 
of Valentine, just mentioned. He accom- 
panied Lafayette across the sea in 181 1 and 
located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 
where he died in 1823. Prior to coming 
to America he had served as commissary 
in the eastern division of the French army. 
His son, Valentine Dewein, Sr., served 



500 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



seven years in ihe French army under Na- 
poleon I, and on coming to America in 
1830 located in Baltimore, Maryland. He 
was a tailor by trade but after his removal 
to Cincinnati engaged in the manufacture 
of bagging. He died there September 9, 
1844. 

Valentine Dewcin, Jr., uur suljjcct's 
gran<lfather, was quite young when he ac- 
companied his parents on their emigration 
to America. He received no educational 
advantages outside of those afforded by 
the old log schoolhouses of those days. In 
1845 he was married in Maysville, Ken- 
tucky, where his wife had located on com- 
ing to this country, and immediately after- 
ward he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where 
he began work as a shoemaker. In 1847 
he removed to Peoria, Illinois, and embarked 
in the wholesale leather and shoe findings 
business on South Adams street. He met 
with excellent success in this venture and 
in 1877 was able to retire from business. 
He was secretary and treasurer of the Pe- 
oria & Rock Island Railroad, was a director 
of the Toledo, Peoria & Wabash Railroad, 
and also a director of the Merchants Na- 
tional Bank of Peoria; in fact he was one 
of the most prominent and influential bus- 
iness men of that city. He served as alder- 
man for some time and always took a very 
active interest in public aflfairs. After a 
useful and well spent life he died on the 
19th of February, 1891, and his wife, who 
survived him for a few years, passed away 
April 13, 1899. 

Victor Dewein was for twelve years a 
student in the public schools of Peoria, and 
was graduated at the high school in 1895 
and at Brown's Business College in 1896. 
Two years later he came to Warrensburg, 
where he had charge of the ofifice of the 
C. J. Off canning establishment for three 
years. The following six months were 
spent in travel, during which time he cov- 
ered seventeen thousand miles. Leaving 



home in January he went first to New Or- 
leans, from there to San Antonio, Texas, 
and on into .Mexico, visiting Aghuas Cali- 
cntes, Guadelaxara, the city of Mexico, 
\'cra Cruz and other important cities of 
that country. Returning to the United 
States he stopped first at El Paso, Texas, 
and from there went to Los Angeles and 
San Diego, California, visiting all the points 
of interest throughout the surrounding 
country. On tlie 29th of March he started 
for the Yosemite Valley with an escort of " 
six Chinese cooks and an Irish horseman. 
This was before the regular touring season 
opened and there was six feet of snow on 
the ground. Mr. Dewein climbed to the top 
of the Yosemite Falls, two thousand six 
hundred and thirty-four feet above the level 
of the valley, and from there he commanded 
a view of what is considered one of the 
finest scenes in our country. Leaving the 
Yosemite he visited San Francisco and the 
Santa Clara valley — the famous fruit dis- 
trict of California. He next went to Port- 
land, Oregon, Astoria, Tacoma and Seattle, 
Washington ; then by boat to Victoria and 
Vancouver, British Columbia ; and on his 
return from the coast stopped at Salt Lake 
City, Cripple Creek, Colorado Springs, Den- 
ver and Kansas City. After reaching Peoria 
he started east and visited Buffalo and New 
York, where he saw the Columbia beat 
Sir Thomas Lipton's yacht. Shamrock II. 
He spent some time in Philadelphia and 
Washington, D. C, and returned to War- 
rensburg in 1901. These were trips long to 
be remembered and from which he will 
derive a great deal of pleasure throughout 
life. 

On resuming business in Warrensburg, 
Mr. Dewein formed a partnership with C. 
H. Faith in the grain trade under the firm 
name of Faith & Dewein, and they now own 
and operate elevators at this place and at 
Heman, Illinois. They handle many thou- 
sands bushels of grain annually and are re- 




THEODORE HILDEBRANDT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



503 



garded as one of the leading firms in their 
line in this section of the state. 

On the 5th of June, 1902, Mr. Dewein 
was united in marriage to Miss Grace Faith, 
a daughter of C. H. Faith, and they now 
have a little daughter, Margaret Henrietta, 
born May 4, 1903. ?*Irs. Dewein is a grad- 
uate of the Warrensburg high school and 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church. She presides with gracious dignity 
over her elegant home, which is one of the 
nicest residences of the place, and she and 
her husband have a host of friends here. 
In religious faith Mr. Dewein is a Presby- 
terian and in politics is a Republican. He 
possesses that broad culture which only 
travel can bring and is very popular both 
in business and social circles. 



THEODORE HILDEBRANDT. 

There is in Decatur no druggist who has 
so long carried on business in this line as 
has the subject of this review and through- 
out the years of his connection with mer- 
cantile interests here he has maintained an 
enviable reputation and one which makes 
him worthy of mention as a leading citizen. 
He was born in Prussia on the 18th of De- 
cember, 1833, and is a son of Henry Xavier 
and Augusta (Wahrendorf) Hildebrandt, 
who were likewise natives of the Prussian 
kingdom. They reared a large family of 
children, of whom Theodore was the next 
to the youngest. He has one brother, F. L. 
Hildebrandt, who is a civil engineer of Chi- 
cago, and a sister, Mrs. A. Linde, also living 
in that city. 

In a select school of his native country 
Mr. Hildebrandt of this review began his 
education and therein pursued his studies 
until he reached the age of twelve years, 
after which he spent five years in college. 
Coming to America he resided with his 
brother Harmon upon a farm in Missouri 



for one year and then his brother died sud- 
denly. Our subject afterward went to St. 
Louis where he secured a clerkship in a 
drug store and since 1853 he has been- con- 
nected with that line of business in Decatur. 
Upon his arrival here he accepted a posi- 
tion as salesman in the employ of Dr. W. A. 
Barnes, with whom he remained for two 
years, in fact, it was through the efforts of 
Dr. Barnes that he came to Decatur. In 
1858 he opened a drug store on his own ac- 
count, forming a partnership under the firm 
style of McCabe & Hildebrandt. At a 
later date, however, he sold his interest in 
the store to his partner that he might enter 
the army, for his patriotic spirit was aroused 
by the attack made upon the Union by the 
disloyalty in the south. He joined the 
Twenty-first Illinois Volunteers, with which 
he remained for a short time and upon his 
return he purchased a store of his old part- 
ner and began business on his own account, 
continuing at the old stand until 1878. In 
1888 he opened his present store at No. 74^ 
East Eldorado street and has since con- 
ducted it with growing success. There is 
no druggist of Decatur whose residence 
here antedates the arrival of Mr. Hilde- 
brandt, or who has been so continuously in 
the business. The city was a village of only 
about five hundred population at the time 
of his arrival and with its growth and de- 
velopment our subject has kept apace, re- 
modeling his store to keep in touch with 
the progressive spirit of the times. He now 
has a well appointed establishment and a 
large and carefully selected stock. He thor- 
oughly understands the business in every 
department and the use of the various reme- 
dial agencies and as a compounder of medi- 
cine there is no more capable merchant in 
the city. His time and attention have been 
given to his store to the exclusion of all de- 
mands to win public office or gain public 
notoriety. 

Mr. Hildebrandt was married in Decatur 



504 



PAST AXU TRESEXT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



to Miss Julia M. ]\Iason, a daughter of Levi 
Mason, of New York. They had four chil- 
dren, of whom two sons are living: Charles 
T. and Albert Mason. The former married 
Miss Henrietta Michaels, of Iowa, by whom 
he has a daughter, Elizabeth. lie now re- 
sides in Chicago, where he is engaged in 
the manufacture of engines. The younger 
son wedded Miss Bess Lorena Lloyd and is 
living in Indianapolis. This marriage was 
celebrated June 30, 1903. 

Mr. Hildebrandt's life has been a success, 
his entire career is illustrative of the fact 
that certain actions are followed by certain 
results. As a merchant he occupies an en- 
viable position in the public regard, as one 
whose actions have been neither reproached 
or criticised. He is a worthy adopted son 
of this land and no native son of America 
is more true or loyal to the stars and stri])cs 
than is Theodore Hildebrandt. 



DA XI EL C. S PENCE. 
Daniel C. Spence was a farmer of Friends 
Creek township, Macon county, where he 
established his home in 1869. It continued 
to be his place of residence until he was 
called to his final rest and he became known 
as one of the progressi\-c and entcrprisii'g 
agriculturists of the coniniunity and as a 
man who was worthy of the highest regard 
because his life was ever upright and hon- 
orable. He was a native of North Carolina, 
his birth having occurred in that state on 
the 14th of October, 1841. The public 
schools afl'ordcd him his cducalinnal ])rivi- 
legcs and with his father's family he came to 
Illinois, spending his youth upon the home 
farm in Adams county. There he was early 
trained to habits of industry and economy 
and his knowledge of practical farming 
methods gained upon the old homestead 
proved of immense benefit to him when he 
engaged in farming on his own account. 



Like most young men he desired a com- 
panion and helpmate for the journey of life 
after attaining his majority and was united 
in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Carter, a 
native of Adams county, Illinois, born on 
Christmas day of 1839. The lady is a 
daughter of the Rev. Joseph W. and Lydia 
( Fuller) Carter, both of whom were natives 
of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, whence they 
emigrated westward, settling in Adams 
county, Illinois, at a very early period in 
its development. The father, a minister 
of the Methodist Episcopal church, devoted 
the greater part of his life to the work of 
spreading the gospel and influencing men 
to follow an upright life as taught by Christ. 
His principles and examples were both 
strong elements for good in the communities 
in which lie lived. His memory is still en- 
shrined in the hearts of many who knew 
him. r.oth he and his wife have now 
passed away, but are yet lovingl}- remem- 
bered by a large circles of friends. 

L'nto Mr. and ^Irs. Spence were born six 
children : John W., now deceased ; Will- 
iam Henry, a painter by trade, who is now 
engaged in contracting in that line in De- 
catur ; George L., who married Nellie Revis 
and is an engineer on the Wabash Rail- 
road, making his home in Decatur; Mary B., 
the wife of J. O. Johnson, an insurance man 
of this city; James O., who married Lula 
Deck and resides in Decatur ; and Arthur 
C, who is living with his mother. 

After his marriage Mr. Spence purchased 
a farm in FViends Creek township, Macon 
county, Illinois, where he located in 1869, 
and there engaged in general agricultural 
pursuits. \\'ith characteristic energy he be- 
gan its development and improvement and 
continued its cultivation until his death. 
Lie was a very industrious man who never 
was afraid of hard work, but applied him- 
self with diligence and energy to the task 
which awaited him and gained thereby a 
comfortable competence. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .MACON COUNTY. 



505 



He died September 24, 1874, in the faith 
of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which 
he was a loyal member. In politics he was 
a stanch Republican and was always true 
to his duties of citizenship. In fact he 
faithfully met every dut_v which devolved 
upon him whether in public or in private 
life and he so lived as to win the respect 
and confidence of his fellow men and to 
leave to his family the priceless heritage of 
an untarnished name. After his death Mrs. 
Spence sold the home farm and removed to 
Decatur, purchasing her present residence 
at No. 1204 North ]\Iain street, where she 
has since resided. Her many womanly 
qualities and kindly spirit have endeared 
her to those with whom she has come in 
contact and she is favorably known among 
a large circle of friends in this city. 



REV. JAMES HOBBS. 
Re^•. James Hobbs has devoted the 
greater part of his life to the work of 
the ministry as a preacher of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and his in- 
fluence has been of no restricted order. 
He has labored consecutively along lines 
which have appealed to general intelligence 
and his work has been an important factor 
in the moral development of Decatur. He 
was born in Madison, Indiana, on the 26th 
of jMay, 1837, his father being Thomas 
Hobbs, who in early life devoted his at- 
tention to agricultural pursuits and after- 
ward engaged in merchandising. He mar- 
ried Miss Eleanor Snodgrass, who was born 
in Cabell county. West \'irginia, in 1808, 
being one year her husband's senior, for his 
l)irth occurred in Henry county, Kentucky, 
in 1809. During the pioneer epoch of the 
Blue Grass state the Hobbs family was 
founded there by the great-grandfather of 
our subject. The maternal grandfather was 
Samuel Snodgras.s, who belonged to a fam- 



ily numbering three sons. It was in the 
year 1840 that Thomas Hobbs removed with 
his family from Indiana to Illinois, settling 
in Randolph county, where he remained 
continuously for more than a qtiarter of a 
century or until 1867, when he removed to 
Bunker Hill, Illinois. He afterward became 
a resident of Litchfield, this state, where 
his remaining days were passed. His wife 
departed this life in 1885 and he was called 
to his final home in Decatur, 1896, having 
reached an advanced age. The family of 
this worthy couple numbered eight chil- 
dren, three sons and five daughters, all but 
two of whom reached mature years, while 
two of the number are now living in Litch- 
field. Illinois, and another sister makes her 
home near Springfield, Missouri. 

Rev. James Hobbs spent his boyhood 
days in Randolph county, Illinois, and there 
pursued his education in the public schools. 
At the age of seventeen he began teaching, 
being first employed in the district schools 
and after in village sqhools. To the work 
of promoting the intellectual development 
of the state he gave his energies for thir- 
een years, during which time he spent near- 
Iv three years as a student in McKendree 
College in St. Clair county, Illinois. While 
engaged in teaching he was also licensed 
to preach in Salem, Illinois, by Hiram Sears, 
presiding elder, his first charge being at 
Galatia, Saline county, Illinois, where he 
remained for a year. In 1888 he came to 
Decatur, where he has since done evangelis- 
tic and missionary work. He admits to his 
church all who wish to hear the message 
of the gospel, although advocating in strong- 
est terms the doctrine of the Methodist 
church. He has induced many to follow in 
the straight and narrow path which leads 
to life everlasting. He is an earnest speaker, 
a deep thinker and a logical reasoner, and 
his utterances have left a lasting impression 
upon many of his hearers. 

On the 9th of February, 1859, Rev. Hobbs 



506 



PAST AXD rRESE.XT OF .MACON COL'XTV. 



was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock 
to Miss ^fary A. Webb, of Randolph county, 
Illinois. She was born in St. Louis, ^lis- 
souri, in 1844, and died leaving four chil- 
dren : Lille, now the wife of Charles S. 
Todd, of Macon county, living near Deca- 
tur; and three who are now deceased. 

On the 8th of May, 1867, Rev. Hobbs was 
again married, his second union being with 
Miss Lizzie Morrow, of Randolph county, 
Illinois, a daughter of Arthur Morrow, a 
prominent old citizen of that locality. The 
second wife died February 12, 1885. The 
two children born of this union are both 
deceased. Mr. 1 lobbs was later united in 
marriage to Miss Lizzie C. Rentchler, of 
Rentchler Station, Illinois, a little town lo- 
cated near Belleville. She is the daughter 
of Jacob and Elizabeth (Baker) Rentchler, 
who were natives of Pennsylvania and 
among the early settlers of St. Clair coun- 
ty, Illinois, locating tliere in 1836. Her 
father was born in Lancaster county, Penn- 
sylvania, in 1800, and her mother's birth 
occnrrt'il in the same jilace in 1804. IMrs. 
Hobbs was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, 
June I, 1844. By this union was born one 
chilli, Taylor J\., whose liirtli occurred July 
25, 1889. 

Mr. Hobbs has a neat home on Dunham 
street, where he has two acres of land, con- 
stituting a valuable property. Almost his 
entire life has been devoted to the holy call- 
ing which yet claims his attention and he 
is a man of force in the church, his labors 
proving of marked value in bringing to man 
a knowledge of the gospel and in turning 
his fellow citizens from paths of sin into 
walks of life leading to righteousness. 



IIKXRY r,h:RKLER. 
No better ilhistration of the characteristic 
energy and enterjirise of the typical Ger- 
man-American citizen can be found than 



that afiforded by the career of this well 
known farmer of Friends Creek township. 
Starting out in life for himself without 
capital he has made his way to success 
through wisely directed effort and can now 
look back with satisfaction upon past strug- 
gles. 

Mr. Berkler was born in German)- in 1837 
and there spent the first fifteen years of his 
life in school most of the time. He then 
came to the new world with his parents, 
and was thirty-five days upon the water as 
the voyage was made in a sailing vessel. 
The family settled in Peoria, Illinois, where 
the father died many years ago. The mother 
died in 1899 near Maroa, Illinois. 

Our subject began earning his own liveli- 
hood by working on a farm by the month 
and later he was in his father's employ for 
a time. He next rentied a farm, which he 
operated for six 3'ears, and at the end of 
that time he purchased eighty acres of land 
on section 13, FYiends Creek township, Wa- 
con county, where he now resides. He 
subsequently purchased another eighty-acre 
tract, making one hundred and sixty acres 
where he now resides, and he also has six 
hundred acres in Iowa. For his home ])lace 
he paid eighteen dollars per acre and he 
has laid out a large amount of money on 
improvements since it came into his pos- 
session, erecting all of the buildings there- 
on. His attention is mostly devoted to the 
raising of grain but he is interested in stock 
to some extent, and he has met with good 
success in his farming operations. 

In 1859 Mr. Berkler married Miss Paulina 
I-^liman, by whom he had three children: 
Lizzie, William and Kate. F"or his second 
wife he wedded Matilda Shultz and to them 
were born twelve children, ten of whom are 
still at home with their parents, namely: 
Lottie, Amelia, Gertrude, John, Frank, Net- 
tie, Samuel. Fred, Lelia and Esther. .\da 
is now the wife of Theodore Denise and 
lives in Macon county, and Edward is mar- 




ROBERT WOODS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ^fACON COUNTY. 



30!) 



ricd and resides in Iowa. The daughter 
Amelia taught school in that state for a 
time but is now at home. ^Irs. Berkler is a 
native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a 
daughter of John Shultz, a farmer by occu- 
pation, who brought his family to Macon 
county, Illinois, in 1859 and located in 
Friends Creek township, where Mrs. Berk- 
ler attended school. Our subject and his 
wile are consistent members of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and have the respect 
and confidence of all who know them. For 
three years he has served as school direc- 
tor and he votes with the Democratic party. 



ROBERT WOODS. 
Robert Woods, whose home is on section 
10, South Wheatland township, is the old- 
est resident of Macon county who was born 
in Illinois, his birth having occurred in St. 
Clair county, this state, on the 15th of 
January, 1817, before her admission to the 
Union. He is a worthy representative of 
that hardy class of pioneers who came here 
in territorial days and were not only forced 
to endure all of the hardships and priva- 
tions incident to pioneer life, but were often 
in great danger from attacks by the In- 
dians. 

Our subject's paternal grandfather was 
John Walker and the changing of his name 
to Woods was occasioned by the fcjllowing 
curious incident. At the time of the break- 
ing out of the Revolutionary war he was 
living near Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was 
pressed into the British army, but two days 
before the battle of Long Island he deserted 
to join the .American forces. \\'hile on his 
way he was stopped by a man who claimed 
to have authority to arrest him and when 
the man began to fumble in his pockets for 
his papers the grandfather of our subject 
knocked him down and took his papers, 
which were made out in the name of John 
25 



Woods. As a matter of precaution Mr. 
\\'alker took that name as his' own lest he 
should be captured and put to death. He 
served throughout the struggle for inde- 
pendence under the name of John Woods 
and when success at length crowned the 
efforts of the colonists he sent for his family 
to join him in the United States, locating 
in Jefferson county, Ohio. At the age of 
ten years his son John, the father of our 
subject, dropped the name of Walker and 
also took that of Woods. 

John Woods, Jr., grew to manhood in 
Jefferson county, Ohio. The passing of a 
flatboat changed the whole current of his 
life, for upon that boat was the lady who 
became his wife. He boarded the boat, went 
with her down the Ohio river and settled in 
the same neighborhood in St. Clair county, 
Illinois, where they were married about the 
beginning of the nineteenth century. They 
experienced much trouble "with the Indians, 
being among the pioneers of the state. The 
father died in February, 1855, when over 
eighty years of age, and his wife, whose 
maiden name was Delilah Hill, passed away 
August 19, 1826, when our subject was a 
lad of nine years. They were the parents 
of nine children, namely: William, who 
served in the Black Hawk war at Rock 
Island ; Mary, who died in Wisconsin ; John, 
who was also in the Black Hawk war and 
died in St. Clair county, Illinois, May 19, 
1875; Peter, deceased; Robert, of this 
sketch ; George, who was drowned in the 
Kaskaskia river in 1839; Thomas, who died 
in Central City in 1866; Nancy, who died in 
Missouri; and one who died in early child- 
hood. For his second wife the father mar- 
ried Mrs. Susan McGuire, a sister of his 
first wife, and she had two children, James 
Alarion, now deceased ; and Mrs. Delilah 
Holcomb, a resident of St. Clair county. 

f)ur subject's brother John deserves fur- 
ther mention on accoimt of his coolness and 
bravery under grave surroundings. During 



510 



PAST AXI) PRKSEXT UF MACOX COUXTY. 



the Black Hawk war tlie Indians massa- 
cred the entire Hall family, near Chillock's 
Grove, except two daughters who were cap- 
tured and a boy who escaped and informed 
the soldiers of what had occurred. The 
daughters were afterward restored by 
treaty. A Mr. Macumsum, who had been 
nearly killed by the Indians, was being 
carried by John Woods and three other 
men to a place of safety, but desiring a 
drink of water they stopped at a spring and 
as one of the party, Air. McDaniels, was in 
the act of dipping up the water, he was 
killed by a volley from the red men who 
lay in ambush. Mr. Macumsum was left 
and the others fled. All escaped with ex- 
ception of Mr. Woods, who was detained by 
trying to catch his horse that had been in 
charge of another man who on hearing the 
firing dropped the bridle and ran. Luckily, 
however, the horse became entangled in the 
bridle and this enabled Mr. Woods to catch 
him more easily. Although the last off the 
ground he managed to get beyond the bul- 
lets of the Indians and escape. At that time 
Benjamin Scott, a brother of Judge John 
M. Scott, who was afterward judge of the 
supreme court of the state, was helping 
carry Mr. Macumsum. He was killed and 
decapitated, his head being carried ofY by 
the red men as a trophy. Mr. Woods had 
the gratification of knowing that one Indian 
scalp had been taken by him. He brought it 
home and it was kept in the family for a 
long time as a relic. 

Robert W^oods spent his boyhood in the 
log cabin home but on the death of his 
mother the family became scattered and the 
children were never all together again. For 
six years he lived with a Mr. Ward. His 
early advantages were very meager and at 
the age of seventeen he began working as a 
farm hand, receiving seven dollars per 
month for his services. For ten years he 
was employed in that capacity, working 
early and late at the most arduous duties. 



At length he was able to purchase eighty 
acres of school land at one dollar and a 
quarter per acre and subsequently bought 
eighty acres more. In 1866 he sold his farm 
of two hundred and eighty acres in St. Clair 
county and came to Macon county, purchas- 
ing one hundred and forty acres of his pres- 
ent farm, to which he has since added until 
he now has two hundred and forty acres in 
South Wheatland township. Besides his 
home place he has other property, in all over 
three hundred acres in this county. Laying 
aside active labor he has lived a retired 
life for several years, enjoying a comfortable 
competence which was acquired by former 
toil. His farm interests are now being car- 
ried on by William R. McGuire, who was 
born in Moultrie county, Illinois, Septem- 
ber 25, 1877, a son of James and Elizabeth 
(Scott) McGuire, and was married January 
24, 1900, to r^liss Grace Woods, a grand- 
daughter of our subject and a daughter 
of John and Margaret (Gooker) Woods. 
She was born January 9, 1881. They are 
now living on the old home place and have 
one child, Ada Marie, born August 5, 1902. 
It was on the i6th of March, 1843, in St. 
Clair county, that Mr. Woods led to the 
marriage altar Miss Elizabeth H. Short, a 
daughter of William B. and Nancy (Hill) 
Short. Her father was born in Monroe 
county, Illinois, in 1804. Mr. and IMrs. 
Woods became the parents of six children, 
as follows: George S., who served in the 
Union army under General Sherman and 
died in Macon county, Illinois, in 1890, leav- 
ing one son, Robert S. ; Joseph, who died 
June 18, 1891, leaving three children; John, 
who first married Caroline Cox and second 
Margaret Gooker and died August 4, 1892; 
William, who died in St. Clair county at the 
age of twelve years; Benjamin, also de- 
ceased ; and Alfred W., who wedded Haidee 
Finney, of Lincoln, Xebraska. He was edu- 
cated in Musselman's Business College and 
was a teacher of architecture and median- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



511 



ical drawing in the Wesleyan University. 
He is now engaged in practice of his pro- 
fession in Lincoln, Nebraska. The mother 
of this family died on the 4th of December, 
1864. 

Air. Woods was again married January 
7, 1868, to Ellen Elizabeth Pope, who was 
born in Wake county, North Carolina, De- 
cember 30, 1817, and was ten years of age 
when she came to Illinois with her parents, 
Dempsey and Sarah (Edwards) Pope. She 
first married John Elder, and to them were 
born four children who reached years of ma- 
turity, namely : Sarah Jane ; Lavinia ; Mary 
E., wife of William Wilson, of Arkansas ; 
and William F., who was a member of the 
One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois In- 
fantry in the Civil war and was wounded 
in the battle of Chickamauga, causing the 
amputation of his arm. Mrs. Woods had 
two brothers who belonged to the One Hun- 
.dred and Sixteenth Illinois Infantry and 
both died from disease contracted in the 
service. She had seen President Lincoln in 
the wheat field, harvesting his grain with 
a reap hook on what is now known as the 
Leiby farm near Walnut Grove. She died 
on the 17th of August, 1900, at the age of 
eighty-two years. 

Mr. Woods cast his first presidential vote 
for William Henry Harrison, supported 
Millard Fillmore in 1856 and Lincoln in 
i860, and has since affiliated with the Re- 
]niblican party. During the long years of 
his residence in this state wonderful changes 
have taken place here. The dusky savages 
who still roamed through the forests during 
his boyhood days have long since disap- 
peared, seeking homes in the reservations 
beyond the Mississippi, and the wild game, 
once so numerous, has all been destroyed. 
Prairie and forest have been transformed 
into fine farms, villages and cities have 
sprung up, and all of the interests and evi- 
dences of an advanced civilization have been 
introduced, making this one of the best 



states of the Union. In the work of prog- 
ress and advancement Mr. Woods has al- 
ways borne his part and he deserves a prom- 
inent place on the roll of honored pioneers 
of Illinois. 



P. D. SPOONER. 

P. D. Spooner was born May 31, 1864, a 
son of Cyrus M. and Maria (Devol) 
Spooner, who were natives of Ohio. His 
father was descended from an English 
ancestor who worked his passage to Amer- 
ica in the seventeenth century, thus estab- 
lishing his home in the new world in an 
early period in its colonization. The pa- 
ternal grandfather, Cyrus Spooner, was 
likewise a native of Ohio and many of the 
representatives of the family have been in 
the professions and some have won dis- 
tinction therein. The subject of this review 
is a distant relative of Senator Spooner, of 
Wisconsin. Cyrus M. Spooner, the father 
of our subject, was born in Ohio, March 17, 
1832, and became a merchant of that state. 
He followed his chosen calling for many 
years and in 1880 removed to Illinois, set- 
tling in Blue Mound, where he opened a 
meat market, which he conducted for three 
or four years. Since that time he has been 
doing general repair and cabinet work. At 
the time of the Civil war he responded to 
his country's call for aid, enlisting in Com- 
pany F, Second Regiment of West Virginia 
Volunteer Cavalry. He served in the 
Shenandoah valley under Generals Sheri- 
dan and Custer and was in the battles of 
Winchester, Sinking Creek, Dublin Depot, 
Lynchburg, Waynesburg and Fisher Hill. 

P. D. Spooner acquired his education in 
the common schools of Lowell, Ohio, and of 
Blue Alound, Illinois. He left school in 
1882 and began in the newspaper business 
in Blue Mound, while later he went to Pal- 
myra, where for three years he was con- 
nected with a drug store. He then returned 



il2 



PAST AXD rRKSF,.\l ( >i MM ( ).\ colXTV. 



to this place and purchased the Independent, 
which he edited and pubUshed for three 
years, selling out on the expiration of that 
period to the firm of Gepford & AIcElroy. 
On leaving the journalistic field Mr. Spooner 
went to Palmyra, but after a year spent in 
conducting a meat market there he re- 
turned to llluc Mound and entered the post- 
office in September, 1897. lie has since 
been connected with its administration and 
is a worthy public official. 

On the 14th of July, 1887, occurred the 
marriage of -Mr. Spooner and Miss Hattie 
\\'. Wood, a daughter of George and Sarah 
(Hodge) \\'ood, of ^lacon county. She 
was educated in the schools of Blue Mound 
and is a most estimable lady. Six children 
were born of this union; Helen I)., born 
September 10, 1888; Harold \\'., July 6, 
1890; John R., May 12, 1892; Robert Whip- 
ple, February 11, 1894; Eleanor Mabel, 
August 30, 1900; and a baby girl, unnamed, 
July 26, 1903. 

In his political affiliations .Mr. Spooner 
is a Republican and fraternally he is con- 
nected with the Fraternal Army of America. 
His wife also belongs to that organization, 
to the Eastern Star and the Rebecca Lodge, 
her father ha\ing been a charter member 
of the Odd b'ellows Society here. Both Mr. 
and Mrs. Spooner are well known in lUue 
Minmd and enjoy the friendship of many 
peo])le because of their upright lives, social 
dis])osilions and genial c|ualities. 



DAVID KRETZER. 
.\t an early ])eriod in the development 
of .Macon county David Kretzer, now de- 
ceased, became one of the residents of De- 
catur and was actively identified with its 
building interests, becoming a leading and 
im])ortant factor in the early improvement 
and de\'elopment of the city. Because of 
his excellent workmanship and bis straight- 



forward honorable dealings he secured a 
liberal patronage and was widely known 
for his sterling traits of character and his 
business integrity. 

He was a native of Maryland, his birth 
having occurred in that state on the 21st 
of October, }8i8. His parents were both 
natives of Germany and on leaving the 
fatherland they crossed the -Atlantic to 
-America, settling in Maryland in early life. 
There they lived for several years, during 
which time their son David was born. .Af- 
terward they took up their abode upon a 
farm near Dayton, Ohio, where they spent 
their remaining days, both d\'ing on the 
old homestead there. .Mr. Kretzer devoted 
his energies to general agricultural pursuits 
and thus pro\-idcd a good living for his 
family. 

In taking up the personal history of David 
Kretzer we present to our readers the life 
record of one well worthy of representa- 
tion amiing the leading men who have been 
connected with business affairs in Decatur. 
He acquired his education in the common 
schools of Maryland and after his parents" 
removal to ( )hio he, too, went to that state 
and purchased a farm near Dayton, carrying 
on the work of tilling the soil for a few 
years. .Subsequently he disposed of his 
]jroperty there and removed to Miami coun- 
ty, Ohio, where he again engaged in farm- 
ing for a few years. He next went to Darke 
county, Ohio, and once more settled tqion 
a farm on which his labors wrought many 
changes in the way of improvements. 

Mr. Kretzer was first married in Ohio to 
Miss Elizabeth LTlery, who died in Cov- 
ington, that state, leaving one son, Joseph, 
who is now a resident of .Arcolo, Illinois, 
and is engaged in farming. For his second 
wife Mr. Kretzer chose Miss Jemima 
llousse, the wedding being celebrated on 
the 4th of March, 1856. She was born in 
Darke county, Ohio, January 28, 1832, a 
daughter of Isaac and Tacey fBriggs) 



PAST AND PRESENT OF AIACOX COUNTY. 



)13 



Floiisse, who were natives of Darke county, 
where they always lived, the father devoting 
his energies to farming and also carrying- 
on the milling business, for he owned and 
operated a mill near his home. Both he 
and his wife passed away in Darke county. 
Unto the second marriage of Mr. Kretzer 
-seven children were born, namely: Ed- 
ward C, who is now a carpenter living in 
St. Clair county, Illinois; Ellen, the widow 
of Henry Mondabaugh, of Dayton, Ohio ; 
Ruth Belle, who is the wife of Ewing Hunt, 
and is living in Leroy, Illinois; Benjamin 
Franklin, a land speculator located in Fort 
Worth. Texas; Ceora, of Danville, Illinois; 
David, C, who is a prominent practicing 
physician of Fort Madison, Iowa ; and Lucy, 
who resides at home with her mother. 

Mr. Kretzer continued to make his home 
in Darke county, Ohio, until 1855. and then 
came to Illinois, establishing his home in 
Decatur. Here he began work at the car- 
penter's trade and as a contractor and build- 
er erected many of the first buildings in this 
city, his excellent workmanship causing his 
services to be sought by the newcomers 
who located in Decatur and built for them- 
selves homes and business houses here. 
For several years Mr. Kretzer continued to 
work at his trade and was accorded a lib- 
eral patronage by the public. When his 
financial resources had increased and made 
him the possessor of considerable capital 
he made investment in a farm comprising 
two hundred and twenty-five acres of land 
in Harristown township, Macon county, 
and removing to that place, he devoted his 
lime and energies to its cultivation and im- 
provement. His labors soon wrought a 
marked transformation in its appearance. 
He placed the fields under a high state of 
cultivation and each autumn reaped abund- 
ant harvests. He also erected splendid 
buildings and secured the latest improved 
machinery to facilitate the farm work. 
Everything about his place was neat and 



thrifty in appearance and he became recog- 
nized as one of the leading agriculturists of 
his locality. 

In matters of citizenship he was progress- 
ive, taking an active interest in everything 
pertaining to the welfare of his community. 
In his political views he was a Democrat, 
but was never an aspirant for ofSce. Both 
he and his wife were members of the Chris- 
tian church in Harristown township and 
took a very deep interest in church work, 
doing all in their power for the extension of 
its influence and contributing liberally to 
its support. He passed away November 
30, 1884, and in a review of his completed 
life record one finds many elements that are 
Worthy of commendation and of emulation. 
He started out in life empty handed, but 
]50ssessed resolution and courage and would 
brook no obstacles that could be overcome 
by persistent and honorable labor. Gradu- 
ally he thus worked his way upward until 
he became one of the substantial farmers of 
the community and he left to his family a 
good name as well as a comfortable com- 
petence. After her husband's death Mrs. 
Kretzer removed to Decatur and now re- 
sides at No. 1236 North Main street, where 
she has recently erected a fine large resi- 
dence. She also owns the old homestead 
of two hundred and twentj'-five acres in 
Harristown township and the income there- 
from supplies her with all of the comforts 
and manv of the luxuries of life. 



GUSTAVE E. DUKER. 
The name at once suggests a power' in 
the world of trade in Decatur and only two 
years have passed since Gustave F. Duker 
established his home in this city. He has 
become recognized as one of its most pro- 
gressive and enterprising merchants, con- 
ducting his business aflr'airs along lines that 
prove not only a benefit to himself but are 



514 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



instrumental in the commercial expansion 
of the city. He is now the proprietor of 
the store conducted under the name of the 
Empire Shoe Company and has in two 
years achieved a success which is indicative 
of the possession of splendid business ca- 
pacity and executive force. 

Mr. Duker was born on the 5th of Jan- 
uary, 1864, in the city of Quincy, Illinois, 
his parents being Theodore and Elizabeth 
Duker. His father was born in the province 
of Hanover, Germany, not far from the 
border of France, and in his boyhood days 
was brought to America by his parents, the 
family home being established at Quincy, 
Illinois. Since that time Theodore Duker 
has resided in that city and has become one 
of its wealthiest and most prominent bus- 
iness men. His wife was a native of Aus- 
tria and of noble birth. She, too, was 
brought to the new world by her parents in 
her childhood days and became a resident of 
Quincy, where in due time she gave her 
hand in marriage to Mr. Duker and there 
resided until she was called to her final rest. 
Twelve children were born unto this worthy 
couple, seven sons and five daughters, and 
with one exception all are yet living. 

Gustave F. Duker began his education 
in St. Boniface parochial school in Quincy 
and later attended St. Francis College in 
the same city. When his literary education 
was completed he pursued a commercial 
course in the Gem City Business College in 
that city, and thus entered upon his bus- 
iness career well prepared to meet its re- 
sponsible and arduous duties. He began 
work for C. Wand, of Quincy, in whose em- 
ploy he remained for fourteen years, and 
this fact is certainly indicative of his fidelity, 
ability and trustworthiness. At the end 
of that time he accepted a position with E. 
I. Martin Dry Goods Company of Quincy, 
remaining with that firm for four years, 
when he resigned in order to enter upon a 
similar business relation with the firm of 



J. Kespohl & Company of Quincy. Whert 
three years with that house had elapsed 
he removed to Hurdland, Mis.souri, where 
he began business on his own account, con- 
ducting a general store for a little more 
than three years. Returning to Quincy he 
was in business in his native city for a short 
period and then came to Decatur in May, 
1901, establishing his store here at No. 
118 East Prairie street. A year later he 
removed to No. 114 North Water street, 
where he is still conducting business under 
the name of the Empire Shoe Company. 
He has one of the largest and best equipped 
shoe stores in the county, carrying a well 
selected stock of goods and having an ex- 
tensive and growing patronage. He is very 
energetic and by strict adherence to the 
ethics of commercial life and by straight- 
forvv^ard dealing he has gained a patronage 
which is indeed gratifying. 

On the 1st of February, 1888, Mr. Duker 
was united in marriage to Miss Susie Alex- 
ander of Quincy and unto them two chil- 
dren have been born: Theodore and Ken- 
neth. Mrs. Duker is a descendant of Alex- 
ander the Great, and her parents, who are 
now living in Quincy, are among the 
wealthy and distinguished residents of that 
city. Her grandfather was a quartermaster 
in the Continental Army during the Revo- 
lutionary war. Socially Mr. Duker is con- 
nected with Decatur Council, No. 577, 
Knights of Columbus, and he is likewise 
a member of St. Patrick's Catholic church 
of Decatur. Steadily pursuing his way un- 
deterred by the obstacles and difficulties in 
his path he has achieved splendid success. 
Close application, careful study of business 
methods and plans to be followed, close at- 
tention to the details combined with an 
untiring energy, directed by a superior 
mind, these are the traits of character which 
have brought to him success and made him 
one of the foremost merchants of Decatur. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



516 



WILLIAM T. McLEAN, M. D. 

As the oldest pln'sician of Maroa, Dr. 
McLean has maintained his position in the 
front ranks of the medical fraternity in this 
part of the county b}- reason of his com- 
prehensive reading and study, whereby he 
has kept in touch with the progress of the 
times in connection with the science of 
medicine. A native of Iventucy, he was 
born in Harrison county, that state, in 1858, 
a son of C. A. and Lucy McLean, who in 
1865 removed to Maroa. It was therefore 
in the schools of this city that the Doctor 
acquired his preliminary education. Later 
he became a student in the University of 
Illinois in the class of 1877. With broad 
literary knowledge to serve as the founda- 
tion upon which to rear the superstructure 
of professional learning, he took up the 
study of medicine in the Rush Medical Col- 
lege of Chicago and was graduated with 
the class of 1881. Thus well equipped for 
his chosen profession he returned to Maroa 
and remained with his father for a time. In 
July, 1882, he removed to Warrensburg, 
Illinois, but in ^lay, 1883, returned to 
Maroa, where he has since remained, and 
as the years have come and gone he has in- 
creased his skill and proficiency by compre- 
hensive investigation into the methods of 
practice that have been followed and that 
are being introduced for the alleviation of 
human suffering. While never hasty in 
discarding the old and tried methods he is 
ever alert to know of new ones which will 
benefit mankind and his reading and re- 
search have made his knowledge profound 
and accurate. He pursued a post-graduate 
course of study in both New York and Chi- 
cago, on the eye, ear, nose and throat. 

At one time Dr. McLean owned a farm 
but afterward sold it. However, he is now 
interested in the farming of thirteen hundred 
acres of land, but does not own it. In 
Maroa he has a fine residence, which is 
indicative of the success that has crowned 



his efforts in his chosen life work. In his 
practice he was associated with Dr. Mor- 
gan as a partner from 1890 until 1897, and 
they fitted up a splendid office with all 
modern improvements, which Dr. McLean 
now owns and occupies. 

On the 16th of June, 1885, the Doctor was 
united in marriage to Miss Margaret P. 
Crocker, a daughter of John H. Crocker, 
and unto them have been born four chil- 
dren: John C, Franklin C, Edwin P. and 
Anna Louise, all of whom are attending 
school. The Doctor and Mrs. McLean be- 
long to the Presbyterian church, and fra- 
ternally he is connected with Maroa Lodge, 
No. 454, A. F. & A. M., and Maroa Lodge, 
No. 314, I. O. O. F. Politically he is a 
Democrat and has twice served as mayor 
of Maroa, giving to the city a practical bus- 
iness-like administration that appealed to 
the people and won their strong endorse- 
ment and high encomiums. The Doctor has 
spent almost his entire life in Maroa, and 
his life history is in contradistinction to the 
old adage that a prophet is never without 
honor save in his own country, for along 
lines of signal usefulness he has directed 
his labors among the people who have 
known him from boyhood and the com- 
munity accords him respect and confidence. 



WILLIAM H. STARE. 
William H. Stare, now deceased, was a 
contractor and patternmaker in Decatur 
during the greater part of his life. His 
business record was creditable and in social 
relations he maintained the strictest honor 
and integrity with his fellow men so that 
he was classed with the leading and highly 
respected citizens of his community. A 
native of York county, Pennsylvania, he 
was born on the 21st of January, 1854, and 
is a son of John and Mary Ann (Bruaw) 
Stare, both of whom were natives of the 



516 



PAST AXI) I'RICSI'.X T ol' M At < ).\ euLXlV. 



Keystone state. The father was also a con- 
tractor by occupation and followed that 
pursuit in \'ork county, Pennsylvania, un- 
til 1858. lie then removed westward with 
his family and settled in Decatur, where he 
established a hmd)eryard and engaged in 
business. He also worked at his trade here 
throughout his remaining days and his wife 
spent her last days in Decatur. 

William II. .'^tare acijuired a good educa- 
tion, completing the high school course in 
Decatur. He was but four years of age 
when, w ith his father, he came to this city 
and here the days of his youth were passed 
in the usual manner of boys of that period, 
the duties of the schoolroom being alter- 
nated by the enjoyment of the playground. 
When he had put aside his text books he 
began to learn the contractor's trade and 
followed that pursuit with his father for 
many years. ITe also learned the pattern- 
maker's trade and followed that calling in 
Decatur, .\nother enterprise to which he 
turned his attention was the manufacture 
of tile in Cerro Gordo, Illinois, where he 
conducted the business for two years. On 
the expiration of that period, hpwever, he 
returned to Decatur, where he worked at 
contracting and pattern-making until the 
time of his demise. His capability in the 
line of his chosen vocation, his close appli- 
cation and his indefatigable industry were 
the elements in his success that brought to 
him a comfortable and desirable com- 
petence. 

On January 14, T879, William H. Stare 
was united in marriage to Miss Harriet E. 
Hoover, a native of Ashland county, Ohio, 
and a daughter of John and Catherine 
Hoover. Her father was a farmer in Ohio 
throughout his entire life and there his 
death occurred September 30, 1861. His 
widow afterward came to Decatur and 
made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Stare 



until she was called to her final rest, Ajiril 
10, lyoo. 

In social circles in Decatur .Mr. and .Mrs. 
.Stare were widely and favorably known. 
They had many friends who esteemed them 
highly for their genuine worth. In his 
political views Mr. Stare was an earnest 
Republican, but never sought or desired 
the rewards of office in recognition of his 
])arty fealty. He held mend)ership in the 
Church of Cod in Decatur and took great 
interest in church work, doing everything 
in his power to extend its influence and 
promote the cause of Christianity. In early 
manhood he was made a deacon in the 
church and acted in that capacity up to the 
lime of his death. He was also serving as 
superintendent of the Sunday-school when 
called to his final lest. Of the Young Men's 
Christian .Association of Decatur he was a 
charter member and a director at the time 
of his death, and was also a charter member 
of the Christian luideavor Society here. His 
labors were etTective and far-reaching in be- 
half of the cause of Christianity and his ex- 
ample is one well worthy of emulation. His 
wife is an earnest Christian woman, be- 
longing to the First Baptist church of De- 
catur. It was on the 5th of August, 1890, 
that Mr. Stare was called to his final rest, 
and his remains were interred in Greenwood 
cemetery. He had so lived that all who 
knew him gave him confidence and regard 
and Decatur numbered him among its 
valued citizens. His life was indeed hon- 
oralile, upright and useful and it is therefore 
with pleasure that wc mention him among 
the representative men of the city in which 
he so long resided. Mrs. Stare yet makes her 
home in Decatur and has a fine new resi- 
dence at Xo. 874 Xorth Main street, where 
she is now living. In addition to this she 
owns residence property at Nos. 115 and 125 
East King street in Decatur, from which she 
receives a good income. 



r 



flBF ¥*, 




ANDREW DENNIS 




MKS M. L. DENNIS 




W. D. BAKER 




MRS. W. D. BAKER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF IMACON COUNTY. 



525 



ANDREW DENNIS. 

About 1850 Andrew Dennis became a resi- 
dent of Alacon county antl for long years 
resided here, watching the development and 
growth of this portion of the state and tak- 
ing an active interest in the work of prog- 
ress and improvement here. He was a na- 
tive of Greencastlc, Pennsylvania, born on 
the 14th of December, 1820. His parents 
were John and JMagdeline Dennis, both of 
whom were natives of Pennsylvania, whence 
they removed to Ohio in an early day. The 
father there turned his attention to farming 
and was e^igaged in agricultural pursuits 
up to the time of his death. His widow 
afterward came to Macon county and re- 
sided with a daughter in Decatur until her 
demise. 

Andrew Dennis began his 'education in 
the public schools of Pennsylvania and con- 
tinued his studies in the schools of Ohio, 
gaining a practical knowledge which proved 
of benefit to him in the control of his busi- 
ness interests in later years. When he left 
school he became his father's assistant on 
the home farm in Ohio, and prior to this 
time he had rendered active service in the 
care and cultivation of the fields during the 
summer months. He had a brother who 
came to Macon county about 1849 and, 
sending back favorable reports concerning 
this section of the country, Mr. Dennis of 
this review was induced to come to Illinois 
in 1850. Joining his brother he worked at 
the plasterer's trade in Decatur for a num- 
ber of years. He then purchased a tract of 
lanfl in Decatur township and turned his 
attention to farming, placing his land under 
a high state of cultivation and raising good 
crops. 

Mr. Dennis was united in marriage to 
Miss Matilda L. Baker, a native of Ruther- 
ford county, Tennessee, born August 28, 
1824, and a daughter of William D. and 
Marilla (Martin) Baker, both of whom were 
natives of North Carolina. At the age of 



fifteen years William D. Baker removed 
to Rutherford county, Tennessee, where he 
engaged in carpentering until 1828, when in 
company with a Mr. Davis he came to Ma- 
con county, Illinois. They were among the 
first settlers of this county. Hardly a home 
had been established within its borders and 
the work of civilization and progress had 
been scarcely begun. Mucii of the land was 
still in possession of the government, roads 
had not been laid out and only here and 
there was a log cabin to show that civiliza- 
tion had penetrated into the interior of Illi- 
nois. Mr. Baker and Mr. Davis settled in 
Long Creek township, when it was all wild 
prairie land and their neighbors were be- 
tween six and eighteen miles away. Mr. 
Baker made improvements upon his farm 
and there resided until his death, giving his 
time and attention to the further develop- 
ment of his property. He died in 1883 at 
the age of eighty-three years and twenty- 
eight days, having for fifty-five years been 
a resident of Macon county and a witness 
of its growth as it emerged from pioneer 
conditions to take its place among the lead- 
ing counties of the state. Mrs. Baker sur- 
vived her husband for about ten years and 
passed away in 1893, at the very advanced 
age of ninety-four years. The Baker fam- 
ily has long been a prominent and well 
known one of Macon county. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Dennis were born four children : Mag- 
gie, the wife of A. P. Cobb, now a Christian 
minister of Decatur; Alary, who died at the 
age of twenty-one years ; Charlie, who is 
employed on the Chicago News in a con- 
fidential capacity to Mr. Lawson and mar- 
ried Rachel \\'ilson, while after her death 
he wedded her sister, Nellie Wilson ; and 
Ira, who died in infancy. The children 
have had the benefit of splendid educational 
privileges. 

On taking up his abode in Decatur town- 
ship Andrew Dennis applied himself closely 
to the improvement of the property and 



526 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON C"OL"NTY. 



there engaged in fanning until his life's 
labors were ended. iVs the result of his 
energy and capable management his farm 
became valuable, the fields yielding excel- 
lent crops, while good buildings and other 
improvements indicated the careful super- 
vision and progressive spirit of the owner. 
Mr. Dennis was never an office seeker but 
served as county commissioner for a short 
time. In early life he gave his political 
allegiance to the Democracy and later, on 
account of his strong temperance principles, 
he became a Prohibitionist. ]')Oth he and his 
wife were members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church but since her husband's death 
Mrs. Dennis has joined the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church »if Decatur, in which 
denomination two of her brothers are minis- 
ters. In his business affairs Mr. Dennis was 
very successful and became well-to-do. lie 
was systematic in all that he undertook and 
his capable management and energy resulted 
in bringing to him very gratifying financfal 
return for his labor. He died March 3, 
1893, and though ten years have since passed 
his memory is yet enshrined in the hearts 
of many who knew him and who entertained 
for him warm regard by reason of the 
sterling traits of character which he pos- 
sessed. In December, 1895, Mrs. Dennis 
left the farm and removed to Decatur, al- 
though she still owns the rich tract of land 
of one hundred and forty-one acres on which 
she and her husband long resided. In this 
city she purchased her present property at 
No. 820 North Union street, where she is 
now living, her home adjoining that of her 
sister. 



JOHN P. LEHN. 
At the time of his death John P. Lehn 
was one of the most successful farmers 
and highly esteemed citizens of Illini town- 
ship and his possessions had been acquired 
through his own industrious and well di- 



rected efforts. He had won by an hon- 
orable, upright life an untarnished name, 
and the record which he left behind is one 
well worthy of perpetuation. 

Mr. Lehn was born in Cumberland 
county, Pennsylvania, January 17, 1838, a 
son of Peter and Elizabeth (Waggoner) 
Lehn. His father died about 1850 and his 
mother three years later, so that he was 
left an orphan at an early age. In the fam- 
ily were seven children, five sons and two 
ilaughters, namely: .\nna, wife of Frank 
Chugerts; John 1'.; Susannah, deceased; 
Sylvester, a resident of Tennessee; Wilson, 
who makes his home in Colorado ; Josiah, 
who is a fruit grower of Shedds, Linn 
county, ( )regon ; and Samuel, a resident of 
.Macon county, Illinois. 

In the county of his nativity John P. 
Lehn was reared and educated and although 
his school privileges were limited he became 
a well informed man by reading and obser- 
vation in later years. Leaving Pennsylvania 
in 1856 he came to [Macon county, Illinois, 
and worked by the month as a farm hand 
for seven years. Having lived economically 
and saved his money, he was then able to 
]nirchase one hundred and sixty acres of 
raw prairie land, to which he afterward 
added four hundred acres, making five 
hundred and sixty acres, which he con- 
verted into a highly cultivated and well 
improved farm. Since his death this has 
been divided among his sons, so that they 
now have eighty acres each. 

.Mr. Lehn was married February 20, 1873, 
to Miss Tabitha Jones, a daughter of Rob- 
ert Jones, of Pennsylvania, and five children 
blessed this union, namely: George "Wag- 
goner, who married Lois L. Baum and re- 
sides in Illini township; Calvin, who wed- 
ded Lilly Sibthorpe and lives in Hickory 
Point township; Frank, who married Ada 
Moore and lives in Illini township ; and 
Ellis and Howard, still at home with their 
mother. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



521 



In his political affiliations Mr. Lehn was 
a Democrat and he filled the offices of road 
commissioner and school director. He was 
very public spirited and progressive and 
always took a deep interest in any enter- 
prise calculated to promote the general wel- 
fare. He was emphatically a self-made man 
his success in life being due entirely to his 
own industry and good management, and 
he is certainly deserving of honorable men- 
tion among the leading and representative 
citizens of his adopted county. After a use- 
ful and well spent life he passed away on 
the old home farm, where his widow still 
resides, January 14, 1899. 



H. MARTYN OWEN. 
One of the most notable features in the 
educational world is the growth and de- 
velopment of schools for the education of 
those wishing to enter the business life. 
The employer of to-day does not care to 
retain in his service an unskilled employe. 
His time is too valuable to instruct others 
in business methods and he secures the aid 
of only those who have already been fitted 
for responsibilities of the business world. 
Decatur has an institution of marked merit 
for the training of young people for business 
life and at the head of this school is H. 
Martyn Owen, who for a number of years 
has labored here along the line of educa- 
tion. 

Mr. Owen was born in Christian county, 
Illinois, December 30, 1866, and is a son 
of Oscar J. and Mary (Wickens) Owen, 
both of whom were natives of Ohio. They 
were born in the vicinity of Marietta, Wash- 
ington county, and removed from the Buck- 
eye state in 1865, established their home 
upon a farm in Christian county, Illinois, 
where the father engaged in general agri- 
cultural pursuits, including the cultivation 
of the soil and the raising of stock. Upon 



that farm the mother died in August, 1902, 
and the father, who still survives her, is 
now living retired in Stonington, having 
through his capable efforts in former years 
won a competence that now enables him to 
rest from further toil. He owns and con- 
trols a large amount of valuable land in 
Christian county and is also a stockholder 
in the First National Bank of Stonington. 

H. Martyn Owen, whose name intro- 
duces this record, spent his early life upon 
the home farm and in his leisure hours as- 
sisted in its cultivation.the sun shining down 
on many a field which he had plowed and 
planted. His educational privileges were 
such as were afforded by the district schools 
and he remained upon the home farm until 
about seventeen or eighteen years of age, 
when, wishing to have the benefit of more 
advanced educational privileges, he entered 
Shurtleff College at Upper Alton, Illinois, 
where he continued his studies for three 
years. In 1889 he attended school in 
Quincy, Illinois, and in 1890 he went to 
Davenport, Iowa, where he taught in a 
commercial school for a time. Later he be- 
came one of the instructors in the Iowa 
Commercial College, where he remained for 
a year and since 1891 he has been associated 
with educational work in Decatur in con- 
nection with Brown's Decatur Business 
College. In 1894 he became a stockholder 
in the institution and was elected to the 
position of principal. He has since acted 
in this capacity with credit to himself and 
satisfaction to the many students who have 
been in attendance here. His methods of 
instruction are practical and thorough — 
the demand of the times. In 1896 he was 
elected secretary of the Brown College 
corporation at Peoria, Illinois, the company 
having colleges in Peoria, Decatur, Bloom- 
ington, Ottawa, Centralia, Galesburg, Dan- 
ville, Champaign, Jacksonville, Rock Island, 
Streator, Moline and Rockford, Illinois; in 
Terre Haute, Indiana ; and in Davenport, 



528 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Iowa. The greater part of his attention, 
however, is devoted to the Decatur Col- 
lege, which is well e(|iii])]XHl with every ap- 
pliance bearing iqion the l)ranclies of learn- 
ing therein studied. 

In iSyo .Mr. Owen was united in marriage 
to Miss Susanna Francis, oi Moweaqua, Illi- 
nois, a daughter of .\atlian and Mary 
Francis, and unto ihein have been born two 
childen, Helen I'rances and Honora .\1. 
(Jwen. .Mr. ( )wen has gained a very wide 
ac(|uaintance in Decatur and throughout 
the surrounding country and is known as 
a gentleman of scholarly attainments and 
broad general learning. He has a large 
circle of friends and it is with pleasure that 
we present to our readers tlie record of his 
career. 



JOHN" T.. M.\TTHEW. 

Among tile honored citizens of .Macon 
county who were among the defenders of 
the Union cause during the dark days of 
the Rebellion must be numbered the gentle- 
man whose name introduces this sketch. 
Throughout the years of his manhood be 
has engaged in agricultural pursuits and 
to-day owns and operates a good farm on 
section 29, Stnith .Macon township. 

Mr. Matthew was born near Cleveland, 
Ohio, on the 16th of December, 1845, a son 
of John 1;. and Uarljara (Stuck) Matthew. 
The father was a native of Germany and 
about 1795 came to the United States, tak- 
ing u\i bis abode in < )hio, among its earli- 
est settlers. There he purchased land anil 
engaged in farming about twelve years, and 
then removed to Jackson county, Indiana, 
becoming the possessor of one hundred and 
twenty acres of timber land near Browns- 
town, but he w^as not long i>erniitted to en- 
joy his new home as he died about two 
years after locating thereon. His wife sur- 
vived him many years, making her home 
with her sons until she, too, was called 



away, about twelve years ago. They were 
the parents of si.x children, of whom our 
subject is the third in order of birth, those 
still living being Helen, widow of William 
Hockey and a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; 
Kate, wife of George Hemer, a farmer of 
Shelby county, Illinois; John L., of this re- 
view; (]eorge, who is engaged in farming 
near .Moweaqua in Shelby county; and 
IClizabeth, wife of Peter Lee, a wagon man- 
ufacturer of Seymour, Indiana. 

John I.. .Matthew was born in an old log 
house and was educated in a log school 
building near \'alona, Indiana, conning his 
lessons upon a slab bench. He remained 
at home until seventeen years of age and 
then entered the Union army, enlisting in 
the spring of 1863 as a member of Company 
G, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana 
Vohmleer Infantry. He was in the service 
at that time for four months and was then 
honorably discharged at Indianapolis, but 
the following year he again entered the 
army, this time' enlisting in Com])any (i, 
( )ne Hundred and Seventeenth Indiana In- 
fantry, with which he served nine months. 
He was promoted corporal and received 
his final discharge at Indianapolis. He was 
in the engagement on Clinch mountains, 
where he came very nearly starving, his 
rations being only one ear of corn per day. 

.\fter his return from the army Mr. .Mat- 
thew commenced work by the month on 
a farm in Jackson county, Indiana, and was 
thus employed for three years. He was 
next engagetl in the sawmill business 
for one year and later engaged in 
farming on rented land in Jackson 
count}' for four or five years. He 
then turned his attention to the tanning 
business in i)artnership with hi^ brother-in- 
law. Jolm \ . .Miller, and on disposing of 
his interest in that enterprise two years 
later, he bought a small farm near Sey- 
mour. Indiana, which he operated for two 
vears. and llu-n sold. During the following 




\ 



JOSEPH WARBURTON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



531 



three years he cultivated a rented farm. In 
1881 Mr. Matthew came to Alacon county, 
Illinois, and rented a farm south of the vil- 
lage of Macon for three years, after which 
he had charge of the John J. Bradley farm 
northeast of Macon for six years. He next 
rented the Orlando Powers farm for eight 
years, and at the end of that period pur- 
chased his present farm of one hundred and 
three acres on section 29, South ^lacon 
township. He has since tiled the land, built 
fences, erected a residence and barn, set 
out an orchard and made many other use- 
ful and \'alual)le improvements which add 
greatlv to the attractive appearance of the 
place. He feeds a few hogs for market 
but devotes his attention principally to gen- 
eral farming. During his life time he has 
witnessed great changes in the methods of 
agriculture, for during his youtli grain was 
harvested with a cradle and threshed with 
a ground-hog thresher. 

On the 1st of January, 1870, Mr. Mat- 
thew married Miss Ella Miller, a daughter 
of Casper and Margaretta (Noah) Miller, 
and they have become the parents of six 
children, those now living being Ida, wife 
of Charles Young, a farmer living near 
Boody ; Mary, at home ; Anna, wife of Fred 
\\''agoncr, a farmer of Milam township ; 
Katie and John, both at home. Mr. and 
Airs. Matthew are members of the Catholic 
church of Macon and are highly respected 
and esteemed by all who know them. In 
politics he is a Democrat, but has never 
cared for the honors or emoluments of pub- 
lic office. 



JOSEPH WARBURTON. 
Joseph Warburton, deceased, was for 
many years an honored resident and suc- 
cessful farmer of Macon county. His early 
home was on the other side of the Atlantic, 
for he was born in Manchester, England, on 
the 25th of December, 1847, ^"fl ^^'^^ ^ ^'-~"'' 



of Thomas and Mary (Marlow) Warbur- 
ton, also natives of the merrie isle. There 
our subject was reared and educated, and 
when about twenty years of age came to 
America, landing in New York in 1862. For 
<ibout two years he remained in the eastern 
states engaged in farming, and then came 
west to Jacksonville, Illinois, where he 
worked for a short time. After that he be- 
came a resident of Macon county and spent 
a short time in Maroa. He then purchased 
a tract of land in Harristown township and 
at once turned his attention to its cultiva- 
tion and improvement. As time passed he 
steadily prospered in his new home and suc- 
ceeded in acquiring three hundred acres 
of rich and valuable land, which he left to 
his family. 

In 1870 Mr. Warburton was united in 
marriage to ^[iss Sarah E. Em's, who was 
born in Concord, Illinois, August 27, 1852. 
Her parents were John and Sarah (Horton) 
Ellis, the former a native of C)hio, the lat- 
ter of Illinois. The mother died when Mrs. 
Warburton was only six months old. l)ut 
the father is still living and is now engaged 
in agricultural pursuits near Farmer City. 
Illinois. By his ballot he supports the men 
and measures of the Republican party, and 
he is an active and prominent member of 
the Methodist church and the Masonic fra- 
ternity. 

Mr. and Mrs. Warburton became the pa- 
rents of ten children, whose names and 
dates of birth are as follows: Harry, Sep- 
tember 13, 1874; Dora, May 2, 1876; Nellie, 
February 10. 1878: John E.. October 6. 
1879: Mary R.. January 21. 1882; William, 
December 2, 1884; Edward C. September 
17, 1886; Ida M., March 20, 1888; Ralph G., 
January 25, 1890; and Sarah E., June 20, 
1892. All are living with exception of Will- 
iam, who died July 23, 1890. Dora is now 
the wife of Bert Glasgow, a farmer of Har- 
ristown township, and they have one child, 
Carl. 



532 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



After a useful and well spent life Mr. 
Warburton passed away November 9, 1895, 
and was laid to rest in Harristown cemetery. 
He affiliated with the Republican party and 
always took an active interest in public af- 
fairs. In his social relations he was a Ma- 
son, and religiously was a member of the 
Christian church. He received and merited 
the confidence of the entire community in 
which he lived and in his death the county 
realized that it had lost a valued citizen. In 
1898 Mrs. Warburton and her children re- 
moved to the village of Harristown, where 
she has a beautiful home. She is a most 
estimable lady and is held in high regard 
bv all who know her. 



JOHN R. HIGHT. 
John R. Might was one of the early set- 
tlers of Macon county, taking up his abode 
in Macon township in January, 1855. when 
there was but one house and a railroad sta- 
tion in the village of Macon. Here wolves 
and other wild animals were plentiful and 
venison furnished man}^ a meal for the early 
settlers. Wild fowls, too, were often killed 
and served upon the tables of the pioneer 
residents of this locality. -Much of the land 
was still uncultivated and it remained to 
such sturdy pioneer settlers as Mr. Hight 
and his associates to reclaim the region for 
the uses of the white man and make this one 
pf the rich productive centers of Illinois. 

Mr. Hight was born in Rockbridge coun- 
ty, Virginia, April 11, 1832. His parents, 
Mr. and Airs. Samuel Hight, were both na- 
tives of the Old Dominion and there the 
father spent his entire life. After his de- 
mise his widow lived with her children in 
Illinois until she, too, was called to her final 
rest. 

In the public schools of the Old Ddniininn 
John R. Might was educated and after put- 
ting aside his text-books he assisted his 



father in the operation of the home farm in 
Virginia. Later he went to Tennessee 
where he lived for a few years, coming 
thence to Illinois. He first settled in Greene 
county, this state, and began working as 
a farm hand by the month, thus gaining a 
start in life and laying the foundation for 
his honorable career as an agriculturist. 

Wliile thus emplo3'ed John R. Might was 
married on October 25, 1854, the lady of his 
choice being Miss Mary E. Smith, a native 
of Alarion county, Missouri, born January 
4, 1837, and a daughter of Christopher Co- 
lumbus Smith. Her father left Marion 
county in 1849 and went to California in 
the hope of gaining a fortune in the gold 
fields of that state, but his death occurred 
six weeks after his arrival on the Pacific 
slope. There were three children born unto 
Mr. and Mrs. Hight: Lucy Virginia and 
two who died in infancy unnamed. Lucy 
also passed away at the age of one year, 
eight months and ten days. 

After his marriage Mr. Hight made his 
home in Greene county, Illinois, until Jan- 
uary, 1855, when he came to Macon county 
and purchased a farm three miles south of 
the village of Macon in South Macon town- 
ship. There he began general farming, 
which he carried on for several years and 
he also lived in Milam township for one 
year. Eventually he abandoned agricultural 
pursuits and took up his abode in the village 
of Macon, where he accepted a clerkship in 
a store, being thus employed fOr some time. 
Me then began business on his own account 
in the same village, conducting a general 
mercanlilc establishment for several years 
or until November, 1894, when he sold out 
and came to Decatur. Here he established 
a meat market, which he conducted for a 
year. He then again sold his store and this 
time became engaged in the dairy business, 
wliich he carried on until his death on the 
17th of Fcl>ruary, 1903. 

While in Macon township Mr. Might held 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



533 



several positions, including that of consta- 
ble and of school director. He was town- 
ship collector in Milam township for one 
year and was assistant assessor in Decatur 
for a year. His political allegiance was 
given to the Democratic party and he al- 
ways voted for its men and measures. Both 
he and his wife were members of the First 
;\Iethodist Episcopal church, loyal to its 
teachings and interests. Mr. Hight was 
indeed a self-made man. He started out 
upon his business career empty handed and 
it was by working as a farm hand that he 
gained his start in life. As the years passed 
he gradually advanced and the success 
which he achieved was due entirely to his 
well directed labor. The Hight family has 
long been a prominent one in Macon county 
and two of Mr. Hight's brothers are en- 
gaged in the banking business and are con- 
nected with other important business af- 
fairs of the village of Macon. Mrs. Hight, 
the widow of our subject, now owns and oc- 
cupies a good home «t No. 1254 North Ed- 
ward street in Decatur and is well and fa- 
vorably known here. 



JAMES H. MONTGOMERY. 

James FI. Montgomery is the junior 
member of the firm of Brown & Montgom- 
ery, dealers in real estate in Decatur. He 
is a representative of an old southern fam- 
ily. His paternal grandfather, Thomas 
Montgomery, was born in Virginia, and in 
1823 removed to Ohio, casting his lot among 
the pioneer settlers of that state. He wedded 
Catherine Hahn and in order to provide 
for his family he devoted his energies to 
operating on the Ohio river as steamboat 
captain. He died in 1832, of cholera. He 
had marked influence for good and dis- 
played characteristics of a Scotch-Irish 
ancestry. 

Among his children was John Montgom- 



ery, who was born in the Old Dominion 
in 1810, the family home being at that time 
in the Shenandoah valley. He became a 
general business man and. at one time was 
largely interested in the milling and coal 
business. He married Miss Margaret Tidd, 
a native of Ohio, and a, daughter of John 
and Mary (Hulter) Tidd, who were early 
settlers of the Buckeye state. Her father 
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and a very devoted Christian gen- 
tleman. He reached the advanced age of 
ninety-two years, and passed away hon- 
ored by all who knew him. In the year 
1858 the family of James Montgomery came 
to Illinois, settling two and a half miles 
northeast of Decatur, where they remained 
until 1864. They then removed to Wheat- 
land township, Macon county, where the 
father died on the Sth of January, 1885, in 
the seventy-fourth year of his age. The 
mother and children afterward established 
their home in Decatur, where she died on 
the 19th of August, 1892. She was the 
mother of eight children, seven of whom 
lived to years of maturity, namely : William 
H., Mary J., Benjamin F. and John T., all 
of whom are now deceased; Charles M., 
who is a resident farmer of Gilmore, Illi- 
nois ; Martha A., who died in infancy ; James 
H., of this review; and Amanda C, who is 
now the wife of Martin J. Rubican. 

James H. Alontgomery was born in the 
city of Wheeling, West A/'irginia, May 8, 
1850, and in 1858 came with his parents to 
Decatur, Illinois. Flere he pursued his edu- 
cation in the public schools, in which he 
continued until his sixteenth year. He 
then entered Mount Zion Academy, where 
he pursued his studies for one year, after 
which he returned to the farm. Soon, how- 
ever, he began teaching and followed that 
profession for four years. He was next em- 
ployed by the Haworth Manufacturing 
Company and afterward by B. F. Avery & 
Son, while subsequently he was with the 



34 



i>3': 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



F. B. Tait Manufacturing Company. In 
1898 he began dealing in real estate, hand- 
ling both city and farm property. Me han- 
dles lands in Illinuis, .Missouri, .\rkansas, 
-Minnesota, Indiana and Wisconsin, and in 
this work is associated with Hon. John A. 
lirown. under the firm name of ilrown & 
.Montgomery. Both partners are old resi- 
dents of Macon county and here hear an ex- 
ceJU-nt reputation fur fair dealing. They 
have built up a large business not only in 
Decatur, but in the states mentioned. They 
handle large amounts of realty anmiallv and 
their yearly sales have reached a very grati- 
fying figure. 

In his political \ie\vs .Mr. ^Montgomery 
is a Republican, but ne\er sought or de- 
sired office. He keeps well informed on 
the issues of the day, however, and is thus 
able to support his position by intelligent 
argument. He labored earnestly for ■ the 
success of the party principles during the 
McKinley campaign in iSgf). The greater 
part of his attention, however, has been de- • 
voted to his business affairs and in con- 
nection with the real estate operations of 
this section of Illinois he is widelv known. 



C. H. BEAN. 

In a i)leasani home on one of the good 
farms of Macon county, located in Pleasant 
View township, resides C. H. Bean, who 
is one of Illinois' native .sons, his birth hav- 
ing occurred in LaSallc county, .\ugust 15, 
1857. His parents were Jac<ib H. and Han- 
nah I Kolb) Bean, both of whom were 
natives of Chester county, Pennsylvania, 
the father having been born of luiglish pa- 
rentage, while the mother came of C.crman 
descent. 'Fhe father was a wagonmaker in 
the Keystone state and also sold farm ma- 
chinery there, .\bout 1850 he came to Illi- 
nois and here t>n-ned his attention to farm- 
ing. ])urchasing a tract of land in l.aSalle 



county, lie bought this of the government 
and he also purchased a farm in Carroll 
county, near .Mount Carroll, whereon he 
lived until 1865, when he sold that prop- 
erty and came to Macon county. Here he 
purchased six hundred and forty acres of 
land from the Illinois Central Railroad 
Company for ten dollars per acre, and de- 
veloped a splendid farm, which is still in 
possession of his heirs. It is upon this 
farm that C. H. Bean resides. In the family 
were seven children, of whom four are yet 
living. The two eldest, however, died in 
infancy. Amanda is the wife of D. X. Sy- 
ford, of Lincoln, Nebraska, who is a farmer 
and stock-raiser, making a specialty of 
polled .Angus cattle. C. H. is the next of the 
family. Martha V. is the widow of Edward 
L. Garwood and resides on the northeast 
quarter of section 10, Pleasant X'iew town- 
ship. W. H. married .Miss Lizzie Ballard, 
of Bloomington, and after her death wedded 
Hattie Bethards. of (,'hristian county. He 
is a clothing merchant of I>lue Mound and 
lives in Pleasant \'iew township. Emma, 
the youngest, died at the age of three years. 
The mother's death occurred .April 28. 1888, 
when she was nearly sixty-six years of age, 
and the father's death occurred in 1898, 
when he was about seventy-fi\'e years of age. 
To the district schools C. H. Bean is in- 
debted for his preliminary educational train- 
ing. • He afterward attended the State Nor- 
mal University, at .Xormal, Illinois, and the 
Jackson\iile lUisiness College. Following 
his return home he worked upon his father's 
i"ann and was twenty-se\en years of 
age when he began farming and rais- 
in stock for himself. lie has since 
ccintinued to engage in agricultural 
inirsuits and has made a s]3ecialty 
of the raising of ])olled .Angus cattle 
and Poland China hogs, having considerable 
registered stock and jdacing upon the mar- 
ket only high grades. His farm comprises 
two hundred and fort\- acres of land, which 



m 




GARRETT S- STOUTENBOROUGH 




MBS. MARGARET J. STOUTENBOROUGH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



539 



is very valuable and productive and his is 
one of the fine farms of the county. 

On the ist of September, 1885, Mr. Bean 
was married to Miss ^lary A. Gregory, a 
daughter of Jacob Gregory, of this county. 
By this marriage there are seven children : 
Harley, born June 17, 1887; ^lay, January 
13, 1890; Inez, March 19, 1892; Carl, No- 
vember 7, 1894; Hazel, March 27, 1897; 
Fred, May 30, 1899; and Roy, November 
20, 1902. Mr. Bean has been successful in 
his chosen field of labor and is now very 
comfortably fixed in life. He erected on 
his land an attractive home, which, with the 
other modern improvements and surround- 
ings, constitutes this one of the best and 
most desirable farms in Pleasant View 
township. 



GARRETT S. STOUTENBOROUGH. 

Garrett S. Stoutenborough, of Maroa, is 
the possessor of a handsome property which 
now enables him to spend his years in the 
pleasurable enjoyment of his accumulations. 
The record of his life, previous to 1891, is 
that of an active, energetic, enterprising and 
methodical business man, who bent his en- 
ergies to the honorable acquirement of a 
comfortable competence for himself and 
family. 

Mr. Stoutenborough was born in Butler 
county, Ohio, in 1824, and is a son of John 
and Jane (Schenck) Stoutenborough, both 
natives of New Jersey, the former born in 
1791, the latter in 1796. The father was a 
farmer and followed that occupation in Ohio 
throughout the years of his manhood. In 
the schools of his native state our subject 
acquired his education and during his minor- 
ity aided in the work of the home farm, 
thereby gaining a good practical knowledge 
of agricultural pursuits. At the age of 
twenty-one he commenced farming on his 
own account, operating rented land for nine 
years. Coming to Illinois in 1854 he first 



located near Kenney, DeWitt county, where 
he purchased a small tract of land, to which 
he subsequently added from time to time 
as his financial resources permitted until 
he and his wife became the owners of seven 
hundred acres of land near that place and 
si.x hundred acres in ^lacon county. The 
wife also owns the residence they now oc- 
cupy in Maroa, where they have made their 
home for the past twelve years. The price 
paid for his land has ranged' all the way 
from twenty-five to seventy-seven dollars 
per acre. In his farming operations Mr. 
Stoutenborough was remarkably successful, 
being a man of good business and executive 
ability, as well as a thorough and pains- 
taking farmer, and he generally carries for- 
ward to successful completion whatever he 
undertakes. He has made all of the im- 
provements upon his farms, which are now 
operated by his children. 

In 1845 ^ff. Stoutenborough married Miss 
Margaret J. Hankinson, who was born in 
1825 and is a daughter of James and Sarah 
Hankinson. Her father was also an Ohio 
farmer. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenborough 
were born the following children : Sarah 
Jane, born March 18, 1848, is now the wife 
of James Fruit, who lives on our subject's 
farm near Kenney, and by whom she has 
three children ; T^Iary E., born October 7, 
1850, is the wife of Edward Schoby, of I 
Witt county, and they have three children; 
James, born January 16, 1854, married Ella 
Baird and has one child living; John, born 
September 14, 1856, married Ella Miller and 
with his wife and five children lives in Ma- 
roa township, Macon county ; William, born 
April 13, 1858, married Hattie Miller and 
has four children ; Frank, born November 
20, 1861, wedded Emma Moore and has fovr 
children. He makes his home near Ken- 
ney. Mr. Stoutenborough has three broth- 
ers living in ^laroa. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenborough hold mem 
bership in the ^Methodist Episcopal church 



540 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and he votes with the Republican party. He 
has filled the office of school director hut 
has never cared for political preferment, his 
time and attention being wholly occupied 
by his business affairs in early life. When 
he came to this state they were just build- 
ing the railroad through ^laroa but the vil- 
lage had not yet sprung into existence and 
he has watched with interest the growth 
and development of this region, at the same 
time taking a very active part in its up- 
building. Now in his eightieth year, his 
career has ever been such as to command 
the respect and confidence of men and he is 
well worthy of representation in the his- 
tory of his adopted county. 



JOHN R. FITZGERALD. 
John R. Fitzgerald is the junior member 
of the well known law firm of Decatur of 
Wills & Fitzgerald. He was born upon 
a farm in IMoultrie county, Illinois, Novem- 
ber 29, 1873, his parents being M. C. and 
Ellen (Delahunty) Fitzgerald, who in 1870 
came to this state and established their 
home near Bethany, where the father en- 
gaged in general farming and stock-raising. 
He still resides upon that farm and thus for 
more than a third of a century has been 
identified with agricultural interests there. 
John R. Fitzgerald, who is one of a family 
of five children, began his education, as did 
the other members of the household, in the 
district school. Later, however, he had the 
opportunity of attending the Bethany high 
school, in which he was graduated and after- 
ward he entered the Lincoln University. 
His mental training was still further ob- 
tained in the State University of Cham- 
paign, where he pursued his studies for three 
years. Thus he gained broad general and 
literary knowdedge to serve as the founda- 
tion upon which to rear the superstructure 
of his professional learning. Upon the com- 
pletion of his college course he took up the 



stud}- of law in the office of Judge Cochran, 
at Sullivan, under whose direction he pur- 
sued his reading until he was ready for en- 
trance into the law department of the Uni- 
versity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where 
he was graduated in 1894. For a year there- 
after he served as a clerk in the office of 
.Mills Brothers. He was then admitted to 
the bar in 1895 before the supreme court at 
Springfield and came to Decatur, where he 
opened a law office. Soon thereafter he 
entered into partnership relations with L. 
A. Mills, under the firm name of Mills & 
Fitzgerald, and they have since been en- 
gaged in general practice. The firm has 
won- a wide reputation for ability and 
splendid success has attended them in 
the control of numerous interests in 
which they have been employed. As a law- 
yer Mr. Fitzgerald is distinguished in the 
trial of cases in court, where his quick per- 
ception, close reasoning and power of speech 
make him a dangerous antagonist. 

It was on the 30th of October, 1899, that 
Mr. Fitzgerald was united in marriage to 
Miss Jennie Griffin, of Dalton, Illinois, a 
daughter of P. Griffin. They are surrounded 
in their home by many friends and are well 
known young people of this city. Mr. 
Fitzgerald is a young man of strong men- 
tality, of keen intellect, logical in his ans- 
wers and forceful in his reasoning and thus 
his qualities are such as insure success in 
the arduous and difficult profession of the 
law. Being a Republican in politics he 
stands high in the council of his party and is 
an able exponent of its principles on the 
platform, but has never sought public office. 
He is a member of a great many fraternal 
and benevolent organizations. 



BUTLER SIMPSON. 
This well known and highly esteemed 
citizen of Hickory Point township is a 

native of Illinois, his birth having occurred 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



541 



in St. Clair county on the 4th of May, 1848. 
His father, W. G. Simpson, was born in the 
same county and was a son of William G. 
Simpson. The grandfather was of English 
descent and his wife belonged to an old 
\'irginian faniih'. .At a very earl}- day they 
came to Illinois and settled in St. Clair 
county and there the father of our subject 
made his home until 1854, when he came to 
Macon county, the trip being made in a 
prairie schooner. He first located two and 
a half miles west of Decatur, where he lived 
in a log cabin until February, 1857, and 
then removed to the northwest corner of 
Macon county, settling on section 21, Ni- 
antic township. On coming to this county 
he brought stock with him and throughout 
the remainder of his life was quite ex- 
tensively engaged in the stock business. 
His first purchase of land in Niantic town- 
ship consisted of a tract of one hundred and 
sixty a<:res, to which he subsequently added 
until he had two hundred and eighty acres. 
Upon the old homestead his daughters now 
reside. The family passed through the usual 
pioneer experiences and the father materi- 
ally aided in the early development of this 
section of the state. After a useful and well 
spent life he died at Illiopolis, May 19, 1903, 
when over eighty-one years of age, and his 
wife, who was also a native of St. Clair 
county, passed away in 1902, at the age of 
eighty years. Both were laid to rest in 
Long Point cemetery, Niantic township. 

Eleven children were born to this worthy 
couple, eight of whom are still living, name- 
ly: Butler, of this review; Kate, wife of 
Thomas Wright, of Niantic township ; Mrs. 
A. E. Sullivan, a widow living in Illiopolis ; 
William, a resident of Logan county, Illi- 
nois ; Jacob and Edward, both of I\Iacon 
county ; John, of Christian county ; and Ida, 
of Illiopolis. 

Butler Simpson was only six years of age 
when he accompanied his parents on their 
removal to Macon county and here he ob- 



tained his education in the common schools. 
The earlyhome of the familywas a log cabin, 
but during the boyhood of our subject a 
frame house, sixteen by thirty-two feet, was 
built. .\s the land which his father pur- 
chased was wild and unimproved he assist- 
ed in breaking many an acre of virgin soil 
with a plow that cut a furrow from eighteen 
to twenty inches wide, to which were at- 
tached four or five yoke of cattle. He began 
plowing when only ten years of age and 
continued to drive cattle until twenty-two. 
He not only became familiar with the work 
of the fields but with household duties as 
well. He would shear the sheep, spin the 
wool into yarn and knit his own socks and 
mittens. At that time all of the clothing 
of the family was home-made. Deer were 
often seen and other wild game was plenti- 
ful, the ducks and geese rising from the 
ponds in great dark clouds. During his boy- 
hood I\Ir. Simpson thus had ample oppor- 
tunity to indulge his love of hunting. The 
young farm animals had to be penned up 
every night to keep them from the wolves 
who often came prowling around the house, 
and rattlesnakes were also very numerous at 
that time. Mr. Simpson killed the last den 
of young wolves found in his neighborhood. 
He has often assisted his mother in mold- 
ing candles to light their little home and 
has driven six miles for wood to be burned 
in the old fashioned fireplace. He used to 
go to market in a two-wheeled wagon 
drawn by two yoke of oxen over almost 
impassable roads between his home in Ni- 
antic township to Decatur, a distance of 
seventeen miles. P'arming was then carried 
on in a rather primitive manner, the grain 
being cut with a cradle and thrashed out 
by horses. It will thus be seen that Mr. 
Simpson is thoroughly familiar with pio- 
neer conditions, yet those were the good old 
times when the latch-string was always 
out and hospitality reigned supreme in the 
little cabin home. 



542 



PAST AND TRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



At Illiopolis, on the 5th of Marcli, 1873, 
Mr. Simpson was united in marriage to 
Miss Martha Gourley, who was born in 
Carter county. Tennessee, September i, 
1856, a daughter of Marcus L. and Julia 
A. (Edens) Gourley. The father was also 
born in that county, April 19, 1831, his 
parents being Charles and Nancy (Morgan) 
Gourley. Charles Gourley was educated 
in Edinburgh, Scotland, becoming a civil en- 
gineer and government surveyor, and in the 
community where he resided was recog- 
nized as a very prominent citizen. In 1837 
in Tennessee while fording a river on horse- 
back he was drowned and his wife died the 
following year, thus leaving Marcus L. 
Gourley an orphan at the age of seven 
years. There were six other children in 
the family. His brother, David, was killed 
at Chucks Crossroads, Tennessee, during the 
Civil war and was buried on the battlefield, 
and Jiis brother William, who was serving 
as 'captain of Company C, Thirteenth Ten- 
nessee Cavalry was killed at Marion, Vir- 
ginia, and his remains were also interred 
at the scene of conflict which cost him his 
life. After the death of his parents, Mar- 
cus L. Gourley lived with an aunt until 
his sixteeenth year, when he started out in 
life for himself with a limited education, 
working on a farm at six dollars per month. 
.'\t the end of five years he rented land in 
Tennessee and carried on farming there 
until 1856, when he removed to Sangamon 
county. Illinois, locating near Springfield, 
where he operated rented land until 1868. 
That year he purchased a farm on which he 
made his home until 1882 and then re- 
moved to mini township, Macon county, 
buying an eighty acre tract near Harris- 
town. In 1883 he located on section 35. 
Hickorj' Point township, two and a half 
miles north of Decatur on the Blooming- 
ton road, where our subject and his wife 
now reside. When Mr. Gourley first landed 
in Illinois he had onlv fiftv cents and a 



wife and two children depending on him for 
support. His wife died September i, 1887, 
and was buried in Boiling Springs ceme- 
tery, where a monument now marks her 
last resting place. Mr. Gourley was a 
Republican in politics and was a good re- 
liable business man. He died in February 
1900, and was buried by the side of his wife. 
He was married in 1852 and had three 
children but Lavina died in infancy and 
John E. died April 11, 1890, so that Mrs. 
.Simpson is the only one now living. 

Unto our subject and his wife have been 
born seven children : Annie E., now the 
wife of Charles Marshall, of Niantic town- 
ship ; Bertha, wife of W. G. Gourley, of 
Perry, Iowa ; Lucy, wife of Frank Hays, 
who lives on the Bloomington road; Nel- 
lie E., Julia and Otto W., all three at home; 
and one who died in infancy. 

For one year after his marriage Mr. 
Simpson lived on his father's old home- 
stead and then purchased eighty acres of 
])artially improved land in Illini township, 
where he lived for a number of years. On 
selling that ])lace he bought another eighty 
acre tract one mile south of the old home 
place and resided there until his removal 
to his wife's farm on section 35, Hickory 
Point townsliip. Here he now lives retired, 
the farming being operated by hired help, 
while he enjoys a well merited rest. 

Mr. Simpson's interests center in his fam- 
ily, especially in his descendants, and he 
has three very interesting pictures, one of 
four generations of males, the second of 
four generations of females, and the third a 
group of the whole family. These he 
prizes very highly. Politically he is a 
stanch Democrat and he has been called 
upon to fill the offices of commissioner of 
highways in Illini and Niantic township, and 
was also school director for many years. 
His father was identified with the building 
of churches and school houses in Niantic 
township, and the family has always taken 




THOMAS B DOAKE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



545 



an active interest in the growth and devel- 
opment of the county, doing all in their 
power for its improvement. 



THOMAS B. DOAKE. 

Thomas B. Doake, now deceased, was a 
well known liveryman of Decatur for many 
years and among the earlier representatives 
of the business interests of the city, com- 
ing here in 1854. Illinois claimed him 
among her native sons, for his birth oc- 
curred in Quincy, this state, on the 19th 
of September, 1846. His parents were Mad- 
ison and Mary Ann Doake. At an early 
epoch in the history of Sangamon county, 
Illinois, the father located within its bor- 
ders and for a few years was engaged in 
farming there. He afterward removed to 
Quincy, Illinois, where he lived until 1854, 
when he came to Decatur. Here he was 
engaged in buying and shipping stock for a 
few years and in 1856, while traveling in a 
stock train between Decatur and St. Louis, 
he was killed in a railroad accident, which 
occurred at Taylorville, Illinois. His wife 
passed away in Springfield some years later. 

To the common school system of the state 
Thomas B. Doake was indebted for the 
educational privileges which he enjoyed. 
After leaving school he was employed in 
various ways in Quincy until his father's 
removal to Decatur, when he came to this 
city and assisted in the stock business here 
for a few years. After his marriage he 
turned his attention to the livery business, 
establishing a barn in Decatur at Nos. 205 
to 225 West Wood street. There he con- 
ducted a very fine livery and boarding stable 
and also did transfer business for many 
years. He had a large line of fine carriages 
and many good horses and from the public 
he received a liberal patronage because of 
his well known fairness in business trans- 
actions and earnest desire to please his cus- 



tomers. He was a lover of fine horses, care- 
ful in his treatment of them and gave them 
every consideration which is due from man 
to the animal world. 

Mr. Doake was married April 16, 1871, 
in Mount Zion, Macon county, to Miss Mar- 
garet Ballinger, a native of West Virginia, 
born December 2, 1852, and a daughter of 
Robert and Catherine M. Ballinger, who 
removed to Macon county in i860, settling 
on a farm in Wheatland township, where 
they resided until death, the father passing 
away in 1862, while the mother long sur- 
vived and departed this life in 1895. Four 
children graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. 
Doake : Jessie, now the wife of George Mc- 
Crory, a resident of Peculiar, Missouri ; 
Cora B., the wife of James Logan, who is 
a traveling salesman and makes his home 
in Decatur; Mary M., the wife of Everett 
Iv. Ehrhart, a groceryman doing business 
at No. 27s West Greene street, Decatur; 
and Robert C, who resides with his mother. 

Mr. Doake voted with the Democracy 
and never faltered in his adherence to Demo- 
cratic principles.' The citizens of Decatur 
and Macon county wished him to accept the 
nomination for county sheriff on several 
different occasions, but he always refused, 
never being an office seeker, content to do 
his public duty as a private citizen. He 
belonged to the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows, holding membership in the lodge 
in Decatur, and both he and his wife were 
members of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church here. A very prominent citizen, he 
was well known through Macon county and 
in his business affairs he gained success. 
He had many friends here, his genial man- 
ner, unfailing courtesy and unostentatious 
life winning him the warm regard of those 
with whom he was associated. After her 
husband's death Mrs. Doake sold the livery 
business. She and her son reside at No. 
1015 North Edward street and the residence 
property there she owns. 



AG 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



NICHOLAS UU.M.MERSBACH. 

Industry wisely and vigorously applied 
ne\er fails of success but carries a man up- 
ward and onward and in due time he 
reaches the goal of his ambitions. The 
truth of this statement has been many times 
verified in the lives of the prosperous citi- 
zens of the United States and again finds 
exemplification in the career of Nicholas 
Boniinershach, who is the leading florist of 
of Decatur, carrying on an extensive and 
profitable business. 

Mr. Bomniersbach is a native of Metz, 
France, born on the ^loselle, on the 25th 
of June, 1S45. His parents were John and 
Susan (Laqua) llommersbach and the name 
is of Holland origin. The father was a 
farmer by occupation and died in France— 
his native country — in 1872. The subject 
of this review was early trained to the 
business in which he is now engaged. .\t 
the age of fifteen years he began to learn 
the florist's trade, for which privilege he had 
to pay three hundred and fifty dollars, in 
order to receive his special instruction of 
the leading florists of France. During the 
first two years he received no wages. He 
has a diploma which was signed by the 
mayor for each two years' service. This 
had to be done before he could receive any 
compensation for his labors. He spent the 
years of his apprenticeship in the Leona 
florists gardens, where twenty-five men 
were employed, roniaining there from 1862 
until 1865. Tn the year 1870 he joined the 
French army for service in the Franco- 
Prussian war and went to Belgium and from 
there to Paris. He participated in the battle 
of Weissenberg and in the battle of Sedan 
where Napoleon was captured. In Paris 
he was stationed in the Fort Setienne and 
took part in many actions of that siege dur- 
ing the summer of 1870. He was afterward 
at Versailles, where he did guard duty un- 
til the 6th of April. 1871. The soldier en- 
dured manv hardships ancl trials and fre- 



iiuentiy had hartlly enough to keep him from 
starving. 

.■\fter being mustered out of the service 
Mr. Bonnnersbach returned to his home in 
.Melz. l)ul the idea of seeing his province 
Alsace become a part of Germany was so 
distasteful to him that he determined to 
emigrate to America and in 1871 he crossed 
the Atlantic to the United States, landing 
at New York on the nth of June of that 
year. He then made his way from there 
to Albany, Indiana, but after a short time 
he went to Nashville, Tennessee, where he 
remained for two years, being in the employ 
of Mr. Clement, a florist. On the expira- 
tion of that period he went to Indianapolis, 
Indiana, where he spent two and a half 
years in the service of Herr Recourt. From 
1876 until 1881 he served as florist for the 
.State Insane Asylum in Indianapolis, hav- 
ing entire charge of the improvement and 
beautifying of the grounds there, eighteen 
men working under his supervision. On 
the T7th of March, 1881, Mr. Bomniersbach 
arrived in Decatur, where he established 
a business of his own on a small scale. 
Each year he has built additions to his 
greenhouses until they are now the most 
extensive and his plant is the largest of the 
kind in Decatur or this portion of the state. 
Success has attended his efforts since his 
arri\-al here and is the outcome of his in- 
dustry, guided by intelligence and experi- 
ence. 

On the 28th of December, 1876, Mr. Bom- 
mersbach was united in marriage to Miss 
Rebecca Cody, of Indianapolis, and unto 
ihem were born five children, but only two 
are now living, John and Albert. Those 
who have passed away are Estella, who died 
at the age of five years ; Arthur, who died 
at the age of nine years and six months; 
and Katie, who passed away at the age of 
four years. 

In 1899 Mr. Bomniersbach was made a 
Alason. He belongs to Macon Lodge, No. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



547 



8, A. F. & A. M. : Macon Chapter, No. 21, 
R. A. A[. : Bcaunianoir Commandery, No. 

9, K. T. : to the Mystic Shrine of Peoria, 
and to Decatur Chapter. No. in, O. E. S. 
He is also connected with the Knights of 
Pythias Fraternity and the Modern Wood- 
men of America. He is one of Decatur's 
sohd men and has done considerable for 
his adopted city in the way of co-operating 
in general improvements. He is a most 
genial man to meet and is a tine illustration 
of the self-made man. He began his career 
under somewhat adverse circumstances, 
being compelled to make his own way and 
his success in life illustrates most forcibly 
the power of patience and persistent effort 
and self-reliance. He has so conducted all 
affairs, whether of a private interest or 
of public trust, as to merit the esteem of 
all classes of citizens. 



JOHN L. DRAKE. 
John L. Drake, who is engaged in the 
hardware business and has done much to 
improve the city both through his business 
activity and capable official service, has 
spent almost his entire life in Macon coun- 
ty. He was born upon a farm near Argenta 
on the 25th of October, 1854, and is a son 
of John and Rebecca (Robinson) Drake. 
But little is known concerning this branch 
of the Drake family yet it is reasonable to 
think that the ancestors of our subject were 
from New Jersey and at an earlier date 
from New England. The Robinson family 
also lived in the east and the grandfather 
of our subject, removing westward, settled 
in Friends Creek in Macon county when 
his daughter, Mrs. Drake, was only nine 
years of age. A few years afterward he 
removed to Arkansas where his last days 
were spent. John Drake was one of the 
pioneers of Macon county, coming to this 
state about 1843 from New Jersey. He 



purchased a large tract of land which he 
improved, but in the work of development 
he subjected himself to exposure and as 
the result of this and his untiring efforts his 
career was terminated in death at the early 
age of forty years, passing away in 1855. 
At the time of his demise he was the owner 
of three hundred and twenty acres of valu- 
able land in ]\Iacon county. His widow sur- 
\ived him until November, 1898, when she, 
too, died at the age of seventy-two years. 
They were the parents of five children, but 
two of the number died in infancy. The 
others are S. P., a resident of Luddington, 
Illinois ; John L. : and Isaac, who died at the 
age of twenty-one years. 

John L. Drake, whose name introduces 
this record, has practically spent his entire 
life in Macon county and his early privi- 
leges were those of the common schools and 
such as might be obtained upon the home 
farm. He began earning his own living 
by working as a farm hand at twelve dol- 
lars per month and was thus employed for 
two and a half years. He then began farm- 
ing on his own account in Friends Creek 
township when but eighteen years of age. 
Later he purchased land and improved it, 
carrying on agricultural pursuits with good 
results for fourteen years. On the expira- 
tion of that period Mr. Drake took up his 
abode in Argenta, where he engaged in the 
lumber business for two years and in the 
spring of 1889 he removed to Nebraska, 
while in the fall of i8go he came to Decatur. 
Here he has engaged in the real estate busi- 
ness and has handled considerable valuable 
property, negotiating many important realty 
transfers. He bought and now owns three 
hundred and seven acres of valuable land in 
Macon county and in 1893 he built the Co- 
lumbia block and has other moneyed in- 
terests in Decatur. 

On the 3d of August, 1903, he purchased 
the stock of the Barnett Hardware Com- 



5^8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



pan)', which is the oldest store of the kind 
in the county, it being first owned by Mr. 
Close, later by the firm of Close & Gris- 
wold, still later by C. L. Griswold and aft- 
erward by C. M. Piarnett. Mr. Drake is 
now carrying on this business and has the 
second largest stock of hardware in the 
county. 

The home life of Mr. Drake has been very 
pleasant. He was happily married April 
12, 1877, to Miss Aura Belle Dickey, a 
daughter of Harvey Dickey, a pioneer of 
Macon county. Six children have been born 
this marriage : Jeanette M., who has been 
educated for the duties of a librarian and 
was graduated at Champaign, Illinois, in 
the class of 1903; Clarence E., who is with 
the Decatur Plumbing & Heating Company 
and who married ]\liss Amy Bray, of this 
city; Mabel; Erma Fay; Leah, deceased; 
and Louise. 

Mr. Drake is an ardent supporter of the 
Republican party, casting his first ballot for 
Rutherford B. Hayes and for each Repub- 
lican presidential candidate since that time. 
He has been honored with a number of local 
positions, having been elected alderman of 
his ward in 1893 and afterward re-elected 
for a second term. While residing upon 
the farm he served as commissioner of high- 
ways and has always been most loyal in his 
performance of public duties. He is a 
member of Chevalier Bayard Lodge, No. 
189, K. P.; of Celestial Lodge, No. 186, 
1. O. O. F. ; and of Decatur Camp, No. 144, 
M. W. A. In his business career he has 
been active, energetic and successful. His 
close study of the issues and situations has 
made his knowledge broad, thorough and 
comprehensive. His loyalty in citizenship, 
his honesty in business and his trustworthi- 
ness in private life stand as unquestioned 
facts in his career, making him one of the 
most honored and esteemed men that has 
ever represented the city in its council. 



J. H. ARMSTRONG. 
J. IL Armstrong is a young and enterpris- 
ing farmer residing on section 27, Friends 
Creek township. He is one of Macon 
county's native sons, his birth having oc- 
curred in Maroa township on the 2d of 
December, 1871. His parents are William 
and Elizabeth Armstrong, whose sketch ap- 
pears on another page of this volume. Our 
subject was but five years old when the 
family removed from Maroa to Friends 
Creek township and here he grew to man- 
hood amid rural scenes. W^hen not in school 
he assisted in the work of the home farm 
and early acquired an excellent knowledge 
of all the duties which fall to the lot of the 
agriculturist. On attaining his majority 
he began farming for himself upon a one 
hundred and sixty acre tract which then 
belonged to his father, but was purchased 
by our subject in the spring of 1903, and 
to the cultivation of this place he has since 
devoted his time and attention with re- 
sults that are highly satisfactory to himself. 
He raises the grain best adapted to the soil 
and climate of his native county and is also 
interested in the raising of hogs for market. 
His father made all of the improvements 
upon the farm with the exception of the 
house, which is one of the oldest in the 
township and is now being repaired by our 
subject. He is very progressive in his 
farming methods and is meeting with well 
deserved success. 

In 1895 Mr. Armstrong was united in 
marriage to Miss Lula Yates, a daughter 
of D. C. Yates, now living in Missouri, and 
they have one child. Opal, who was born 
January 23, 1896. Mrs. Armstrong is a 
most estimable lady and a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. Socially Mr. 
Armstrong is a Mason and is also a mem- 
ber of the Modern Woodmen of America. 
The Republican party finds in him a stanch 
supporter of its principles but he takes 
little part in politics aside from voting. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



549 



J. D. BOTTRELL. 
In taking up the personal history of J. 
D. Bottrell we present to our readers the 
life record of one who has a wide "acquaint- 
ance in this part of IIHnois and whose ac- 
tivity and integrity in business Hfe as well 
as in social relations has brought him the 
warm regard and friendship of many with 
whom he has come in contact. He was 
born near Mount Auburn in Christian coun- 
ty, November 28, 1859, ^ son of Daniel and 
Mary Ann (Dunn) Bottrell, both of whom 
were natives of England, whence they came 
to America in the fall of 1855, settling in 
Christian county. The father, who was a 
farmer by occupation, purchased one hun- 
dred and eight)'-five acres of land two miles 
northeast of Mount Auburn that is now 
the property of Daniel Bottrell, Jr. The 
father was a veterinary surgeon at Red 
Root, England, and practiced his profession 
until coming to the United States, but here 
devoted his attention to agricultural pur- 
suits until his death, which occurred in the 
winter of 1871. His wife survived him until 
February, 1873, and was then laid by his 
side in Mount Auburn cemetery. They were 
the parents of ten children : Jane, born 
June 15, 1837, died March 9, 1839; Jane, 
the second of the name, was born August 
18, 1839, and is now the wife of Henry 
Gough of Butler, Bates county, Missouri ; 
Daniel, born July 26, 1841, is a retired 
farmer of Illiopolis, Illinois; Samson, born 
April 30, 1844, is a farmer living near Mount 
Auburn ; Emma, born May 10, 1846, is the 
wife of Thomas Wilson, who is living near 
Dalton City, Macon county, and who was a 
surgeon in the Ninth Illinois Infantry and 
was wounded at Fort Donelson ; Mary, born 
January 31, 1847, is the wife of B. F. Sud- 
duth; Annabelle, born October 30, 1861, 
died on the 7th of November of the same 
year; Thomas, born October 26, 1851, mar- 
ried Alice Hershev, and lives north of Os- 



bornville, in Christian county; John and 
our subject complete the family. 

In the common schools of. Christian and 
of Macon counties J. D. Bottrell was edu- 
cated. He left school at the age of nine- 
teen and previous to this time he had be- 
come familiar with farm work, by assisting 
in the labors of field and meadow through 
the months of vacation. His school life end- 
ed, he began farming near Dalton, living 
with his sister, and when twenty years of 
age he bought a farm of eighty acres, which 
he owned and operated for a year and a 
half. He then sold that property and worked 
for others for a year, after which he bought 
one hundred and sixty acres on section 4, 
^Hlam township, which he conducted for 
a year. 

During that time Mr. Bottrell wedded 
Miss Emma Hershey of Mosquito town- 
ship. Christian county, and after living 
upon one farm for two years they removed 
in 1856 to the old Hershey homestead in 
Mosquito township, there remaining un- 
til October, 1895. They then came to 
Blue Mound and Mr. Bottrell now occupies 
a beautiful and substantial residence in the 
eastern part of the city. He still owns, 
however, one hundred and sixty acres of 
land in Mosquito township, which is now 
rented and brings to him a good income. 

Mrs. Bottrell is a daughter of Jacob and 
Sarah (Ebert) Hershey of Christian coun- 
ty, both of whom are natives of Pennsyl- 
vania, born of German ancestry. The 
father was fourteen years of age, the mother 
two years old when with their respective 
parents they removed to Ohio, the families 
settling near ^iassillon. In April, 1865, 
Mr. and Mrs. Hershey came to Illinois and 
located upon a farm of about three hundred 
and sixty acres in Mosquito township, 
Christian county. The father, born August 
23, 1818, died May 9, 1880, and the 
mother, whose birth occurred March 2, 
1822, passed away November i, 1892. They 



550 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



were laid to rest in Stafford cemetery in 
Mosquito township. Of their family 
of ten children Mrs. Bottrell is the young- 
est. The others are James \V., born April 
6, 1859; Nancy, who was born September 
19, 1847, ^"<^' 's the wife of John Goodrich 
of Shelby county, Illinois; Margaret Ann, 
who was born December 9, 1848, and be- 
came the wife of Samuel Reazin, her death 
occurring December 30, 1876, while he died 
December 20, 1898; Isaac Edward, born 
June 10, 1861 ; James E., who was born Sep- 
tember 6, 1851, and died January 3, 1898; 
John I'"., who was born September 12, 1852, 
and is living near Hebron, Nebraska, with 
his wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Maria Morris; Sarah Alice, who was born 
July 14, 1857, and is the wife of Thomas 
Bottrell ; Maria E., who was born April 
17, 1855, and is the wife of Frank Over- 
meyer of Belviderc, Missouri; and Emma 
Frances, born May 30, 1863. Mrs. Bottrell 
was educated in the district schools of Mos- 
quito township and lived at home up 
to the time of h.er marriage. Unto our sub- 
ject and his wife have been born three chil- 
dren : Bertha, who was born July i, 1886, 
and died six days later; Homer Benjamin, 
who was born June 14, 1889, and is attend- 
ing school in Blue Mound; and Mabel 
Pearl, who was born November 11, 1893, 
and is in school. 

.Mr. I'lOtlrell exercises his right of fran- 
chise in support of the men and measures 
of the Republican party and in 1897 he 
served as mayor of Blue Mound. He has 
also been president of the school board here 
and everything pertaining to the public 
good receives his endorsement and co-opera- 
tion. He holds membershiji in the Metho- 
dist Episcopal church, of which he is one 
of the stewards and he belongs to Blue 
Mound Lodge, No. 682, F. & A. M., and to 
the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 607. In 
the former he has been senior deacon and 
for a number of vears has been the treas- 



urer, while in the latter lie was master of 
the exchequer for one year. He likewise 
has membership relations with the Modern 
Woodmen Camp, No. 310, and is ever true 
and loyal to the teachings of these fra- 
ternities, exemplifying in his life their be- 
neficent S]3irit. His success in life is the re- 
sult of his own well directed efforts, for he 
started out with little capital and has grad- 
ually advanced until he now occupies an en- 
viable position among the substantial citi- 
zens of the community, having a comforta- 
ble competence which enables him at the 
present time to live retired. 



:\IRS. MARY E. SMITH. 
Mrs. Mary E. Smith is residing in Deca- 
tur and for long years has been a resident 
of Macon county, having formerly lived on 
a farm within its borders. She bore the 
maiden name of Mary E. Baker and was 
Ijorn in this county on the 24th of Decem- 
ber, 1831, being a representative of one of 
its oldest and most prominent pioneer fam- 
ilies, her father, \Villiam D. Baker, having 
located here in 1828. He was a native of 
North Carolina and when a youth of fifteen 
years became a resident of Rutherford coun- 
ty, Tennessee. In Elkton, Kentucky, he 
learned and followed the carpenter's trade. 
He was married there to Miss Marilla Mar- 
tin and in 1828 he left the south, making 
his way northward to Illinois. He estab- 
lished his home in INIacon county in what 
is now Long Creek township. The wild 
])rairie lands stretched away for miles and 
one could ride long distances without com- 
ing to a fence or building to impede prog- 
ress. Decatur at that time was merely 
talked of as a prospective town site. The 
work of improvement was still in an incipi- 
ent condition and Mr. Baker took an active 
an<l helpful part in developing the county 
and promoting its welfare and growth along 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



551 



the lines of substantial improvement. He 
was a member of the first grand jury and 
court was held in the open air in Decatur 
township, a log being the judge's seat. He 
carried on farming with excellent success 
for many years and after more than a half 
century's residence in Macon county he 
passed away in 1883 at the advanced age 
of eighty-three years. His wife was called 
to her final rest in 1893 at the ripe old age 
of ninety-four years. They were very prom- 
inent and influential people in pioneer times 
and in later years the Baker family was 
very wideh^ and favorably known in Macon 
count}^. In her parents' home ]\Irs. Smith 
spent her girlhood days and was instructed 
in the duties of the household while in the 
subscription schools of the neighborhood 
she acquired her education. 

On March i, i860, in Long Creek town- 
ship, she gave her hand in marriage to Rev. 
John R. Smith, who was born near Jack- 
sonville, Morgan county, Illinois, on the 
I2th of May, 1830. His parents were Mr. 
and Mrs. Hugh Smith, both natives of Ten- 
nessee. The father engaged in farming for 
a number of years in Morgan county, Illi- 
nois. Subsequently he removed to Sanga- 
mon county, Illinois, and there he again 
carried on agricultural pursuits for some 
time. Later he became a resident of Kan- 
sas, where both he and his wife spent their 
remaining days. 

Rev. John R. Smith acquired a good edu- 
cation in the schools of Virginia, Illinois, 
and at Bethel College in McElmoreville, 
Tennessee. Determining to prepare for the 
ministry he studied in order to fit himself 
for this holy calling and became a preacher 
of the gospel in connection with the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian denomination. His 
entire life was devoted to this work and he 
accepted pastorates in various places, do- 
ing effective service in behalf of the cause 
of the ministry. He preached in various 



places in Macon county — his home — and 
was widelv known throughout this section 
of the state. At the time of the Civil war 
he served as a soldier, being loyal to the 
cause of the Union and doing everj^thing 
in his power to uphold the stars and stripes 
and the cause they represented. Mr. Smith 
died in Macon county, March 11, 1864, but 
the influence of his life yet remains for good 
with many who knew him during his active 
ministry. 

Twenty-one years after the death of her 
first husband Mrs. Smith became the wife 
of \\'illiam C. Smith on the 17th of March, 
1885. The latter was born in Rutherford 
county, Tennessee, on the 2d of July, 1819, 
and was but nine years of age when with 
his parents he came to Illinois. He was 
educated in Macon county and then settled 
on a farm at the edge of South Wheatland 
and Blue Mound townships, where he car- 
ried on general agricultural pursuits 
throughout his remaining days. In his farm 
work he was progressive, practical and en- 
ergetic and placed his land under a high 
state of cultivation, so that the fields re- 
turned to him a good income and his crops 
found a ready sale on the market. He took 
a deep interest in church work and for many 
years was an elder in the Cumberland Pres- 
byterian church. Rev. John R. Smith was 
a member of the Masonic order of Deca- 
tur and in his political views was a stanch 
Republican, while William C. Smith was a 
Democrat in his political afiiliations. He 
died January 23, 1899. After his death 
Mrs. Smith resided upon the home farm 
for nine months and then removed to Deca- 
tur, purchasing a residence near her sister, 
Mrs. Dennis, her home being at No. 810 
North Union street. She also receives an 
income from the farm of one hundred and 
eighty acres, a part of which lies in South 
Wheatland township and the remainder in 
Blue Mound township. 



552 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



JOSEPH G. BIXBY. 

Among the young men of Decatur who 
have won prominence in the control of 
business enterprises and have gained suc- 
cess through a close following of the rules 
that govern industry, close application and 
strict integrity is Joseph G. Bixby. He was 
born in Assumption, Christian county, Illi- 
nois, on the 23d of March, 1868, and is a 
son of Lorenzo P. and Martha J. (Starr) 
Bixby. For many years the father was en- 
gaged in the commission business in Deca- 
tur and later was employed in the whole- 
sale department of the harness establish- 
ment of J. G. Starr & Sons. He died at 
the age of sixty-seven years and is still sur- 
vived by his widow and their three chil- 
dren: John S., Eva M. and Joseph G. 

The last named, like the other members 
of the family, entered the public schools 
at the usual age of six years and therein 
continued his studies until he had largely 
completed the various branches of learning 
taught in Decatur. At the age of eighteen 
he entered upon his business career, becom- 
ing an employe in the office of the Decatur 
Coffin Company, where he remained for two 
years. During the succeeding eight years 
he was traveling salesman for the company 
and during that time he became the orig- 
inator and inventor of burial shoes, which 
he patented in 1895. He then began their 
manufacture in company with Frank S. Pit- 
ner under the firm name of Bixby, Pitner & 
Company and upon the death of Mr. Pitner 
his younger brother, Thomas W. Pitner, 
succeeded to the business and thus the same 
firm name has always been retained. The 
company manufactures burial shoes on an 
extensive scale. This product is sold to 
the jobbing trade in New York, San Fran- 
cisco, New Orleans and in other cities 
throughout the United States and a large 
export trade is also enjoyed. The shoe is an 
extension-make, easily adjustable, and has 
found a ready sale on the market. The 



business was begun on a small scale but has 
constantly been increased in order to meet 
the growing demands of the trade and since 
the ist of January, 1903, the firm has occu- 
pied extensive quarters, comprising three 
floors of a building at the corner of South 
Park and State streets. They employ more 
than thirty operatives in their establish- 
ments and the business is constantly grow- 
ing, having more than doubled in the recent 
years. The success of the business is not 
only due to the fact that the article manu- 
factured meets the public want in this di- 
rection but also because of the firm's capa- 
ble manner of introducing their product to 
the trade and placing it upon the market. 

On the 1st of September, 1891, Mr. Bix- 
by was joined in wedlock to Miss Ida Ey- 
man, a daughter of Isaac O. and Mattie 
Eyman, but she died after a short married 
life on the 4th of June, 1894, when only 
twenty-six years of age, leaving a little 
daughter, Helen, who died at the age of 
eighteen months. 

In his fraternal relations Mr. Bixby is 
connected with Chevalier Bayard Lodge, 
No. 189, K. P. ; belongs to the W. C. Roe 
Camp, No. 7201, M. W. A.; Decatur Lodge, 
No. 401, Benevolent Protective Order of 
Elks ; to the Manufacturers' & Jobbers' 
Club ; and to two prominent social organ- 
izations of this city — the Decatur and Coun- 
try Clubs. Spending almost his entire life 
in this city. Mr. Bixby has a wide acquaint- 
ance and a large circle of friends and is 
popular with those who know him l)ccause 
of sterling traits of character, a social, genial 
nature and thorough reliability in all life's 
relations. 



HENRY WELGE. 
Henry Welge is. one of the most prosper- 
ous and successful farmers of Friends Creek 
township, his home being on section i, 
where he owns and operates a well improved 




ALBION DAGGETT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ft5 5 



and valuable farm. He was born in 1844 
in Germany, where his parents, Henry and 
Louisa Welge, spent their entire lives. His 
father was also a farmer. In his native 
land our subject grew to manhood and at- 
tended school until fourteen years of age, 
acquiring a good practical education. He 
then aided his father in the work of the 
home farm until he entered the German 
army, in which he served from 1861 to 1871. 
He took part in the Franco-Prussian war 
and was in a number of important battles. 

In September, 1871, Mr. Welge bade 
good-bye to home and friends and sailed 
for America. After a voyage of eleven days 
he landed in New York city and proceeded 
at once to Macon county, Illinois, where 
he arrived on the 27th of September. Here 
he commenced work for an uncle, who a 
few years later gave him forty acres of 
land, which he operated for a time. He 
then bought eighty acres more, paying for 
the same thirty dollars per acre, and has 
since added to his property from time to 
time until he now has two hundred acres in 
the home place and one hundred and sixty 
acres a little to the west of there. He has 
made all of the improvements upon his farm, 
has set out trees, built a comfortable resi- 
dence and good barn, and now has one of 
the most desirable farms of its size in the 
county. The fields are well tilled and every- 
thing about the place indicates the owner 
to be a man of progressive ideas, very in- 
dustrious and of good business ability. His 
attention is principally given to the raising 
of grain. 

Mr. Welge was married in 1872 to Miss 
Sophia Cook, also a native of Germany, 
and to them have been born five children: 
Christian ; Henry, who married Ada Watts 
and lives in Macon county ; Charlie, who 
is also married ; Fred ; and Bertha. Mr. and 
Mrs. Welge are members of the Lutheran 
church and are people of the highest re- 



spectability. He votes with the Democratic 
party and has filled the office of school di- 
rector in a very creditable and satisfactory 
manner. 



ALBION DAGGETT. 

Albion Daggett is successfully engaged 
as the district agent in the insurance busi- 
ness at Macon and is also serving as justice 
of the peace, a position which he has filled 
for a number of years with credit to him- 
self and satisfaction to his constituents. He 
is thoroughly impartial in meting out jus- 
tice, his opinions being unbiased by either 
fear or favor, and his fidelity to every trust 
reposed in him is above question. 

A native of Maine, Mr. Daggett was born 
in Piscataquis county, on the 4th of Sep- 
tember, 1833, and is a representative of a 
good old Puritan family that was estab- 
lished in America at the landing of the pas- 
sengers from the Mayflower. His parents 
were Elisha and Martha (Bolster) Daggett. 
The father, who was a farmer- by occupa- 
tion, died in 1872 at the age of seventy- 
eight years, and the mother died in 1902, 
at age of ninety-one years. Our subject 
is the oldest of the four children of the 
family that are still living, the others being 
Henry and Thomas, both residents of 
Maine ; and Mrs. Ruth A. Briggs, of Urbana. 
Illinois, who has two daughters. 

In the public schools of his native state 
Albion Daggett acquired his primary edu- 
cation, which was supplemented by a course 
at Foxcroft Academy, Maine, which is still 
in existence, and there he spent two winters. 
At the age of twenty years he began teach- 
ing. On leaving the Pine Tree state he 
came to Illinois in 1856, and during the first 
winter, spent here he was employed as a 
teacher in Lee county. He then rented a 
farm, which he operated during the summer 
months, while through the winter he con- 
tinued his work in the school room during 



556 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the four years of his residence in Lee coun- 
ty. He then removed to Champaign county, 
where he carried on farming for the same 
length of time, wlicn on account of an acci- 
dent he was forced to abandon that occupa- 
tion and turned his attention to painting. 
After liis marriage in 1866 he came to Ma- 
con, where lie has since made his home and 
where he worked at tliat trade for about 
seven years. Since then he has engaged 
in the insurance business and been very 
successful. 

In October, 1866, Mr. Daggett led to the 
marriage altar Miss Emma L. Innis, of 
Champaign county, Illinois, who was born 
in New Jersey, April 15, 1842, of New Eng- 
land ancestry. Her father, David Innis, is 
now deceased, but her mother is still living 
and continues to reside in Champaign coun- 
ty. Of the seven children born to our sub- 
ject and his wife two died in infancy. F.rn- 
est L., born in Macon county, January' 28, 
1869, married Minnie Morris, by whom he 
has three children, and he is now engaged 
in farming in Mount Zion township. Jesse 
A., born .August 16, 1871, was graduated 
at Brown's Business College of Decatur in 
1892 and is now state agent for the Security 
& American Insurance Com])any, hax'ing 
received his business training along that line 
under his father. He married Belle Whit- 
taker. Daisy V., born in Macon, March 27, 
1876, is a popular and successful schot)l 
teacher, who was em])l(3yed in the ])rimary 
department in Macon for some time and has 
recently accepted a similar position at Lov- 
ington, Illinois. Ora E., born May 24, 1880, 
owns a half interest in the Macon Telephone 
Company. He is also a graduate of 
Brown's l>usiness College. Carl K., born 
June 22, 1883, is a graduate of Brown's 
Business College and is his father's assistant 
in the insurance business. 

Mr. Daggett has always taken a deep in- 
terest in political affairs and is one of the 
standardbcarers of the Republican party. 



His fellow citizens recognizing his worth 
and ability have called upon him to fill the 
offices of constable, city marshal, alderman 
and justice of the peace. He was first 
elected to the last named office in 1885 and 
is still filling that position in a most cred- 
itable and satisfactory manner. About 1863 
he was made a Mason in Champaign county 
and is now a member of South I\lacon 
Lodge, No. 467. Both he and his wife hold 
membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
church and take an active interest in its 
work. He has taught in the Sunday school 
for many years, has served as manager of 
church affairs and at present holds the of- 
fice of trustee. He is also president of the 
cemetery association which has well kept 
and beautiful grounds, everything being in 
first class order. As a public-spirited and 
progressive man. Mr. Daggett has done 
much to promote the interests of his town 
and county and is recognized as a most 
valued and useful citizen, never withhold- 
ing his support from any enterprise which 
he believes will prove of public benefit. 



.\. H. DAVIDSON. 
A. H. Davidson, whose fine farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres, pleasantly located 
about a mile south and a half mile east 
uf Blue Mountl, is one of the valuable 
agricultural properties of Macon county, is a 
native of Mosquito township. Christian 
county, where his birth occurred February 
28, i860. His parents were Hezekiah and 
Nancy J. ( Proffitt-Galowa) Davidson. The 
father was born in Kentucky, September 
5, 1826, and his father was an old citizen 
of that state, whence he came to Illinois in 
1829, settling in Greene county. He first 
lived in a tent until a log cabin could be 
built and there amidst the wild scenes of 
frontier life he made his home and reared 
his familv. All of the clothing and shoes 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



557 



were made at home by members of the fam- 
ily and many of the hardships and trials of 
pioneer life were borne. The home farm 
is now occupied by the town of VVrights- 
ville. There the grandfather entered from 
the go\'ernment about a half section of land, 
which he improved and cultivated, making 
his home thereon until his removal to Chris- 
tian county, Illinois. The father of our sub- 
ject went to Christian county in 1859 and 
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of 
land constituting the farm upon which he 
now resides at the advanced age of seventy- 
seven years. He has been twice married, 
liis first union being with Amanda Solomon, 
by whom he had one child, A. B. Davidson, 
a carpenter who is married and resides in 
Blue ]\Iound. Aher the death of his first 
wife Plezekiah Davidson wedded Nancy J. 
Galowa, a native of Tennessee, who was 
born near Chattanooga, whence she re- 
moved to Illinois, the family settling near 
Carlinville, Macoupin county, where her 
father purchased land and improved a farm. 
He carried on the tilling of the soil and 
also engaged in raising stock. Air. David- 
son has followed the same pursuits and has 
been a very active and successful agricul- 
turist of his community. His political sup- 
port has long been given the Democracy 
and for nearly sixt\' years he has been a 
member of the Baptist church. Unto the 
parents of our subject were born nine chil- 
dren, A. H. being the eldest. The others 
are as follows : Sarah C. became the wife 
of W. A. Henderson, a farmer living in the 
northern part of Christian county. She died 
January 22, 1903, and was buried in Hunter 
cemetery. Libbie M. is the wife of William 
L. Carpenter, a farmer and stock-raiser of 
Vermont, living near Granby. Mary La- 
mattie is the wife of J. L. Marshall, a farmer 
of Mosquito township. Christian county. 
Rosa B., who was a successful school teach- 
er, is now at home with her father. Leon- 
ard A. is employed in Bohon's general store 



in Mount Auburn, Illinois, Hettie E. is at 
home. James R. died July 26, 1891, at the 
age of thirteen years and was buried in Hall 
cemetery. X'irgil H. is farming for his 
father. 

In the district schools of jMosqnito town- 
ship A. H. Davidson was educated, leaving 
school when twenty years of age, after 
which he worked on his father's farm for 
a time, as he had also done during the period 
of vacations. He left home at the age of 
twenty-four and began farming for himself 
on rented land, being thus engaged until he 
had saved enough from his earnings to en- 
able him to purchase a farm of his own. In 
1889 he started out with a cash capital of 
eight hundred dollars. Now he owns one 
hundred and sixty acres of valuable land one 
mile south of Blue Mound and a half mile 
east. This is splendidly improved and is 
worth at least one hundred and fifty dol- 
lars per acre. 

On the 25th of October, 1883, Mr. David-^ 
son was married to Martha L. Short, a 
daughter of James A. and Charity (Chaney) 
Short. Her father was the second in a 
family of sixteen children and was born in 
Tennessee in 1827. In 1830 he was brought 
to Illinois by his father, Thomas J. Short, 
who settled on a farm of twelve hundred 
acres near the present site of Wrightville. 
This farm he owned at the time of his death, 
which occurred in 1874, when he was eighty 
years of age. In 1847 J- -'^- Short was mar- 
ried to Charity Chaney. He bought a farm 
in Greene county, Illinois, and lived there 
until 1867, when he removed to a farm of 
two hundred acres in Christian county. 
Three years later he removed to Greenfield, 
Illinois, where his death occurred in 1882. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Davidson have been 
born two sons and two daughters : Rolland 
C, born May 15, 1885, attended the district 
schools, spent the year 1902 as a student in 
the high school of Blue Mound and is now 
upon the home farm. Demry B., born De- 



558 



PAST AND PRESENT OF iMACON COUNTY. 



cember 29, 1888; Louie May, born May 19, 
1892, and Hallie Estella, born September 
20, 1895, are all at home. 

The parents are devout members of the 
-Methodist Episcopal church at Blue Mound 
and ]\lr. Davidson has served as superin- 
tendent of the Sunday-school for a year and 
a half. His political support is given the 
Democracy and he has held various town- 
ship offices. While in Mosquito township, 
Christian county, he was township Sunday- 
school superintendent for three years and 
was also interested in the intellectual de- 
velopment of the coninuniity as a school 
director. Fraternally he is connected with 
the Modern Woodmen of America and Fra- 
ternal Army. In his business afTairs he has 
prospered and now in addition to his fine 
farm he has an interest in the Blue Mound 
C;oal Company. He was one of its three 
incorporators and is now one of its direc- 
tors. Whatever success he has achieved is 
the direct result of his own indefatigable en- 
ergy, perseverance and .sound business judg- 
ment. As a public-spirited and progressive 
citizen he is deeply interested in every 
movement for the general good and his co- 
operation has been a helpful factor along 
mauN- lines. 



J-ACOB R. PRICE. 
For many years Jacob R. Price was iden- 
tified with agricultural interests in Illinois 
and is now living retired at No. 1083 West 
Decatur street in the city of Decatur. His 
residence in Macon county dates from 1S56, 
at which time he took up his abode on a 
farm on section 32, South Wheatland town- 
ship. He is a native of Butler county, Ohio, 
born on the 2Sth of March, 1834. His pa- 
rents, John and Elizabeth (Rhinehari) 
Price, were natives of Rockingham county, 
Virginia, whence they removed to Butler 
county, Ohio, where the father engaged in 
farming until his life's labors were ended 



in death. The mother afterward came to 
Macon county, Illinois, and spent her last 
days in the home of her son Jacob in South 
Wheatland township. This worthy couple 
were the parents of eleven children, name- 
ly : Henry W., who is now residing in Car- 
roll county, Indiana ; Nancy Jane, deceased ; 
Mrs. B. A. Neyhard, who lives in South 
Wheatland township, this county; Benja- 
min v.. who resides in Decatur; Mrs. Alar- 
garet Foster, also of Decatur; William, who 
lives in South Wheatland township; Jacob 
R. ; Sarah, who is the wife of Rev. N. M. 
Baker, of Decatur; .Mary, the wife of A. F. 
Hopkins, of this city; F. O., deceased; and 
Jiilin, who has also passed away. 

To the common-school system of his na- 
tive county Jacob R. Price is indebted for 
the educational privileges he received. Af- 
ter he had attained his majority he sought 
a companion and helpmate for the journey 
of life and on the 8th of February, 1859, was 
united in marriage in Butler county, Ohio, 
to Miss Amy D. Hyatt, a native of Hamil- 
ton county, that state, born on the 26th of 
October, 1837. Her parents were John and 
Martha Hyatt, the former a native of New 
York and the latter of Ohio. Mr. Hyatt 
spent the greater part of his life, however, 
upon a farm in Butler- county, Ohio, wliere 
both he and his wife died. 

-Mr. Price first came to Macon county in 
the year 1856 and he returned from this 
place to Ohio for his bride. He then brought 
her to South Wheatland township, where 
he rented what was known as the old Young 
farm. He afterward ptirchased that land 
and made all of the substantial improve- 
ments upon it. There he resided for many 
}ears, devoting his time and attention to 
the cultivation of his fields and to the raising 
of hogs, both branches of his business prov- 
ing good sources of income. He remained 
an active factor in agricultural circles until 
.September 2, 1902, when he removed to 
Decatur where he has since lived a retired 




JAMES P. BOYD 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



5(11 



life. However, he still owns the farm of 
one hundred and sixty-five acres which he 
rents to his son. 

The home of Mr. and Airs. Price was 
blessed with four children : Florence, who 
died in 1865, at the age of five years ; Mary, . 
the wife of William Montgomery of Deca- 
tur; JNIinnie A., the wife of Frank G. Hill, 
a farmer living in Blue Mound township, 
tliis county; and John, who married Etta 
Hciir_\' and resides on our subject's farm in 
South Wheatland township. 

]\[r. Price has held several minor offices 
in his township, such as school director and 
road overseer. He votes with the Repub- 
lican party and never fails to cast his ballot 
at each election, for he believes it the duty 
as well as the privilege of every American 
citizen to support the measures in which he 
believes. His wife is a member of the 
United Brethren church of Decatur and they 
are now living in a very comfortable home 
at No. 1083 West Decatur street, being sur- 
rounded by the necessities and many of the 
luxuries of life. That Mr. Price is now the 
possessor of a good competence is due to 
his own energy, diligence and persistency 
of purpose in former years. 



JAMES P. BOYD. 
James P. Boyd was for a number of years 
a prominent attorney of Decatur and was 
well known among the early settlers of the 
city. He took up his residence here about 
1855, when Decatur was still a struggling 
town, giving little promise of its present 
prosperity, progress and improved condi- 
tion. Born in Pennsylvania on the 17th of 
November, 1820, he was a son of Samuel 
Boyd and his wife, who were likewise na- 
tives of the Keystone state. For many years 
the father engaged in farming there and 
then removed to a farm near Cambridge, 
Ohio, where he continued to carrv on the 



tilling of the soil until his death. He de- 
veloped a good property and annually har- 
vested large crops which returned to him a 
gratifying income for his labors. Both he 
and his wife died upon the old Ohio home- 
stead. 

James P. Boyd began his education in the 
public schools of Pennsylvania and contin- 
ued bis studies in Ohio. He was reared in 
the usual manner of most farm lads, but 
did not find the work of the fields entirely 
congenial and decided to enter upon a pro- 
fessional career. He therefore began the 
study of law in his native state and after 
the removal of his parents to their farm 
near Cambridge, C)hio, he became a school 
teacher in that vicinity, devoting his leisure 
hours outside of the school-room to the 
further reading of law. There he resided 
until 1855, when he came to the west and 
Decatur was his chosen field of labor. En- 
tering upon the practice of law in this city 
in partnership with James Lake, he soon 
gained a distinctively representative client- 
age here and was connected with much of 
the important litigation tried in the courts 
of Macon county at an early day. His 
knowledge of the science of jurisprudence 
was comprehensive and exact and he ap- 
plied his knowledge with great accuracy to 
the points at issue. 

Soon after his arrival in Decatur Mr. Boyd 
was united in marriage to Mrs. Susan S. 
(McGovern) Packard, a native of Kentucky, 
born October 21, 1827, and a daughter of 
Edmund and Alalinda (Huddleston) Mc- 
Govern, both of whom were natives of Ken- 
tucky and at an early day came to Illinois, 
settling in Morgan county during the 
pioneer epoch in its development. There 
both parents resided until death. Mrs. Boyd 
was first married to Dr. Edmund Packard, 
a representative of the old and prominent 
Packard family of Decatur. The Doctor 
was one of the first residents here and a 
physician of prominence in this city. He 



562 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



practiced both in (Juincy, Illinois, and in 
Decatur until 1849, when, attracted by the 
discovery of gold in California, he made his 
way to the Pacific slope in the hope of rap- 
idly acquiring a fortune there. Death, how- 
ever, interfered with his plans for he passed 
away in the Golden state in 1850. Three 
children had been born of this union ; 
Charles, who married Ella Gosshorn and 
resides in Decatur; Katie, now deceased; 
and Lilly, who is the widow of Monroe Rob- 
ertson and resides with her mother. The 
marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd was blessed 
with six children, namely: Frank S., who 
wedded Ida Hampsher and resides in St. 
Louis ; Lizzie, the wife of Roy Loughbom, 
of Decatur; Laura, who died in infancy; 
lola, the wife of John E. Baker of Mishawa- 
ka, Indiana, by whom she has three chil- 
dren, Forest, Donald and Dorothy ; James 
P., who married Sarah Taylor and is living 
in Spokane, Washington ; Ada, the wife of 
Augustus Meckelnburg, of Mishawaka, In- 
diana. 

After his marriage Mr. Boyd continued in 
the practice of law in Decatur until the Civil 
war broke out. He watched with interest 
the progress of events and when he saw that 
the war was to.be no mere holiday affair and 
that the Union needed the aid of its loyal 
sons he offered his services to the govern- 
ment and became a lieutenant colonel of 
the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment. 
His regiment was in many important bat- 
tles and engagements including the siege 
of Vicksburg in which he was shot through 
the lung. He was then in the hospital for 
a short time, after which he was brought 
home to Decatur. His wound was very 
serious and, hoping that he might bencrit 
his health by a change of climate, he began 
traveling in the south, spending four years 
in this way. He visited New Orleans and 
other southern cities and then at the end 
of four years he returned to his home in 
Decatur. He died on the nth of October, 



1868, his demise being the direct result of 
the injury which he had sustained upon the 
field of battle and thus he gave his life for 
his country just as truly as those whose 
graves were dug on southern battlefields. 

\\'hile in New Orleans Mr. Boyd had 
been appointed circuit judge, but on account 
of illness he refused to serve in that position. 
In politics he was a Republican and he kept 
well informed on the questions and issues 
of the day, believing it the duty as well as 
the privilege of every American citizen to 
exercise his right of franchise in an intelli- 
gent way in the support of the measures 
in which he believed. He was a member of 
the Grand Army Post of Decatur and en- 
joyed the high regard of his brethren of 
that order. His scholarly attainments and 
broad learning made him the companion 
of the best people of Macon county and at 
the bar the members of the legal fraternity 
recognized his ability and accorded him a 
prominent position in their ranks. Before 
going into the service he became the owner 
of a large farm in Niantic township, ]Macon 
county, which he rented and which remained 
in possession of his heirs until recent years, 
when it was sold. He was very success- 
ful in his business affairs and in his prac- 
tice here and was indeed a prominent, in- 
fluential and honored man. Mrs. Boyd still 
lives in Decatur, owning a nice home at 
No. 506 West Williams street, where she 
and her daughter are living, and it has been 
her place of residence for over half a cen- 
tury. She is a member of the First Meth- 
odist Episcopal church of Decatur and is a 
lady whose many e.xcellent traits of heart 
and mind have endeared her to all with 
whom she has been brought in contact. 



CYRUS J. TUCKER. 
The prosperity of any community de- 
pends upon its business activity and the en- 
terprise manifest in commercial circles is 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



563 



the foundation upon which is builded the 
material welfare of town, state and nation. 
The most important factors in public life 
to-day are therefore the men who are in con- 
trol of successful business interests and such 
a one is Cyrus J. Tucker, who is engaged 
in general merchandising at Warrensburg 
and is serving as supervisor of his town- 
ship. 

He was born on the 26th of October, 
1868, in mini township, and is a son of Jo- 
seph Clough Tucker, who was a resident 
of Macon county frorn 1861 until his death, 
September 14, 1903, his remains being in- 
terred in mini cemetery. The father was 
born in Merrimac county. New Hampshire, 
December 19, 1838, in the same house where 
the birth of his father, ]\Iajor Cyrus Tucker, 
occurred. Our subject's great-grandfather 
was Rev. Jedediah Tucker, a native of Mas- 
sachusetts and a pioneer of the Old Granite 
state, where he located in 1784. He was a 
Congregational minister and served as pas- 
tor of one church for thirty years. His 
son. Major Cyrus Tucker, grew to manhood 
in his native county and there married Miss 
Fannie J. Hoyt, a daughter of Jacob Hoyt, 
who was a representative of one of the 
early Puritan families of New Hampshire 
and reached the advanced age of ninety- 
five years. The Major was a very promi- 
nent man and won his title while serving 
in the State iNIilitia. He died on the 12th 
oi November, 1850, and his wife passed 
away October i, 1843. 

Joseph C. Tucker, the father of our sub- 
ject, received a good education, being a 
student in the Quaker college at Providence, 
Rhode Island, for two years, during which 
"time he completed the mathematical course. 
He then taught school for two seasons in 
New Hampshire. As before stated he came 
to Macon county, Illinois, in 1861, and for 
many years was identified with its agri- 
cultural interests. He resided at his home 
just outside of Warrensburg from the ist 



of April, 1872, until his death, and his place 
was one of the best in Illini township. He 
owned considerable property and was num- 
bered among the well-to-do citizens of his 
community. Politically he was a stanch 
Democrat and frequently served as a dele- 
gate to state and county conventions. He 
was very prominently identified with public 
aft'airs, serving as assessor of his township 
three years, supervisor for several years and 
also as township trustee. Fraternally he 
was a Knigh*- Templar Mason. On the 5th 
of February, 1868, in Macon county, Mr. 
Tucker was united in marriage to Miss 
Emma Ferree, a native of Pike county, Illi- 
nois, who died November 5, 1883, leaving 
five children, namely : Cyrus J., Benjamin 
F., Joseph T., John Guy and Charles. For 
his second wife he wedded Mrs. Mary J. 
Ferry, and his third wife was Martha K. 
Clough, who died ten days after their mar- 
riage. 

Cyrus J. Tucker attended the public 
schools of this county and completed his 
education in the high school of Decatur but 
left school on the death of his mother when 
in his senior year. He remained with his 
father on the farm near Warrensburg until 
1887, and then engaged in farming by the 
year until the 19th of December, 1892, when 
he embarked in general merchandising as 
a member of the firm of Ritchie, Tucker & 
Company'. In January, 1896, he purchased 
Mr. Ritchie's interest in the business, and 
became sole proprietor of the store twd 
years later, since which time he has been 
alone in business. In 1900 he enlarged his 
establishment, making the main room twen- 
ty-four by sixty feet, with a back room 
twenty-four by forty feet stocked with gro- 
ceries and meats ; while the front room is 
devoted to dry goods. He carries a large 
and well selected stock and by fair and 
honorable dealings has built up an excellent 
trade. 

In June, 1896, Mr. Tucker married Miss 



564 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Lillian Thompson, a daughter of Captain 
George W. and Mary (Langston) Thomp- 
son. On the paternal side her ancestors 
came from the Empire state and the Lang- 
stons were from Kentucky. She is the third 
in order of birth in a family of eight chil- 
dren, all of whom reached years of maturity 
with the exception of one. Airs. Tucker 
was educated at the Illinois State Normal 
at Normal and by her marriage has become 
the mother of one son, Gerald, now five 
years of age. She is a member and active 
worker in the Methodist Episcopal church. 
Mr. Tucker is a member of the Illini Con- 
gregational church and served as superin- 
tendent of the Congregational Sunday 
school while living in the country and 
is now assistant superintendent of the 
Methodist Episcopal Sunday school in 
Warrcnsburg. He belongs to the Mod- 
ern Woodmen of America and the In- 
dependent Order of Odd Eellows and is a 
member of the encampment and canton at 
Decatur. In politics he is a Democrat, and 
his fellow citizens recognizing his worth 
and ability have called upon him to serve 
in several official positions of honor and 
trust. He has several times been a delegate 
to county and congressional conventions 
and was once a delegate to the state con- 
vention of his part}', and he has served as 
township clerk, school trustee and super- 
visor, having held tlie last named office for 
six years. He was elected by a large ma- 
jority on the Democratic ticket in a Re- 
publican township and has just entered up- 
on his fourth term. Mr. Tucker gives his 
attention principally to his business inter- 
ests, which have been most carefully man- 
aged, and his success in life is due to his 
own energy, economy and perseverance. In 
most of his undertakings he has prospered, 
and to-dav ranks among the leading and 



substantial 
county. 



)usiness men of his native I 



GEORGE McCUNE. 
-Mthough never a resident of Decatur 
Cjeorgc McCune, now deceased, was well 
known in .Macon county and was an early 
settler of Madison county. He figured 
prominently in the public regard in pioneer 
times for he carried freight and passengers 
between Alton, Illinois, and Decatur, and 
his brother drove a stage coach from Alton 
to St. Louis. His birth occurred in Ireland 
on the i6th of November, 1816, his parents 
being Mr. and Mrs. Hugh McCune, both 
of whom were natives of the Emerald Isle. 
The father of our subject died during the 
early boyhood of our subject. George was 
fourteen years of age when with his mother, 
three brothers and three sisters he bade 
adieu to the land of his nativity and sailed 
for the new world. They first settled in 
Canada, where they lived for a short time 
and then removed to Westmoreland coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania. Our subject was engaged 
in farming there until 1846, when attracted 
by the possibilities of the growing west, 
he came to Illinois, establishing his home 
in Alton, Madison county. He was there 
engaged in teaming for three years, after 
which he purchased a tract of land in that 
county and carried on general farming for 
a number of years. 

While residing in }iIadison county Mr. 
McCune was united in marriage to Miss 
Alargaret Cobinc, who was also born on the 
Green Isle of Erin, a daughter of Thomas 
and Elizabeth (Townly) Cobine, who came 
to America in 1838, settling in Pennsylvania. 
They afterward removed to Madison coun- 
ty, Illinois, where the father was a well 
known farmer for one-third of a century, 
conducting his business in a capable man- 
ner that brought him success. At the end 
of that time he removed to the city of Ed- 
wards\ille, Illinois, w'here both he and his 
wife spent their remaining days. In Alton, 

inois. in 1S50, Mr. McCune was called 
upon to mourn the loss of his first wife. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



565 



There had been three children born of that 
marriage : Samuel T., who is now living 
in Barton county, Missouri ; James W., a 
resident of Wallace, Idaho ; and George, of 
Jasper county, Missouri. After the death 
of his first wife Mr. McCune married her 
sister, Miss Sarah Cobine, who is also a 
native of Ireland, her birth having occurred 
on Christmas day of 1830. Nine children 
were born of this marriage, as follows : 
Thomas, who is agent for the Standard Oil 
Company at Edwardsville, Illinois ; Eliza- 
beth, deceased ; Jennie, the wife of Robert 
L. Dixon, who for the past fifteen years has 
been a well known contractor of Decatur 
and who with his family resides at No. 
862 North Union street, Mrs. McCune liv- 
ing with them ; Hugh John, a resident of 
Alton, Illinois; Joseph D., a teamster of 
Edwardsville ; Charles Grant, who is a sta- 
tionary engineer in East St. Louis, Illinois ; 
Martha Ann, the wife of J. L. Shields, who 
is employed with the Starr Buggy works 
of Decatur; Margaret ^la}', who died at 
the age of two years ; and Ervin Pogue, an 
electrical engineer residing in Decatur. 

After his first marriage Mr. AlcCune en- 
gaged in general farming in Madison county 
until 1885, when on account of advanced age 
and having a capital sufficient to supply 
him with all the comforts and necessities of 
life, he put aside further business cares and 
removed to the city of Edwardsville, where 
he purchased a residence which he occupied 
until called to his final home. He died on 
the 15th of January, 1888, and thus passed 
away one of the old time citizens of Illinois. 
In politics he was a Republican and both 
he and his wife were members of the Pres- 
byterian church of Edwardsville. ^vlrs. Mc- 
Cune now belongs to the Presbyterian 
church of Decatur. After her husband's 
death she continued to reside in Edwards- 
ville until 1892, when she came to this city 
and now makes her home with her daugh- 
ter, Mrs. R. L. Dixon, at No. 862 North 



Union street. She owns property at No. 
835 North Edwards street in Decatur, where 
her other daughter is living and she also 
has other propert\" interests in Madison 
countv, Illinois. 



DANIEL DINNEEN. 
Daniel Dinneen is proprietor of one of 
the extensive grocery stores of Decatur and 
although he entered upon a business al- 
ready established he has succeeded in ex- 
panding it and in enlarging its scope until 
the volume of trade is now very large and 
profitable. Mr. Dinneen is one of Decatur's 
native sons, his birth having occurred here 
on the 6th of October, 1870. His parents 
were John and Rose (McDonald) Dinneen. 
The father was born in County Cork, Ire- 
land, in November, 1836, and was a son of 
Daniel and Catherine (Maloney) Dinneen, 
who were also natives of the Emerald Isle. 
In their family were three children, of whom 
John was the second in order of birth. His 
mother died when he was about six years 
of age and in 1847 the grandfather emi- 
grated to America with two of his children, 
the oldest son having died in Ireland. The 
voyage was made in a sailing vessel from 
County Cork to Montreal, Canada, and soon 
afterward the family continued their jour- 
ney to Worcester county, Alassachusetts. 
John Dinneen had attended school to some 
extent in his native country, but obtained 
the greater part of his education in the Bay 
state, where he attended school regularly 
until he reached the age of fourteen years. 
He then went to work in a cotton factory 
and at intervals he worked on a farm. In 
March, 1856, when twenty years of age, he 
came to Illinois, settling first in Spring- 
field. He was employed there for several 
years on the Great Western Railroad, now 
a part of the Wabash system, being thus en- 
gaged until 1861. He first worked on the 
track and was afterward promoted to take 



566 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



charge of the yard in Decatur, continuing 
to act in that capacity until August, 1875. 
In the early days his work was performed 
in a priinitive manner, while in the Wabash 
Railroad yards he did switching in 1866-7 
with a yoke of oxen. At length retiring 
from railroad service he opened a grocery 
store on North Broadway in Decatur and 
in later years was succeeded by his son 
Daniel, who is now proprietor of the estab- 
lishment. 

In January, 1864, John Dinneen was 
united in marriage to Rose McDonald, a 
native of Ulster, Ireland, and they became 
the parents of two children : Catherine, 
now the wife of M. Leach, of Chicago ; and 
Daniel, of this review. Until February, 
1878, the father resided upon a farm which 
he owned not far from Decatur. He was 
reared among the Whigs of Massachusetts, 
but subsequently became a Democrat and in 
i860 voted for Stephen A. Douglas. In 
1878 he was nominated by his party for the 
office of coroner and his personal popularity 
was indicated by the fact that he ran far 
ahead of his ticket, being the only Demo- 
crat elected in that year. Again he received 
the nomination in 1880. He had the warm 
regard and confidence of his fellow men to 
an unusual degree and was highly respected 
by all who knew him. As a merchant he 
was very successful and continued in the 
grocery business up to the time of his death, 
which occurred August 14, 1896. His widow 
still survives him and is now living in De- 
catur in her sixtieth year. The family are 
communicants of St. Patrick's Catholic 
church. 

Daniel Dinneen was educated in the pub- 
lic schools of this city, leaving the high 
school in his senior year. He entered upon 
his business career at the age of fifteen, en- 
gaging with the Wabash Railroad, and con- 
tinued in their employ until abotit 1892. 
Later he was associated with his father in 
the grocery business and upon the latter's 



(kalh assumed control of the store and has 
greatly increased the trade as the years have 
gone by. He deals in staple and fancy gro- 
ceries and he has several delivery wagons 
used in sending out his goods to his cus- 
tomers. His store is located at No. 545 
North Broadway and he there employs a 
large force of clerks. He has extensive 
rooms and carries a very desirable stocky 
conducting his store along progressive and 
modern ideas. His methods of business 
will bear the closest investigation and scru- 
tiny and his labors are attended with the 
highest success. 

On the loth of February, 1897, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Dinneen and 
Miss Helen J. Hackett, a most estimable 
and cultured lady. She is a graduate of 
Brown's Business College of Decatur and 
in social circles occupies an enviable posi- 
tion. Mr. Dinneen is a member of the fire 
commission of Decatur and in politics is 
an earnest Republican. He has frequently 
served as a delegate to county conventions 
and his opinions carry weight in the coun- 
cils of his party. Socially he is connected 
with the Benevolent Protective Order of 
Elks and with the Modern Woodmen of 
America, and he and his wife are devoted 
members of St. Patrick's Catholic church. 
His business record is indeed creditable. 
It is true that he entered upon a business 
already established, but in controlling and 
enlarging this many a man of less resolute 
spirit would have failed. He instituted new 
methods in keeping with the progressive 
spirit of the times and his capable control 
of his store has led to its expansion and 
made him one of the prosperous merchants 
of the city. 



JOHN J. JOYNT. 
John J. Joynt, a well known farmer and 
stock-raiser of Harristown township, is a 
native of Illinois, his birth having occurred 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



567 



in Logan county, this state, on the 27th 
of September, 1858. His parents were E. 
A. and Clara S. Joynt, who were born, 
reared and married in London, England. 
About 1855 the father came to America, 
making the voyage on a sailing vessel which 
was si.x weeks in crossing the Atlantic. Dur- 
ing that time a mutiny broke out on board 
the ship and the crew was arrested on 
reaching New York. Although Mr. Joynt 
had previously served an apprenticeship as 
a sailor, on coming to this country he turned 
his attention to farming and first located 
near Jerseyville in Jersey county, Illinois. 
Later he returned to England, where he 
was married, and then brought his bride 
to this country, establishing a home on Salt 
creek in Logan county, Illinois, where he 
purchased forty acres of land. He subse- 
quently sold that place and bought another 
forty-acre tract near Latham. There he 
conti-nued to niake his home, though since 
the death of his wife in April, 1902, he has 
spent much time in visiting his children. 
He had four sons, three of whom are liv- 
ing, and two daughters, namely: John J., 
of this sketch ; Stephen A., of Macon coun- 
ty ; Clara, now Mrs. William Brown, of 
Decatur, a twin sister of Stephen A. ; Alice, 
now Mrs. Leslie Benson, of Macon county ; 
and Frederick E., of Logan county. 

John J. Joynt was educated in a little 
schoolhouse near Latham, where he pur- 
sued his studies until about twenty years 
of age and at the same time acquired a 
good practical knowledge of farm work 
while assisting his father in the labors of 
field and meadow on the home farm. He 
then rented land and commenced farming 
on his own account and has for several years 
operated the J. G. Willard farm in Harris- 
town township, Macon county, where he 
now resides. It consists of two hundred 
and forty acres and is under excellent culti- 
vation. Mr. Joynt feeds cattle and hogs for 
market, but makes a specialty of the breed- 



ing and raising of draft and road horses, 
doing a good business in that line. 

On the 2d of April, 1884, he was united 
in marriage to Miss Louisa O. Whiteside, 
who was also born near Latham in Logan 
county, and is a daughter of James and 
Elizabeth Whiteside, the former a native 
of North Carolina and the latter born near 
Belleville, St. Clair county, Illinois. Her 
father, who was a Democrat in politics, died 
on his farm at Latham in 1892, and her 
mother passed away many years ago, about 
1 861. In their family were one son and 
three daughters, but one daughter is now 
deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Joynt have six 
children, namely: Clarissa Jane, Alice Ada, 
Irene Ellen, Minnie M., Hilda M. and 
James Roscoe. 

Socially Mr. Joynt is a member of the 
Modern Woodmen Camp, No. 1786, and 
politically, he is identified with the Re- 
publican party. He has filled the offices of 
school director and road commissioner, and 
has always taken a deep and commenda- 
ble interest in public affairs, doing all in 
his power to promote the general welfare. 



JOHN GOGERTY. 

John Gogerty was born in County Meath, 
Ireland, in the year 1833, a son of Chris- 
topher and Jane Gogerty. The father died 
in the year 1854 and the mother passed 
away in New York in 1872. In the family 
were eleven children, all of whom reached 
years of maturity, but there is only one 
brother now living, Christopher Gogerty, 
who came to America in 1849 ^"^1 's now 
living in Michigan. 

Our subject spent the first fourteen 
years of his life on the Emerald Isle and in 
1847 he accompanied his elder brother, 
Thomas, to America, landing in New York. 
From that time he has been dependent 
upon his own resources for a living and all 



568 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



thai lie has ac(]uirc(l ma)- be attributed to 
his own efforts. He first worked on a farm 
and in a dair)- at Ogdensburg, New York, 
for three years, and in 1850 he went to 
Rochester, that state, where he continued 
to serve as a farm hand for about two years. 
In 1852 he was apprenticed to learn the 
blacksmith's trade at Waddington, New 
York, serving for a term of four years, dur- 
ing which time he became a very proficient 
workman. His residence in the Empire 
state continued until 1870, when thinking 
that he might have better business oppor- 
tunities in the middle west, he came to Illi- 
nois, arriving in Decatur on the 22d of 
January, of that year. Here he began work- 
ing for the W^abash Railroad in the capacity 
of blacksmith and filled that position until 
1885. He was in charge of the railroad 
shops at the depot for fourteen years and 
was one of the most trusted representatives 
of the company, being ever prompt and 
faithful in the discharge of his duties and 
capably superintending the labors of those 
who worked under him. 

On severing his connection with the rail- 
road company he engaged in contracting, 
laying brick in connection with Harry Wag- 
oner, now city assessor. Subsequently he 
became associated with Andrew Shoemaker 
under the firm name of Shoemaker & Gog- 
erty, and still later another partner was 
admitted to the firm and the name was 
changed to Shoemaker, Gogerty & Kincaid. 
As a contractor Mr. Gogerty has been ac- 
tively and closely identified with the city's 
improvement and has conducted a large 
and profitable business. This is now in 
great contrast to his financial position dur- 
ing his early years of residence in America, 
for from 1847 tmtil 1850 he worked for Isaac 
Ogden and the highest wages he received 
during that time was two and a half dol- 
lars per month. The first year he worked 
at his trade he received fifteen dollars per 
monih and his clothing and the seconcl 



year twenty dollars while the third year 
brought twenty-five dollars. He was a 
very industrious and energetic man, how- 
ever, and thus he gained his start in life. 
He WDuld work from four o'clock in the 
morning until ten o'clock at night in order 
to get the shoes prepared for the smithy the 
next day. It was necessary that he go to 
Plattsburg to get three-inch iron which he 
made into shoes, all work being done by 
hand at that time. Now he is kept busy as 
a contractor because of the demands whicli 
arc made upon his time and services and his 
business has assumed extensive and profit- 
able proportions. 

\\niile residing in Rochester, New York, 
John Gogerty was united in marriage on 
the loth of August, 1857, to Miss Nora 
Guerin, and unto them have been born 
seven children: J. L., who married Eliza 
McGowan and has a family, is now superin- 
tendent of the Terminal Iron Mountain 
Railroad and li\es at Little Rock, Arkansas. 
.Mary Ursaline is the next of the family. 
John is the third in order of birth. Rose 
is the wife of Frank Grayson, of Decatur. 
Ed J. is the fifth in order of birth. Fred A. 
wedded a Aliss \\'itt. Frank P., the young- 
est, married Miss O'Brien and is engaged 
in railroad work on the Vandalia line. 

In his political views Mr. Gogerty has al- 
ways been a stanch Democrat since becom- 
ing a naturalized American citizen. He 
served as alderman of the fifth ward of this 
city for ten years and has been influential 
in political circles. While a member of the 
city council he did most effective work for 
the city, promoting many measures which 
have proven practical and have been im- 
portant factors in the substantial develop- 
ment of this portion of the state. He is a 
member of St. Patrick's Catholic church and 
he takes an active interest in everything 
pertaining to public progress and improve- 
ment along social, material and moral lines. 
ills (iwn Iiusiiiess career is one well worthy 




6. T. OUTTBN 




'^. X 




PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



573 



of study for it shows what can be accom- 
phshed through firm purpose, strong deter- 
mination and unflagging industry. Coming 
to this country a poor boy, he has steadily 
worked his way upward and to-day he is the 
owner of very desirable city property on 
Jasper street, together with a pleasant resi- 
dence on East North street in Decatur, 
where he has resided continuously since 
1870. He is to-day one of the well-known 
and highly respected citizens of Macon 
county and it is with pleasure that we pre- 
sent to our readers the record of his career. 



GEORGE CARROLL OUTTEN. 

George C. Outten, a well known resident 
of Mount Zion, is one of Macon county's 
native sons and a worthy representative of 
one of her most prominent and honored 
families, whose identification with her his- 
tory dates from an early period in the de- 
velopment of the county. The first to lo- 
cate here was his grandfather, Purnell S. 
Outten, a native of Kentucky, and of Welsli 
descent, who came to Macon county at a 
very early day and took up government 
land. He was actively identified with the 
upbuilding and improvement of this region 
and so successful was he in his farming 
operation that he was the owner of over 
two thousand acres of land at the time of 
his death, which he divided among his chil- 
dren. 

George T. Outten, the father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Cass county, Virginia, 
June 4, 1850, and came to Macon county at 
the age of four years, when this section of 
the state was wild and unimproved. 
Throughout his active business life he fol- 
lowed farming with good success, accumu- 
lating a fair competence. He died on the 
22d of May, 1885, at the age of thir- 
ty-five years. A genial, kind hearted 
man, he made manv friends and was 



highly respected by all who knew 
him. By his ballot he supported the 
men and measures of the Democratic party 
and took quite an active part in local poli- 
tics, efficiently serving as supervisor of his 
township and in other offices. He was a 
member of the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and was a well read man and in 
early life engaged in teaching school for a 
time. 

In Mount Zion, November 9, 1872, George 
T. Outten was united in marriage to Miss 
May Bell, a native of Macon county, Illi- 
nois, born near Mount Zion April 21, 1852, 
and a daughter of Alexander W. and Mary 
(Montgomery) Bell, also resident farmers 
of Mount Zion township, who came from 
Tennessee to this county at an early day. 
Her father died October 6, 1901, at the very 
advanced age of ninety years, and her 
mother passed away January 29, 1892, at the 
age of seventy-five years, three months and 
four days. 

Mr. Outten, whose name introduces this 
sketch, was born on the old homestead 
farm in ]\Iount Zion township, January 11, 
1874, and is an only son, but he has a sister, 
Cora T., now the wife of J. A. Kessler, of 
Auburn, Illinois. Our subject is indebted 
to the public schools of the county for the 
early educational advantages he enjoyed, 
and later he attended Brown's Business Col- 
lege, of Decatur, and Gem City Business 
College, of Quincy, Illinois. On the com- 
pletion of his education he returned to the 
home farm in Mount Zion township, which 
he conducted until the 5th of March, 1903, 
when he removed to the village of Mount 
Zion, where he erected a handsome resi- 
dence with all modern conveniences of a 
city home. With him resides his mother. 
He is part owner of four hundred and ninety 
acres of rich and arable land in Mount Zion 
township, which he now rents, while he 
devotes his entire attention to buying and 
selling stock. His largest yield of corn 



574 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



was fifteen thousand bushels from two hun- 
dred and forty acres of land. 

Mr. Outten is a very active, energetic and 
progressive young man, who stands high 
in the community where he resides. He is 
devoted to his mother and fondly looks after 
her welfare and interests. He filled the of- 
fice of collector two terms and as assessor 
of his township and votes with the Demo- 
cratic party. Socially he is a prominent 
member and past noble grand of Mount 
Zion Lodge, No. 300, Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to the 
Court of Honor. Religiously he is a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. 



READ SPENCER. 

Read Spencer, a retired merchant of De- 
catur, was born in Pennsylvania, on the 23d 
of December, 1836, his parents being John 
and Sarah (Read) Spencer, the former of 
English lineage while the latter came of 
Puritan ancestry. In the spring of 1838 the 
father brought his family to Illinois, set- 
tling in Stark county, and in the spring of 
1863 he located on a farm a mile and a half 
west of Oakley, in Macon county, where 
he lived until his death. His wife had 
departed this life in Stark county. They 
were the parents of three children, of whom 
two died in infancy. 

Read Spencer was reared upon the home 
farm and received his preliminary education 
in the district schools. Better opportunities, 
however, were later accorded him and he 
became a student in the preparatory depart- 
ment of Knox College. After putting aside 
his text books he went upon a farm and 
while engaged in its cultivation he devoted 
the winter months to teaching school. Later 
he became a traveling salesman and fol- 
lowed that pursuit for five years. The 
year 1875 witnessed his arrival in Decatur 
as a permanent resident here. He became 



manager of the Grange Implement House 
and later he entered into a partnership for 
the sale of implements under the firm name 
of Spencer & Lehman. This relationship 
was maintained with mutual pleasure and 
profit for a number of years or until July, 
1901, when they sold out to the firm of 
Tenny & Sikking. Mr. Spencer then re- 
tired from business and is now enjoying a 
well merited rest at his comfortable home 
at No. 751 West Wood street. 

On the 23d of February, 1863, occurred 
the marriage of Mr. Spencer and Miss Sarah 
J. Greenman, a native of Center Belpre, 
(Jhio. ller ]jarents were L!. M. and Sarah 
A. (Folsom) Greenman, the former of 
Welch and the latter of Holland-Dutch an- 
cestry. Mrs. Spencer, the mother of our 
subject, was at one time a school teacher 
and his wife followed the same profes- 
sion prior to her marriage. Unto our sub- 
ject and his wife have been born three 
daughters : Jessie, who is a graduate of the 
Pratt Institute of Brooklyn, New York, 
and who pursued a post-graduate course in 
art in New York city, has for seven years 



been teaching drawing 



the Normal 



School at Mankato, .Minnesota. Estella, 
also a graduate of the Pratt Institute and 
who holds the degree of Bachelor of Arts, 
has for two years been supervisor of draw- 
ing in the schools of New York city. Ber- 
tha is the wife of Professor A. Miner, who 
occupies the chair of Latin in the schools 
of Kewanee, Illinois, and who won the 
degree of Alaster of Arts on the completion 
of a collegiate course at Galesburg, Illinois. 
In his political views Mr. Spencer is an 
earnest Republican, keeping well informed 
on the issues of the tlay and thus being 
able to support his position by intelligent 
argument. For several terms he served as 
supervisor of Oakley township. As a citizen 
he is public-spirited and ])rogressive and 
takes an active and heli)ful interest in every- 
thing tending to prove of public benefit. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



575 



His labors have been effective in advancing 
social, material, intellectual and moral 
progress and wherever he is known his 
genuine worth has won for him the respect 
and confidence of those with whom he has 
come in contact. He owes his success in 
life entirely to his own efforts and his his- 
tory stands in illustration of the fact that 
prosperity is ambition's answer. 



MELVIN FISHER BOYER. 

One of the representative and prominent 
citizens of Whitmore township is Melvin 
F. Beyer, who follows farming on the old 
homestead on section 2. He was born on 
section 12, the same township, January 18, 
1864. He belongs to a family which has 
for over half a century been identified with 
the agricultural interests of this county 
and has borne an important part in its 
upbuilding and development. 

His father, William Boyer, was born Feb- 
ruary 23, 1832, in Shelby county, Ohio, 
a son of Samuel and Christina (Fisher) 
Boyer, natives of Pennsylvania. His early 
education, acquired in the common schools 
of Ohio, was supplemented by the vast 
knowledge he obtained through reading and 
observation and William Boyer became a 
well informed man. After reaching man- 
hood he engaged in farming for a time 
upon the old home place in his native coun- 
ty. On the 3d of June, 1852, he was there 
married to Miss Lydia Moothart, the wed- 
ding ceremony being performed by Rev. 
Spangler, who boarded them for some time. 
Her parents were Andrew and Mary Ann 
(Cashner) Moothart, the former a native of 
Holland, whence he emigrated to America 
at an early day and settled in Pennsylvania. 
He was a tailor by trade. After his death 
his widow made her home with her daugh- 
ter, Mrs. Boyer, and died there March i. 



1889, at the age of eighty-eight years and 
nine months. 

In 1859 William Boyer and his wife came 
to Macon county, Illinois, and settled in 
Whitmore township, where he purchased 
forty acres of prairie land. At that time 
wild game was still plentiful in this region 
and deer were still seen. Mr. Boyer im- 
proved his land and added to the original 
purchase until he had a large well culti- 
vated farm, but finally sold part of his land 
to his son Samuel. For a time he was inter- 
ested in the hardware and grain business 
in Argenta, as a member of the firm of Pratt 
«& Boyer, his partner being F. M. Pratt, who 
finally sold out to S. Gerber. As an enter- 
prising and public spirited citizen Mr. 
Boyer took a deep interest in public affairs 
and gave liberally toward building the Zion 
school and Union church in Whitmore 
township. He held the ofiice of pathmaster 
and supervised the ditching and building 
of roads in his district. He assisted in 
organizing the Christian church in Oreana 
and was there ordained an elder by Rev. 
Thayer, of Maroa. His life was ever in 
harmony with his professicms and he was 
honored, respected and esteemed by all 
who knew him. Upon the home farm he 
passed away September 7, 1886, at the age 
of fifty-four years and seven months. 

There were seven children in his family, 
six sons and one daughter, all of whom 
reached years of maturity. In order of 
birth they are as follows: Samuel M. ; 
Mary Jane, who wedded F. M. Pratt, and 
is now deceased ; William F. ; Andrew W. ; 
Melvin F., of this review; James M. ; and 
John E., who died June 25, 1884, at the 
age of fifteen years, as the result of a kick 
from a colt, on the home farm. 

On the 13th of December, 1900, the 
mother of these children married Elijah S. 
McCarty, who was born in Shelbyville, 
Tennessee, May i, 1836, a son of William 
C. and Louisa (Hardin) McCarty, who were 



576 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



natives of \irgiiiia and Ohio, respectively, 
and were married in Morgan county of the 
latter state. In early life his father en- 
gaged in farming but later followed mer- 
chandising. He was born in 1809 and lived 
to be almost ninety years of age, while 
his wife was seventy-nine years old at the 
time of her death. They had four children, 
two sons and two daughters, all of whom 
remained in ( )hio. with the exception 
of Elijah S. He was educated at 
Marietta, Ohio, and successfully engaged 
in teaching school there for a time. Tn 
1861, at the outbreak of the Civil war, he 
enlisted in Company G, Seventy-seventh 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel 
Hildebrand, who died in the service and 
was succeeded by Colonel Mason. Captain 
W. A. McCormick, of Marietta, commanded 
the company. Mr. McCarty was made hos- 
pital steward on the regimental staff, his 
duties being to attend to the wounded and 
establish hospitals wherever needed. He 
was in the engagement at Pittsburg Land- 
ing, the siege of Corinth, the capture of 
Mobile and Little Rock and the engagement 
on the Saline river. After four years of 
faithful service he was honorably discharged 
in July, 1865, and the following winter at- 
tended the Michigan University at Ann 
Arbor. Coming to Illinois in 1866, he first 
located in Litchfield, where he wedded 
Mary Blackburn, a daughter of Richard 
and Mary A. Blackburn, of England. She 
died June 26, 1893, and their only child 
died in infancy. Mr. McCarty was first en- 
gaged in the drug business at Litchfield and 
after selling out taught school for a few 
years. In 1875 he removed to Decatur 
and was in the railway mail service 
under Presidents Harrison and Cleve- 
land for eleven consecutive years. He 
and his wife are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal church and are held in high re- 
gard by all who know them. 

Melvin F. Bover was reared on the home 



farm and attended Zion school in Whitmore 
township until he had acquired a good prac- 
tical education. His whole life has been 
devoted to farming and with exception of 
seven years, when at work in different parts 
of the county, he has spent his time upon 
the old homestead. He purchased part of 
the interests of the other heirs in the tract 
of one hundred and twenty acres, which 
he keeps under a high state of cultivation. 
He is a thorough and systematic farmer 
and in the management of his affairs has 
met with marked success. 

In February, 1889, Mr. Boyer led to the 
marriage altar Miss Ida Bowman, a native 
of Miami, Indiana, and a daughter of A. 
Bowman, in whose family were seven chil- 
dren, one son and six daughters. Mrs. 
Boyer and all her sisters became popular 
and successful teachers. Our subject and 
his wife has two children, Floyd and Homer, 
and the older son is now attending the 
same school in which his father was edu- 
cated, and is one of the brightest boys of 
his class. Mr. Boyer is a member of the 
Court of Honor and his wife belongs to 
the Christian church. They began life in 
limited circumstances but success has 
crowned their combined efforts to secure 
a home and competence and by industry, 
perseverance and good management they 
have become quite well-to-do. They are 
well known in the community where they 
make their home and their circle of friends 
is extensi\-e. 



TlloALVS \V. PITXER. 
Thomas W. Pitner is the junior member of 
the firm of Bixby, Pitner & Company, manu- 
facturers of burial shoes in Decatur. He was 
born in this city on the 21st of December, 
1873, and comes of ancestry that at an early 
period was established in ^^ermont. His par- 
ents were Washington and Sarah (Starr) 
Pitner. the former a native of Tennessee and 



! 


[mf 


i ; 




m M 


i 






^ 


^^^^^^^^^^ 


V' 


*^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B 



J. R. HENARD 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



579 



the latter of Pennsylvania. The name of Pit- 
ner was originally Buettner, but little is 
known of the ancestry of the family. Re- 
moving to the west, the father of our subject 
established his home in Decatur, where he 
opened a photograph gallery and to-day he 
is the oldest photographer of this city as well 
as one of the most prominent and capable. 

Under the parental roof Thomas N. Pitner 
was reared and at the usual age he entered 
the public schools, pursuing his studies therein 
until he had completed the high school course. 
He afterward matriculated in the Illinois Col- 
lege at Jacksonville, Illinois, where he devoted 
two years to the mastery of the branches 
forming the scientific course in that institution. 
Entering upon his business career he became 
an employe of the firm of Bixby, Pitner & 
Company, the second partner in the enterprise 
at that time being his brother, Frank S. Pit- 
ner, whom he succeeded in the business on 
the 1st of January, 1902. The latter was then 
in poor health and died on the loth of Janu- 
ary, 1902. when thirty years of age. Mr. Pit- 
ner of this review is an enterprising business 
man, wide-awake and alert to opportunities, 
and in the control of the enterprise in which 
he is now a partner is proving an important 
factor. He is well known in this city, where 
his entire life has been passed, and is a popu- 
lar young man, having a large circle of 
friends. He now belongs to W. C. Roe Camp. 
No. 7201, M. W. A. 



JESSE R. HENARD. 
Jesse R. Henard, now deceased, was a 
farmer whose prosperous business career 
enabled him to spend his last days quietly 
at his home in Decatur in the enjoyment of 
the fruits of his former toil. He was born 
in Plawkins county in eastern Tennessee. 
His parents, James and Mary (Tucker) 
Henard, were also natives of that state and 
the father was a farmer and stockman who 



carried on business there throughout his 
active life. He died in May, 1868, at the 
age of fifty-six years, and was long survived 
by his widow, who passed away in June, 
1900, at the age of seventy-two years. The 
paternal grandfather of our subject also 
bore the name of James and was a lifelong 
resident of Tennessee. Unto James and 
Mary (Tucker) Henard were born five chil- 
dren, all of whom are now living with ex- 
ception of our subject, namely: Jesse R. ; 
Martha J., the widow of John Birchfield ; 
Lewis C. ; Robert; and Elizabeth, the 
widow of William Howe. 

In his boyhood days Jesse R. Henard be- 
came familiar with the work incident to the 
development and improvement of the home 
farm. His educational privileges were some- 
what meager, although he pursued his stud- 
ies in subscription schools conducted in log 
houses in his home neighborhood. Like his 
lather before him he early manifested a 
preference . for working with horses and 
dealing in stock and it was because of his 
excellent judgment concerning horses and 
his ability in caring for them that he largely 
won success. At the outbreak of the Civil 
war he put aside all business and personal 
considerations that he might defend his 
loved southland, enlisting in the Confeder- 
ate army as a member of the Twenty-ninth 
Tennessee Infantry, which regiment was 
assigned to the department at Nashville 
and was located in that portion of the state 
until the city was evacuated. Mr. Henard 
was afterward with the Thirty-first Ten- 
nessee Cavalry until the close of the war in 
1865. He then returned to his home in Ten- 
nessee, but found that portion of the state 
the scene of desolation. The contending 
armies had marched back and forth across 
the country, leaving desolation and destruc- 
tion in their path. Mr. Henard then de- 
cided to seek a home elsewhere and came to 
the north, arriving in Union county, Illinois, 
on the 1st of May, 1865. 



580 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



There he suffered so severely with ague 
that he decided to seek another location and 
in August of the same year he arrived in 
Decatur, having at that time a cash capital 
of about six dollars. It was necessary that 
he find immediate employment nor did he 
rebel against fate, but was willing to do 
anything that would earn him an honest 
living. He sought and obtained a position 
as a farm hand near Forsyth, Macon county, 
and he continued to work in that capacity 
for three years. In the spring of 1868 he 
was married and then took up his abode 
upon a tract of rented land in Hickory 
Point township. For nine years he culti- 
vated land belonging to others and during 
that time lived economically. As the result 
of his care in expenditures and his unflag- 
ging industry in his work he accumulated 
some capital and with this made arrange- 
ments for the purchase of one hundred and 
sixty acres of land in Whitmore township, 
for which he paid forty dollars per acre. 
His money was sufficient to meet one-half 
of this amount and in the course of a com- 
paratively short time he was enabled to dis- 
charge the entire indebtedness. He brought 
his farm up to a very high state of cultiva- 
tion and when he resolved to retire from 
further business cares he sold the property 
in 1900 for twenty thousantl dollars, re- 
moving then to the city of Decatur, where 
he occupied a very comfortable residence 
at No. 1509 North Main street. Throu_t;;h- 
out the time he resided on his farm he on- 
gaged in stock-raising, making a specialty 
of dealing in horses. He would buy horses 
and feed them until they met with a ready 
sale. It was to this department of his busi- 
ness that he owed his greatest prosperity. 
He handled both farm and draft horses. He 
did not engage in breeding to any extern . 
but bought horses from dealers and by ju- 
dicious care placed them in a condition to 
command a good sale on the market. J Ic 
also held a horse sale at the time he tlis- 



posed of his farm in 1900 and this brought 
to him a sum of thirty-two hundred and 
ninety-seven dollars. A short time prior to 
his death he purchased a half section of the 
finest farming land to be found in Christian 
county, Illinois, and the property returned 
to him a good income. 

On the i8th of February, 1868, Mr. He- 
nard was united in marriage to Miss Caro- 
line Lanham, one of the pioneer settlers 
and members of the Lanham family of San- 
gamon county. Unto this union were born 
the following named : Minnie, now the wife 
of Robert J. Long, who is residing near 
Maroa, this county; Josie, the wife of Harry 
Stroah, of Hickory Point township ; Be- 
atrice, who is the wife of J. D. Long, of 
Peoria, Illinois; and Lucretia, the wife of 
J. C. Birchfield, of Hickory Point township. 
In his political affiliations Mr. Ilenard was 
a Democrat, but never sought or desired 
official preferment to any great extent, al- 
though he served for several terms as high- 
way commissioner of his township. He had 
just reason to feel a pride in a successful 
career which was the outcome of foresight 
and good judgment. Leaving the south as 
a Confederate soldier he soon won the re- 
spect and recognition of his neighbors by 
his integrity and upright dealing, and tiiey 
accorded him admiration and regard by 
reason of his prosperous business career 
and his genuine worth of character. After 
a useful and well spent life Mr. Henard 
died September 15, 1903, and was laid to 
rest in Greenwood cemetery. 



JAMES H. RECORD. 
James H. Record, an honored veteran of 
the Civil war, now identified with agricul- 
tural interests in Macon county, makes his 
home near the city of Decatur. He was 
born upon a farm in Pendleton county, Ken- 
tucky. June 4, 1841. and belongs to a family 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



581 



that originated in England. The first to 
■come to America settled in New Jersey at 
an early day. The family name was origin- 
ally spelled Records. John Record, our 
subject's paternal grandfather, was born in 
Pennsylvania, and in early manhood mar- 
ried a Miss Stewart, who was also a native 
of the Keystone state. Subsequently he 
removed to Mason county, Kentucky, where 
he resided for a number of years, and then 
went to Pendleton county, that state. It 
was his son William S. Record who became 
the father of our subject. Reared in Ken- 
tucky, William S. Record was united in 
marriage to Miss Susannah Said and for a 
time carried on agricultural pursuits in 
Pendleton county, where his wife died on 
the 17th of November, 1842. He subse- 
quently married her sister, Martha Said, 
and in 1857 brought his family to Illinois, 
establishing his home on a farm in Coles 
county, where he carried on agricultural 
pursuits until his life's labors were ended 
in death in the year 1869. His second 
wife passed away August 29, 1864. 

James H. Record is one of the four chil- 
dren born of the first marriage. His sis- 
ter C)rpha now resides in Oklahoma, but 
the others are deceased. He was reared in 
the usual manner of farmer lads of the 
period, working in the fields from the time 
of the early spring planting until crops 
were harvested in the autumn. His early 
educational advantages were those afforded 
by the subscription schools of Kentucky 
and later he attended the public schools 
of Coles county, Illinois, for two winters. 
Mr. Record continued on the home farm 
until after the outbreak of the Civil war, 
when, feeling that his duty was to his coun- 
try, he oiTered his services and donned the 
blue uniform, becoming a member of Com- 
pany C, Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry, under command of Colonel G. M'. 
.Mitchell. The regiment was first ordered 
to western Tennessee under General Grant 



and in the spring of 1863 entered upon the 
siege of Vicksburg, being thus engaged 
until the fall of the city. The troops were 
then ordered south on the river and the Fif- 
ty-fourth Illinois' was attached to the 
Seventh Army Corps, Trans-Mississippi 
Department, with which it participated in 
many battles and during a part of the time 
was also on garrison duty. Mr. Record 
served faithfully until the ist of November, 
1865. He was always at his post, whether 
it called him to the lonely picket line or to 
the firing line, and after the cessation of 
hostilities lie was mustered out and ordered 
to Camp Butler, in Springfield, Illinois, 
where he was paid and received an honor- 
able discharge. He then returned to 
Charleston, Illinois, where he had some 
business interests. 

In 1878, however, Mr. Record came to 
Macon county, Illinois, locating in Long 
Creek township, where he was engaged in 
general farming for eight or nine years. 
Throughout his business career he has been 
identified with agricultural pursuits, this 
being the source of his income, and his 
work has ever been conducted along pro- 
gressive lines, showing that he is in. touch 
with the most improved methods of farm- 
ing. 

On the 2ist of February, 1867, Mr. Record 
was united in marriage to Miss Margaret 
Swope, of Charleston, a daughter of Solo- 
mon Swope, who died in Ross county, Ohio, 
when she was only two years and a half 
old. Her mother bore the maiden name of 
Minerva Divens. Mrs. Record was born in 
Ross county, Ohio, July 17, 1846, and was 
six years of age when she removed to 
Charleston, Illinois, with her step-father, 
D. C. Ambler, who became a noted poli- 
tician of Coles county. For a time after his 
marriage Mr. Record was connected with 
mercantile business in Charleston. Unto 
him and his wife were born seven children, 
as follows: Nellie, born January 25, 1868, 



582 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



is with her parents. John A., burn June 26, 
1870, had the advantages of a common- 
school education and for four years was a 
student at the Lincohi University in Lin- 
cohi, llHnois, and one year at Brown's 
Business College in Decatur. He is now en- 
gaged in the broom-corn brokerage business 
in Areola, Illinois, lie married Marguerite 
Dimond, of that place, and they have one 
child, Grace, born June 3, 1901. Carrie, 
born September 2, 1874, was graduated with 
honors at the Decatur high school in 1894, 
and was also graduated at the State Nor- 
mal .School. She then engaged in teaching 
in the public schools of Macon county until 
her death, which occurred on the 20th of 
September, 1901. Charles F., born April 2^, 
1878, was graduated at the Decatur high 
school in 1897, and is now preparing for the 
ministry in .Millikin University, of Decatur, 
where he will complete his course in 1905. 
Grace, born May 15, 1881, was graduated 
at the Decatur high school in 1899, and is 
now at home with her parents. Clarence, 
born May 20, 1884, died October 8, 1893. 
Pearl A., born .August 23, 1886, completed 
the high school course in Decatur with ihc 
class of 1903. 

A stanch l'!t'])n]ilican in his political 
views, Mr. Ut'cord is unfaltering in his ad- 
vocacy of the ])rinciples of the party. For 
six years he ser\-ed as snper\-isor of Decatur 
townshi]) and for one year was chairman 
of the board. He belongs to Coeur de Lion 
I^odge, No. 17, K. P.: Dunham Post, No. 
141, Ci. A. R. : and to the Independent Or- 
der of Odd FelUnvs. His wife belongs to 
the \\'oman's Pclief Corps and the family 
hold meml:)ersliip in the Cund)erland Pres- 
byterian church. They are well known in 
Decatur and it is with pleasure that we 
present our readers their life record. 



GEORGE CONO\'ER. 
George Conover, how one of the most 
prominent and prosperous business men of 



iNIaroa, was twenty years ago a bookkeeper 
working on a small salary. His life record 
stands in exemplification of what can be ac- 
complished by men of energy and determina- 
tion in a land where opportunity is open to all. 
He has never waited i\Iicawber-like for things 
to turn up, but has made his opportunity where 
none seemed to exist and by a utilization of 
the advantages at hand has progressed to a 
position prominent among the leading men of 
the city. Various interests have profited by 
his labors and wise counsel and he is especially 
well known in banking circles. 

In Shelby county, Ohio, on the 6th of June, 
1855, George Conover was born. His father, 
Tyler Conover, was one of a family of si.x 
children. He was born in New Jersey, became 
a farmer by occupation and was married in 
C )hio to Miss Hester .\nn Bond, a native of 
that state. In 1858 he came to Illinois with 
his family and settled on a farm in Logan 
county, where he remained until 1865, when 
he removed to ]\Iaroa. Here he built a steam 
flouring-mill and operated it successfully until 
1880. when lie retired from active business, 
spending his remaining days in the enjoy- 
ment of the fruits of his former toil. His wife 
died in 1874 and he was again married in 
1876. his second union being with Miss Susan 
Henry. His death occurred in July. 1895, 
and Maroa was thus called upon to mourn the 
loss of one of its citizens whose efforts in her 
behalf had been hel])ful and beneficial, while 
his labors in business had brought to him 
very gratifying results. 

George Conover is the youngest in a family 
of six children and was three years of age 
when his parents came to this state. He ac- 
(|uired his education in Macon county and after 
his school life was ended he took up the duties 
of manhood as a factor in the business world. 
He became weighmaster and 1)0(jkkeei)er in 
the elevator of Emery & Compton, filling that 
position for three years, after which, from 
1880 until 1887. he was bookkeeper for C F. 
Emery, engaged in tlu- real estate business. 




BRICE I. STBRRETT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



585 



Watching- his opportunity for investment he 
eventually became a prominent factor in busi- 
ness circles in the city. He became a partner 
in the C. F. Emery & Company banking busi- 
ness in 1887, wliich in 1888 was consolidated 
with the banking business of Crocker & Com- 
pany, the latter name being retained by the 
new firm. In February, 1889, Mr. Crocker 
and Mr. Conover purchased Mr. Emery's in- 
terest and have since been associated in the 
control and ownership of the institution. Mr. 
Conover very largely manages the bank, while 
Mr. Crocker attends to outside interests. 
Gradually Mr. Conover has expanded his 
busmess affairs and is now associated with en- 
terprises of importance to the business life 
and prosperity of the city. He has an interest 
in the electric light plant and owns one-fifth 
of the stock of the Maroa Manufacturing 
Company, which manufactures the " boss car 
loader", which is now largely used in con- 
nection with elevators in loading the grain 
into cars. He is also the owner of a furniture 
store in Maroa. which is managed by Mr. 
Rammel, and he has a small interest in the 
Crocker Elevator Company, while the banking 
firm of Conover & Crocker owns the Maroa 
Dry Goods Store. At one time Mr. Conover 
owned two hundred and forty acres of land 
in South Dakota, which he traded for land in 
Iowa and afterward exchanged the latter for 
land in Minnesota. His home is one of the 
beautiful residences of Maroa. 

Mr. Conover has been twice married. On 
the 1st of February, 1883. he was united in 
marriage to Miss Mary Sanderson, a daughter 
of Alexander and Ann (Dent) Sanderson. 
Two children were born of that marriage : 
Bessie May and Charles Sanderson. The 
mother died June 4, 1890, and on the 28th of 
June, 1892. Mr. Conover was again married, 
his secoml union being with Miss Christine 
Sanderson, a sister of his first wife. There 
are two children by this marriage: Alary 
Frances, born August 12, 1894: and George 
William, biirn March 15, 1901. Mrs. Conover 

28 



is a member of the Episcopal church while 
Mr. Conover belongs to the Christian church. 
He is also a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows and in his political views he 
is a Republican, but the honors and emolu- 
ments of office have little attraction for him, 
as he prefers to devote his time and attention 
to his business interests. His affairs are so 
well regulated, the business so systematized 
and his work carried on with such energy that 
success seems to be the natural sequence of 
his labors and he stands to-day among the 
.strongest representatives of commercial activ- 
ity in Maroa. 



BRICE I. STERRETT. 

On the roll of those who have conferred 
distinction upon the legal fraternity of De- 
catur appears the name of Brice I. Sterrett. 
who was recognized as one of the leading 
members of the bar of Macon county. He 
came to this city in 1867 and here died on 
the 24th of February, 1901. Pennsylvania 
was the state of his nativity, his birth hav- 
ing occurred in Cumberland county, on the 
9th of August, 1844. His parents, David 
and Mary Ann (Byerly) .Sterrett, were also 
natives of that state and at an early day 
they came to the west, but later returned to 
Pennsydvania, where the father engaged in 
farming and also conducted a gristmill. 
Later, however, he once more went to the 
west and this time settled in Decatur, where 
he lived retired for a few years. He next re- 
moved to Taylorville, where both he and 
his wife resided until they were called to 
the home beyond, Mr. Sterrett passing 
away on the 31st of October, 1878, while 
his wife died December 15, 1879. 

When a small boy Brice I. Sterrett be- 
came a student in the schools of Carlisle. 
Cumberland count)^, Pennsylvania, where 
he pursued his studies from 1850 until 1857. 
He then entered the preparatory depart- 



586 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ment of the Illinois College at Jacksonville, 
Illinois, continuing his studies there in the 
year 1860-1861. lie next entered Dickin- 
son College of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where 
he was graduated with the class of 1867, 
winning the degree of Bachelor of Arts on 
the completion of a law course. With broad 
general knowledge he took up the study of 
law, spending a short time in that way in 
Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He then came to 
the west and located in Decatur, where he 
became a law student in the office and un- 
der the direction of Judge Charles Emerson. 
In order to supply the funds necessary for 
the continuance of his legal studies he en- 
gaged in teaching in the common schools 
of Macon county for two terms. He was 
admitted to the bar of Illinois before the 
supreme court of the state in 1868 and then 
began his law practice in Decatur, where 
he soon won recognition as a young man 
of marked ability, of earnest purpose and of 
thorough preparation in the law. He pre- 
pared all of his cases with great precision 
and after extended research was well quali- 
fied to uphold his cause and position. He 
was also pension agent in Decatur for many 
years. Eventually- on account of ill health, 
he was obliged to give up general law prac- 
tice, after which he devoted his attention 
to lighter work, such as collecting and other 
kindred branches usually performed by the 
members of the legal fraternity. He thus 
lived a more retired life until his death. 

On the 2ist of October, 1879, Mr. Sterrett 
was united in marriage with Miss Clarissa 
Cline, a native of Lewisbe'rry, York county, 
Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Andrew 
and Margaret (Foster) Cline, who were 
likewise natives of York county, where they 
always lived. The father was a farmer and 
mill man and there he and his wife re- 
mained until the tide of life ebbed away. 
There came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. 
Sterrett but one child, Mary C, who now 
resides with her mother and is a teacher 



in the public schools of Monticello, Illi- 
nois. It was in 1901 that the wife and 
daughter were called upon to mourn the 
loss of the husband and father, whose death 
occurred on the 24th of February of that 
year. He had held no offices in the city 
nor had he sought public notoriety' of any 
character beyond his profession. He was 
very successful in his law practice here and 
became a well-to-do citizen, the public 
recognizing his genuine worth and capa- 
bility. He was a man of strong mind, of 
marked individuality, of resolute will and of 
honorable purpose. He gave his political 
support to the Democracy in early life and 
later became a stanch Republican. For a 
long period he held membership in the 
Presbyterian church of this city and in that 
faith passed from this life. Mrs. Sterrett 
is also a devoted member of the Presby- 
terian church. She has a fine residence at 
No. 717 West Prairie avenue, where she 
and her daughter reside and she also owns 
other residence property in the city, which 
was purchased by her husband who built 
upon and improved all. His interest cen- 
tered in his familj' and it was a matter of 
great satisfaction to him that he could leave 
his wife and daughter in comfortable finan- 
cial circumstances. He also left to them the 
priceless inheritance of an untarnished name 
and of a memory that is honored by all who 
knew him. 



EDWARD ALLMAN. 
.\fter years of active labor, mostly devoted 
to farming, Edward .Mlman is now living a 
retired life in the city of Decatur, enjoying a 
well earned rest and the fruits of his former 
toil. He is a native of County Kerry. Ireland, 
and a son of John Allman, who spent his en- 
lire life in that country. He still has one 
brother and a sister living, these being James 
L., a prominent citizen of Monticello. and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



587 



Mrs. Edward S. Stout, also a resident of 
Piatt county. 

Edward Allman spent the tirst thirteen years 
of his life in his native land and then came to 
the United States, landing in New York city, 
whence he made his way to Ohio, where he 
spent two years. At the end of that time he 
proceeded westward and settled in Monticello, 
Illinois. In partnership with his brothers, 
James L. and John Allman, he took up a tract 
of wild prairie land in Monticello township, 
Piatt county, which at that time was covered 
with ponds and sloughs, but by draining and 
cultivation they converted the place into a 
well improved farm. At that early day deer, 
wild geese and other game was plentiful and 
furnished the early settlers with many a meal. 
The farm machiner}' then in us.e was very 
primitive and the first corn which Mr. Allman 
helped to cultivate was with a single shovel 
plow, while he cut grain with a cradle. Upon 
their place the brothers erected a small frame 
house, which was later replaced by a more 
commodious and modern residence and all of 
the improved machinery and conveniences 
were added to their farm. 

When his adopted country became involved 
in civil war, Edward Allman laid aside all per- 
sonal interests and was one of the first to 
enlist from Piatt county, becoming a private 
of Company E, One Hundred and Seventh 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was at first 
under the command of Colonel Snell and when 
he resigned under the command of Colonel 
Lowery, who was killed in the battle of Frank- 
lin. The captain of Company E was John 
W. ^^'ood. Mr. Allman went into camp at 
Camp Butler, and from there was sent south 
with his regiment. The first engagement in 
which he participated was with Morgan in 
Kentucky and after his capture in Ohio re- 
turned to Kentucky. Our subject later took 
part in the battles of Nashville and Campbell 
Station, the siege of Knoxville, the battle 
of Peach Tree Creek, the siege of At- 
lanta and the battles of Tonesboro and New- 



bern, North Carolina, besides several other en- 
gagements of less importance. After three 
years of valiant and meritorious service on 
southern battlefields, he was honorably dis- 
charged in 1865 and returned to his home in 
Piatt county. 

After leaving the army Air. Allman con- 
tinued to engage in general farming and 
stock-raising with his brother, James L., for 
some years. He worked by the month for 
some time after coming to Piatt county, but 
about 1868 started out in life for himself. 
His first purchase consisted of a tract of virgin 
soil, upon which he laid about five miles of 
tiling, and also erected thereon a good set of 
farm buildings. He is still the owner of a 
good farm of two hundred and forty acres in 
Monticello township, where he was success- 
fully engaged in agricultural pursuits for 
many years, and gave considerable attention 
to the stock business, which he found cjuite 
profitable. In 1892, on account of ill health, 
he rented his farm and has since lived retired. 
He has twice crossed the ocean to visit his 
native land and also went west in the search 
of health, having traveled quite extensively 
over this country for that purpose. Since 
1892 he has made his home in Decatur and 
now has a beautiful residence at No. ioo6 
East Lincoln avenue, surrounded by well-kept 
lawns. His housekeeper is his niece. Miss 
Maggie C. Allman, a daughter of John and 
Nora (Cronin) Allman, Ijoth now deceased. 

By his ballot Mr. Allman supports the men 
and measures of the Democratic party. He 
is- a devout member of the Catholic church 
and has helped to organize the churches at 
Tolono, Champaign, Ivesdale and Bement, but 
is now connected with St. Patrick's church of 
Decatur. Pie well remembers seeing the first 
Catholic missionary that ever came to Piatt 
county and he has borne an active and prom- 
inent part in the moral and material develop- 
ment of this section of the state. He is one of 
the self-made men of the community, his suc- 
cess in life being due entirclv to his own well 



588 



PAST AXU PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



directed efforts and jjood business ability, and 
lie not only deserves tbe prosperity that has 
come to him but he has also gained the con- 
fidence and good will of those with whom he 
has been brought in contact either in busi- 
ness or social life. 



CAPTAIN GEORGE W. THOMPSON. 

Captain George W. Thompson, deceased, 
was one of the gallant defenders of the Union 
during the dark days of the Civil war and 
was a man highly respected and esteemed 
wherever known. For many years he made 
his home in Macon county and was residing 
in W'arrensburg at the time of his death, 
which occurred on the 6th of August, 1896. 

A native of New York, Captain Thompson 
was born in Erie county, February 17, 1836, 
and was a son of James and Alehitable 
(Gould) Thompson, who were also natives of 
the Empire state and the former of .Scotch 
descent. In 18^4 the family came to Illinois 
and settled in McHenry county twelve miles 
from Woodstock, where the father owned and 
operated a large farm. 

The Captain grew to manhood in this state 
and was educated at P)elvidere, Boone county. 
For several years after leaving school he was 
engaged in teaching and after coming to 
Macon county in 1837 ''"^ taught for a time at 
Qierry Point. He was principal of the high 
school at Mount Pulaski two years and of the 
Buffalo school in Sangamon county for one 
year. He subsequently engaged in farming 
in that county for two years, and at the end 
of that time removed to a farm of two hun- 
dred and forty acres on Section 18, Illini 
tov,'nship, Macon county, which he had pur- 
chased. After operating that farm for eight 
years he took up his residence in \A'arrens- 
burg, where he continued to make his home 
until called to his final rest. 

On the 10th of April. 1866. Captain Thomp- 
son was united in marriage to Miss Mary 



Langston, a daughter of James and Harriet 
Langston, natives of North Carolina and 
Kentucky, respectively. Her father was a 
veteran of the Black Hawk war and her pa- 
ternal grandfather had aided the colonies in 
their struggle for independence as a soldier of 
the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Thompson at- 
tended the State Normal School at Normal, 
Illinois, for two years and subsequently en- 
gaged in teaching at Williamsville and Buf- 
falo. It was the spring following her last 
term at Buffalo that she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to our subject and removed to Macon 
county. Unto them were born nine children, 
who in order of birth are as follows: Har- 
riet, now the wife of Gilmore Cunningham, a 
Methodist Episcopal minister of Cantrell, Il- 
linois ; Lam-a, who died at the age of eight 
years ; Lillian, wife of C. J. Tucker, a general 
merchant of Warrensburg; Gertrude, who is 
teaching music in the school for the blind at 
Nashville, Tennessee; Flora, the wife of Pro- 
fes.sor O. L. Manchester, a teacher of lan- 
guages in the State Normal University; 
George H., who was graduated at the Uni- 
versity of Illinois in 1900 and at the John 
Marshall I.aw School of Chicago, June 29, 
1003; Frank L., who was graduated at the 
L'niversity of Illinois in 1902 and is now con- 
nected with the St. Louis Terminal Railroad 
in .St. Louis: Clarence, who is pursuing an 
agricultural course in the LTniversity of Il- 
linois, and is a member of the class of 1904; 
and .Sherman, who is in the office of Mr. Pat- 
terson, an architect of Decatur. 

At different times Captain Thompson credit- 
ably filled the offices of township clerk, jus- 
tice of the peace and school director, and by 
his ballot he supported the Republican party. 
Socially be was a prominent member of the 
^lasonic fraternity, the Modern Woodmen of 
America and the Grand .\rmy of the Repub- 
lic. When the Union was in jieril he offered 
bis services to the government and was com- 
missioned first lieutenant of Company A, Fif- 
teenth Illinois \'olunteer Infantrw which was- 




JAMES G. GRIFFITH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



591 



assigned to the Seventeenth Corps. Army of 
the Cumberland. He participated in many 
important engagements and was with General 
Sherman on his celebrateil march to the sea. 
At the close of the war, when his services 
were no longer needed, Captain Thompson 
was mustered out with the rank of captain and 
returned home with a military record of which 
his family may be justly proud. For many 
years he was an earnest member of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and was quite active in 
its work. He was always found faithful to 
his church, to his country, and to his friends, 
and in his death the community realized that 
it had lost a valued citizen. 



JAMES G. GRIFFITH. 

James G. Griffith, now deceased, was born 
near Tunbridge, Orange county, Vermont, 
on the 30th of March, 1830. The family is 
of English lineage. The father of our sub- 
ject was a farmer of the Green Mountain 
state and owned one hundred and sixty 
acres of land which is . still in possession 
of his heirs. The old house is still standing 
there with its old fashioned fireplaces and 
other early equipments. The place is called 
the Whitney Hill. The father died when his 
son James G. was five years of age and 
the latter then lived with a distant relative 
until twenty years of age. He pursued his 
preliminary education in the country schools 
and later was a student at Haverhill, Mas- 
sachusetts. Later he was employed by a 
Mr. Wadleigh at Haverhill and thus entered 
upon his business career. 

About this time James G. Griffith was 
united in marriage to Miss Susannah Whit- 
ney, the wedding taking place in 1855. In 
the fall of the same year they removed to 
Morgan county, Illinois, settling near Chat- 
ham, where Mr. Griffith engaged in farming 
until 1866. when he came to Macon county. 
He then rented a tract of land in Pleasant 



View township and after a few years he 
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of 
land on section 26 of the same township, 
residing thereon up to the time of his death. 
He was an active, enterprising, practical 
and progressive agriculturist and as the 
result of his labors his fields were placed 
under a high state of cultivation and re- 
turned to him an excellent income. As the 
years passed seven children were added to 
the home: William H., a retired farmer 
who married Alice Logan and resides in 
Macon ; Clara Adeline, the wife of Charles 
L. Colby, a lumberman of Decatur, by 
whom she has two children ; Arthur L., who 
lives on a farm southeast of Macon, and 
married Sattie Ingram, by whom he has 
two children ; and four who passed away. 
The mother of these children died Novem- 
ber 5, 1891, and on the 23d of November, 
1892, Mr. Griffith was again married, his 
second union being with Vida J. Holtz, a 
daughter of Major David and Elizabeth 
(Hoover) Holtz. Her mother was a daugh- 
ter of Christopher Hoover, of Ohio. The 
paternal grandmother of Mrs. Griffith was 
ninety-six years of age at the time of her 
death and the paternal great-grandmother 
reached the advanced age of one hundred 
and eleven years. Mr. Holtz passed away 
at the age of si.xty-eight years. He was a 
mechanic by trade, but reared his family 
upon a farm. He had the following chil- 
dren : Addie E. became the wife of Sam- 
uel T. Young, of Macon county; Christo- 
pher H., who was in the hospital corps 
during the Civil war, afterward became a 
practicing physician and died in 1867 ; 
Rachel ]\Iargaret died in February, 1875; 
John William, who served in an Ohio 
regiment during the Ci\il war, died in 
hospital No. 6 at Nashville, Tennessee, 
in the middle of October, 1862, as the result 
of exposure and hardship at Shiloh, being 
then but twenty-one years of age; Mrs. 
Griffith is the ne.xt of the family ; .Susan 



592 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



died July 27, 1876; David Henry passed 
away August 20, 1874; Isaac Milton died 
in February, 1879; Mary Elizabeth became 
the wife of Martin Miller, of Blue Mound, 
and the mother of three sons; Carl D. is 
part owner and cashier in the Mount Auburn 
Bank ; Arthur G. is cashier in the bank of 
Blue Mound; Earl M. is engaged in horti- 
cultural pursuits in Montgomery county, 
Illinois; Jacob LcRoy died May 24, 1887; 
Edward Augustus and Clarence H. were 
twins and the former died December 2, 
1880, while the latter died August 3, 1881. 

IMrs. GriiYith was educated in eastern 
Ohio and in Antrim College, in which she 
spent one year. When fourteen years of 
age she won two teacher's certificates. She 
first taught school at Attica, Indiana, as 
assistant principal, and afterward in Marsh- 
field, Indiana, for a year. She then spent 
a year as a teacher south of Attica, three 
years in a school south of Rossville and 
two years in Warren county, Indiana. For 
four terms she was teacher in the Dales 
school northeast of Alvin, was next em- 
ployed at College Corner, then at Pleasant 
Hill and in 1881-2 was a teacher in the high 
school in Rossville. She was ne.xt employed 
at Hedge Corner, west of Rossville. In 1887 
on account of illness in the family she re- 
mained at home in order to act as nurse and 
then came to Pleasant View township, 
where she engaged in teaching for one year. 
She afterward gave her hand in marriage to 
Mr. Grifiith and for fourteen months they 
traveled life's journey happily together. 

In January, 1866, Mr. Griffith became a 
member of the Methodi.st Episcopal church, 
being connected with the organization at 
Macon, Illinois. His political allegiance 
was given to the Republican party and he 
was enthusiastic in its support, but never 
sought or desired office. He died December 
29, 1893, respected by all who knew him. 
He had been a loving and devoted husband 
and father, a consistent Christian gentle- 



man and a faithful friend, and the sterling 
c|ualities of his manhood had endeared him 
to all with whom he came in contact. His 
widow is now occupying a handsome home 
in Blue Mound, where she is widely and fa- 
vorably known. 



JOHN W. HAMMAN. 

John \V. Hamman was born November 6, 
1867, in Ohio, and is of German lineage. His 
paternal grandfather, Philip Hamman, was a 
native of Germany and about the time he at- 
tained his majority he bade adieu to friends 
and native land and sailed for the new world. 
Favorable reports had reached him concern- 
ing the opportunities for a business career in 
this country and hoping diat he might benefit 
his financial conditions he established his home 
in Ohio, arriving there about 1807. He was a 
farmer by occupation and carried on agricul- 
tural pursuits in the Buckeye state until called 
to his final rest. His son William Hamman, 
the father of our subject, was born in Ohio- 
and on leaving that state took up his abode in 
Illinois in 1879. Here he carried on farming 
west of \\'arrensburg in Macon county. He 
became a representative and influential resi- 
dent of that district and was also prominent in 
public life in the Buckeye state, having served 
as overseer and collector. A gentleman of the 
highest respectability, his life was honorable 
and upright and when he was called to his 
final re-st his death was deeply mourned by 
many friends. It was in July, 1899, when 
sixty years of age that he passed away. Unto 
him and his wife had been born ten children, 
of whom nine are now living, as follows: 
Elizabeth, the wife of George Theobald ; 
Kate, who is the wife of Otto Heiner ; Tena, 
who married Judson Drobich ; William ; John 
W. : Philip P. ; Mollie, the wife of Guy Park ; 
Daniel ; and Raymond. Edward, the eighth 
child, died at the age of nineteen years. 

There was no event of special importance 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



593 



to vary the routine of life for John W. Ham- 
man in his early youth. Some duties claimed 
his attention, especially the duties of the 
schoolroom, and hours of pleasure in the play- 
ground were enjoyed by him. After reaching 
man's estate, however, the cares and responsi- 
bilities of life came upon him and in order to 
earn a living he established a transfer line and 
storage warehouse in partnership with his 
brother Philip P. under the firm name of 
Hamman Brothers. They began this work in 
1892 with limited capital, each having only a 
few dollars. By persistent effort and square 
dealing, however, they have developed their 
business to its present proportions and its ex- 
tension has been along safe, conservative and 
yet progressive lines. They first had but small 
quarters in East Prairie street, but have occu- 
pied their present quarters on Franklin street 
since February, 1898, and in addition they 
have a large warehouse on East Main street 
and Broadway. The afifairs of their business 
now make heavy demands upon their time and 
as the result of their close application and 
careful management they are now enjoying a 
season of prosperity which is much appre- 
ciated and justly deserved. 

In 1889 Mr. Hamman of this review was 
united in marriage to Miss Lou L. Davis, a 
daughter of George C. Davis, of Long Creek, 
Illinois, and they now have three interesting 
children — Lester, Irene, and Ruth. In 1899 
Mr. Hamman was made a Mason. He be- 
longs to Ionic Lodge, No. 312, F. & A. M., 
and he also holds membership relations with 
the Order of the Eastern Star. He is a mem- 
ber of Easterly Camp, No. 1626, M. W. A., 
has been its manager for the past six years 
and is now its banker and he also has mem- 
bership relations with the Royal Neighbors of 
America. He has a place amid a circle of 
friends who honor and esteem him for his 
many manly virtues and genuine worth. His 
prosperity cannot be attributed to any com- 
bination of lucky circumstances, but has risen 
from energy, enterprise, integrity and indi- 



vidual effort well directed and his business 
has ever been conducted on the strictest prin- 
ciples of fair dealing. 



JOHN McEVOY. 

Among the early residents of Decatur 
whose work entitles them to distinction as 
leading citizens and as upbuilders of the 
city John McEvoy should be numbered. 
He was a native of the Emerald Isle, his 
birth having occurred in Kilbegnet, county 
Galway, Ireland, on the 12th of December, 
1832. His parents were Felix and Ellen 
(Scanlan) McEvoy, also natives of Ireland, 
in which country they spent their entire 
lives. It was to the common-school sys- 
tem of his native land that Mr. McEvoy 
was indebted for the educational privi- 
leges he enjoyed in his youth. 

In 1849, when about seventeen years of 
age, he came with two of his cousins to 
America. They landed in New York and 
thence went to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 
where John McEvoy learned the carpenter's 
trade. He continued to follow that pursuit 
in Pittsfield until 1856, when he removed 
to the west, settling in Decatur. Here he 
continued in the employ of others for a 
time and finally began working at bridge 
work for both the Illinois Central and Wa- 
bash Railroads and he was afterward given 
full charge of all of the bridge work on the 
Wabash Railroad between Stateline, Indi- 
ana, and the Mississippi river, and continued 
to serve in that capacity for seven years. 
He then ceased building operations and 
turned his attention to the conduct of a 
grocery and meat market in Decatur, but 
after a short time disposed of his interests 
in mercantile life in 1864. He then built 
what it now the National Hotel, conducting 
it successfully up to the time of his death. 

While in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Mr. 
McEvoy was married to Miss Jane Kenney, 



,di 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY, 



a native of Frankfort, Kings county, Ire- 
land, born December 26, 1835, and a daugh- 
ter of Richard and Julia Kenney, who were 
also born in Kings county, and there re- 
mained from birth until death. The father 
was a carpenter by trade and made that his 
life occupation. Unto Mr. and i\lrs. Mc- 
Evoy were born nine children : James D., 
who was born January 23, 1856, resides at 
the National Hotel and superintends the 
business interests there; Julia E., born June 
1, 1857, is the widow of James P. Nolan 
and resides with her mother at the hotel. 
She had two chidren, Richard F. and Fran- 
cis J., but the latter is now deceased. The 
third member of the McEvoy family is 
Richard F. McEvoy, who was born Febru- 
ary 13, 1859, ^"^ married Minnie Mall. He 
is now foreman of the large blacksmith shop 
of the Wayne Carriage Manufactory in De- 
catur. John Patrick, born December 23, 
i86q. died in childhood. Maria E., born 
December 19, 1861, died at the age of two 
years. Jennie Agnes, born November 8, 
1863, is the deceased wife of W. B. Thomp- 
son, of Decatur. Patrick F. was born 
March 6, 1867, and resides at the hotel. 
Henry M., born April 10, 1869, is living in 
California. Cathaline M., born March 30, 
1871, is the wife of James R. Rtissell, a con- 
ductor on the Vandalia Railroad, living in 
Decatur. 

Mr. McEvoy always took a deep and 
active interest in political affairs and gave 
his support to the Democracy until i860, 
when he became a stanch Republican. He 
always kept well informed on the issues 
of the day and did everything in his power 
to secure the success of his party, yet never 
sought or desired office. He was one of 
the leading representatives and charter 
member of the Ancient Order of Hiberni- 
ans, Division No. i, of Macon county, and 
held some high offices in the organization. 
He and his wife were members of St. Pat- 
rick's Catholic church of Decatur, of which 



their children also became communicants. 
Mr. .McEvoy deserves great credit for what 
he accomplished in life, for when he came 
to Decatur he had no capital and was de- 
pendent upon his own labors in his trade 
for all that he possessed and enjoyed up to 
the time of his death. He owned consider- 
able property in this city and was recog- 
nized as a leading and influential man here. 
He passed away August 29, 1889, and thus 
ended a life record of usefulness and activity 
crowned with good results. Mrs. McEvoy 
and her sons now own and conduct the 
National Hotel, located at Nos. 561 to 565 
North F"ront street. The building is new 
and modern and the hotel has a liberal 
patronage, being conveniently located near 
both the Illinois Central and W'abash 
tlcpots. 



CHARLES P. THATCHER. 

Practical industry, wisely and vigorously 
applied, never fails of success and the truth 
of this statement finds another exemplifica- 
tion in the life record of Charles P. Thatcher, 
who after many years of close connection with 
business affairs, during which he labored 
earnestly and indefatigably, is now enjoying a 
well earned rest from further work. He was 
born January 16, 1841, near Alilford Mills, in 
Chester county, Pennsylvania, his parents 
being William P. and Sarah M. Thatcher. 
The father was a farmer by occupation, follow- 
ing that pursuit in Chester county until 1853, 
after which he turned his attention to mer- 
chandising in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. 
There he remained until 1861, when he dis- 
posed of his mercantile interests in the east 
and came to Illinois. 

yiv. Thatcher, whose name introduces this 
record, was for two years a student in the 
school conducted by S. Aaron at Norristown, 
Pennsylvania, and he completed his education 
in the Friends Central School in Philadelphia. 




MR. and MRS J. B. GLEASON 




MR. and MRS. ADAM DICKSON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



599 



After leaving school he spent one year in the 
general mercantile business conducted by his 
father in the town of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, 
and in the spring of 1861 he accompanied his 
parents on their removal from the Keystone 
state to Illinois, the family home being estab- 
lished in Decatur, near which city the father 
purchased a tract of land. He then engaged 
largely in the growing of sheep and the pro- 
duction of wool and Mr. Thatcher of this re- 
view assisted him in the business through the 
six years of its continuance, when owing to 
the father's death this industry was discon- 
tinued. 

In the spring of 1867 Charles P. Thatcher 
turned his attention to the lumber business, 
establishing a yard in Decatur, at the intersec- 
tion of the Wabash Railroad and North Water 
street. There he conducted a growing trade 
for many years, continuing in that line until 
1890. Gradually his patronage increased and 
his sales brought to him a splendid financial 
return. His business methods were honorable 
and in all trade transactions he was straight- 
forward, never taking advantage of the neces- 
sities of his fellow-men, but gaining thereby 
a fair profit on his investment. 

On the i8th of January, 1865, Mr. Thatcher 
was united in marriage to J. Neta Robinson, 
who resided with her parents at Schuylkill 
Haven in Pennsylvania. Immediately after- 
ward he brought his bride to Decatur and as 
the years passed four children were added to 
the family, of whom two died in infancy. The 
others are Irene R., now the wife of W. L. 
Shellabarger ; and Alice Neta, who is the 
wife of Robert U. Maffit, both residing in 
Decatur. Mrs. Thatcher died in this city 
March 9, 1895, and was laid to rest in Green- 
wood cemetery. On the 6th of October, 1898, 
Mr. Thatcher was again married, his second 
union being with Mary M. Hall, with whom 
he is now living in a pleasant home at the 
corner of Water and North streets. Keen 
and clear-headed, always busy, always careful 
and conservative in financial matters, moving 



slowly but surely in every transaction, he 
had few superiors in the steady progress 
which invariably reaches the objective point. 



ADAM DICKSON. 

Adam Dickson is a prominent and well- 
known citizen of Decatur, where he is now 
living retired after many years' connection 
with agricultural interests. His residence 
in Macon county dates from 1859, at which 
time he took up his abode in Macon town- 
ship. He came from the land of hills and 
heather, his birth having occurred in Scot- 
land, on the 19th of July, 1835. His parents 
were Archibald and Alice (Innes) Dick- 
son, who were also natives of Scotland, 
where they spent their entire lives, the 
father providing for the family by following 
farming. Unto this couple were born eight 
children, five of whom have passed away, 
while the three now living are residents of 
this country, namely : George, who is now 
residing in Clay Center, Nebraska ; Archi- 
bald, a retired farmer residing at No. 1012 
West Decatur street ; and Adam. 

Mr. Dickson of this review was reared 
on a farm and educated in the common 
schools, but his privileges in that direction 
were very meager, for at the age of ten 
years he had to leave school in order to 
assist his father upon the home farm. He 
was thus employed until 1853, when, de- 
termining to try his fortune in America he 
sailed for the new world, landing in New 
York city. He did not tarry long in the 
eastern metropolis, however, but went at 
once to Rock county, Wisconsin, where he 
was engaged in farming for three years. 
On the expiration of that period he took up 
his abode in Red W^ing, Minnesota, where 
he followed the trades of plastering and 
brick-making for a season. He then returned 
to Rock county, where he carried on agri- 
cultviral pursuits and also worked at odd 



600 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



jobs of plastering, being thus engaged uniil 
1858, wlien he went to PhilHps county. 
Arkansas. In that state he was employed 
in the timber regions through the winter 
and in 1859 he returned to the north, settling 
in Macon county, Illinois, where he se- 
cured employment as a farm hand. In this 
manner his time was passed until 1865, 
when with the capital he had acquired 
through his own labors he purchased a farm 
in Alilam township, for which he paid nine 
dollars per acre. At once he began its 
further development and cultivation and at 
the end of that time he built the tirst school- 
house in .\lilani township, erecting this m 
1866. His wife's father was the second 
teacher of the first school in the township. 
After his marriage Mr. Dickson engaged in 
general farming in Milam township and as 
his financial resources increased he kept 
adding to his land from time to time until 
now he owns three hundred and twenty 
acres, constituting one of the best improved 
farms of the locality. The entire tract is 
situated on sections 2 and 11, Milam town- 
ship, and it is improved with modern build- 
ings and substantial equipments in harmony 
with the progressive spirit of the twentieth 
century. 

On the 31st of December, 1868, occurred 
the marriage of Mr. Dickson and Miss Har- 
riet J. Gleason, a native of Summit county, 
Ohio, born December 29, 1850. She is a 
daughter oi Jonah P.. and Rebecca (Little) 
Gleason, the former a native of Hartford, 
Connecticut, and the latter of Peru, Massa- 
chusetts. The father was a carpenter, brick- 
mason and farmer and on removing from 
Connecticut settled in Ohio, while later he 
took up his abode in Iowa, where he lived 
until 1865. During that time he was county 
surveyor for a number of years and also 
worked at the brick-mason's trade. He then 
established his home in Milam township. 
Macon county, where he was engaged in 
general farming in connection with car- 



pentering. Of that locality he remained a 
resident up to the time of his death, which 
occurred February 29, 1884, and his wife 
passed away September 13, 1889. In the 
family of Mr. and Mrs. Dickson are nine 
children : Nina R., who resides at home ; 
Allie, the wife of Frank Kennedy, a resi- 
dent of Mount Zion t(jwnship, this county; 
Luella, who died at the age of four years ; 
.•\rchie R., a resident of Portland, Oregon ; 
Louis 1!., who married Grace Wilson and 
lives in Milam township, this county; 
George A., who resides on his father's' farm 
in Milam township with his brother Louis 
B.; Bert, Edward M. and Nellie M., all re- 
siding with their parents. Edward won the 
four-years' free scholarship and is now at- 
tending James Millikin University, where 
his brother Bert is also a student. 

On account of advanced age Mr. Dickson 
decided to retire from general farming in 
1902 and on the 12th of August of that year 
removed to Decatur, where he has since 
lived retired. He served as assessor while 
in Milam township for two years, but has 
never been an active politician in the sense 
of office seeking, preferring to devote his 
time and energies to his business interests. 
Since becoming a naturalized American cit- 
izen, however, he has given an earnest sup- 
port to the Republican party. His wife and 
daughters are members of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church of Decatur. In his 
business career he has been successful, for 
he came to America empty handed and as an 
employe on a farm began working hard to 
earn his living. His economy, industry and 
perseverance have been the strong-elements 
in his success and ha\i' gained for him valu- 
able property holdings. The hope which 
led him to America has been more than 
realized, for in this country he has found 
not only prosperity, but has also gained the 
warm friendship and regard of many with 
whom he has been associated. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



601 



WILLIAM BAUM. 

William Baum, who is successfully engaged 
in farming on section 24, Illini township, 
was born on the igth of May, 1851, near 
Chambersburg, in Franklin county, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of William and Lydia 
(Swan) Baum, the former of German and the 
latter of English descent. The mother was a 
devout Christian and was noted far and near 
for her charity. By occupation the father was 
a fence builder. In the family were four chil- 
dren, of whom our subject is the youngest. 
One son and one daughter died in infancy. 
Samuel Baum, oiir subject's surviving brother, 
was a member of a Pennsylvania cavalry regi- 
ment during the Civil war and is now living 
at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He was 
twice married, his first wife being a Miss 
Lutz, by whom he had a son, Harry, now 
living in Hickory Point township, Macon 
county, Illinois. 

Our subject was quite young when his 
father died and he then went to live with a 
Mr. Allen near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 
remaining with him until Mr. Allen's removal 
to Illinois in 1865. He received a fair district 
school education in his native county, and on 
leaving "school at the age of fifteen years began 
work on a farm at seven dollars per month 
and was thus employed until he, too, came to 
Illinois in 1869. In the northern part of this 
state he was also engaged in farm labor at 
twenty dollars per month for one year and 
his wages were subsequently increased until 
he received twenty-five dollars per month. He 
began life for himself without a dollar and to 
his own industry, economy and perseverance 
is due his success in life. He has acquired a 
good farm of eighty acres, which he has 
placed under a high state of cultivation and 
improved with every modern convenience. He 
paid fifty-two dollars and a half per acre for 
his land and has made it one of the most de- 
sirable places of its size in Illini township. 

In 1876 Mr. Baum married Miss Annette 
Pharis, who is the fifth in order of birth in a 



family of ten children, her parents being 
Thomas and Lydia Pharis. She was educated 
in the district schools of Ohio and Macon 
county, Illinois, and is a faithful member of 
the Church of God. JMr. and Mrs. Baum have 
one daughter, the wife of G. W. Lehn, who is 
a young farmer of exceptional energy and 
ability whose farm adjoins that of our sub- 
ject. In his political affiliations Mr. Baum is 
a Republican and he has most capably filled 
the office of school director. Wherever known 
he is held in high regard and those who know 
him best are numbered among his warmest 
friends. 



THOMAS POWERS. 

Thomas Powers, deceased, became a resi- 
dent of Macon county about 1863 and those 
with whom he was daily associated learned 
that his characteristics were those of upright 
honorable manhood and gave him their re- 
spect and regard. He was born in Waterford, 
Ireland, on the 21st of March, 1824, his 
parents, Thomas and Fannie Powers, being 
also natives of the Emerald Isle, where they 
spent their entire lives. In their family were 
four sons and a daughter that started for 
America, but the daughter died while on the 
ocean voyage. The eldest son was Father 
James Powers, who labored in the priesthood 
near St. Louis, Missouri, and is now deceased. 
Michael is a merchant of Curran, Illinois. 
Nicholas died in 1902. 

Thomas Powers, the fourth son, acquired a 
good education in the best schools of his native 
country and then determining to try his for- 
tune in America he crossed the Atlantic and 
made his way direct to the village of New 
Berlin, Sangamon county, Illinois, where he 
secured a position as ticket agent with what 
is now the Wabash Railroad Company. He 
occupied that position for several years, dis- 
charging his duties in a manner very satisfac- 
tory to the public and to the corporation which 
he represented. 



«02 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



While there residing Mr. Powers was mar- 
ried in Springfield, Illinois, to Miss Mary 
Murphy, also a native of Ireland, born Novem- 
ber II, 1831. Her parents, Thomas and 
Bridget (Ryan) Murphy, spent their entire 
lives in that country. Eight children were 
born tnito Mr. and Mrs. Powers: William, 
now deceased; Beatrice, the wife of Thomas 
Delanev, a resident farmer of Illini township, 
Macon conntv : I'annie, the deceased wife of 
William I'.a!!, lier death licing occasioned liy 
a railroad wreck; James and Thomas, who 
have passed away; Mary, who was killed in a 
railroad wreck; Catherine, the wife of An- 
drew Paine of Missouri; and Anna Henrietta, 
the widow of Thomas Hayes, who was a clerk 
in the Waba.sh Railroad office in Decatur. 
She has one child, Mary Mildred, and they 
reside with her mother, Mrs. Powers. 

After his marriage Thomas Powers resided 
in New Berlin, Illinois, for several years and 
then came to Macon county, purchasing a 
tract of land in Maroa township. He made 
a nmnber of substantial and modern improve- 
ments upon his place and engaged in farming 
there with excellent success for about twenty 
years. On the expiration of that period he 
sold his farm and removed to Decatur, where 
he conducted a dray line for a short time. He 
then went with his family to Springfield. Il- 
linois, where he lived retired until called to 
his final rest, his death occurring October 10, 
1883. He voted with the Democracy and had 
firm faith in the party and its principles, but 
never sought or desired office. His church 
relationship was with the Catholic church of 
Decatur and his widow and daughter now be- 
long to the same organization. Mr. Powers 
was an honest, upright man. very successful 
in his business affairs and wherever he lived 
he won the confidence and trust of his fellow- 
men. After her husband's death Mrs. Powers 
resided in Springfield until i8qi, when she re- 
turned to Decatur, where she has since made 
her home, owning and (Kcupying a nice resi- 
dence at No. 545 North Monroe street, where 



she is now living with her daughter, Mrs. 
Hayes. She also owns the adjoining property 
at 543 Monroe street. 



ROBERT T. WILLIAMS. 

After many years connection with the agri- 
cultural interests of Macon county, having lo- 
cated here in 1864, Robert T. Williams is now 
living a retired life in Decatur and has justly 
earned the rest which is now vouchsafed him. 
He is a native of Kentucky, his birth having 
occurred in Montgomery county, October 5, 
1837, his parents being Colonel John and Car- 
olina (Morrow) Williams. The Colonel spent 
almost his entire life in Montgomery county, 
having removed to Kentucky from N'irginia 
in his early boyhood days. His wife was like- 
wise a native of the Old Dominion and in her 
girlhood days accom])anied her parents to the 
Blue Grass state, the family home being estab- 
lished in Montgomery county. Joining the 
Kentucky militia, the father became a lieuten- 
ant under William Henry Harrison, and 
gained considerable distinction in military af- 
fairs. In the communit}' in which he lived he 
was known as a progressive, prominent and 
influential man and was frequently called to 
positions of trust, having at one time been 
sheriff of his county. As a means of liveli- 
hood he followed the occupation of farming. 
His wife's father, Robert Morrow, lived for 
many years in Montgomery county, but ere 
his removal from X'irginia served his coimtry 
in the Indian war under the command of Gen- 
eral -Anthony Wayne. He was an honored 
pioneer settler of Kentucky and aided in re- 
claiming that state from the dominion of the 
red men and in utilizing it for the purposes of 
civilization. The Morrows were originally 
from the north of Ireland and were of Scotch 
Presbyterian stock. 

Robert T. Williams, whose name introduces 
this record, acquired his early edtication in 
private .schools near his home and later Ijecame 
a student in the seminary at Motmt Sterling, 




JEROME B- DAVIS 




MRS. AMELIA DAVIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



60T 



Kfiitiicky. In 1859 he took up tlie study of 
law with the intention of making its practice 
liis life work and continued to read the text 
books bearing on that subject until after the 
inauguration of the Civil war, when he of- 
fered his services to his country and joined the 
Fourth Kentucky Infantry. The period of 
his enlistment covered three years and he was 
mustered out with the Fourteenth Kentucky 
Cavalry, having served under the command of 
General Thomas. As a soldier he was brave 
and faithful to duty, never faltering in his al- 
legiance to the cause which he espoused. 

After being mustered out Mr. Williams 
sought a home in Illinois, arriving in Macon 
county in 1864. He located in Mount Zion 
township, where he purchased a tract of land, 
which he at once began to improve and culti- 
vate and as the years passed and his financial 
resources increased he extended the bound- 
aries of his farm until it now comprises four 
hundred acres of choice farming land. Year 
by year he worked as an active and enterpris- 
mg agriculturist and annually added to his 
income until, having become the possessor of 
a very comfortable competence, he removed to 
Decatur, wliere since 1892 he has lived a re- 
tired life. 

The year following his arrival in IMacon 
countv Mr. Williams was united in marriage 
to Aliss Sallie Gill, a davighter of Harrison 
Gill, of Bath county, Kentucky, and unto them 
have been bom six children : Margaret, 
Harry L., Roger, Cordelia, Warren and Sybil. 
Mr. W^illiams became widely known as a lead- 
ing and enterprising agriculturist of his 
community and since establishing his home in 
Decatur has gained many friends here. His 
achievements should inspire all young men 
who read this record with a truer estimate of 
the value and sure rewards of character. 



JEROME B. DAVIS. 
Jerome B. Davis, deceased, was for many 
years one of the honored and highly es- 
teemed citizens of Macon countv, his home 



being in the village of Macon at the time 
of his death. He was then living retired 
after many years devoted to farming. He 
was born in Cohocton, Steuben county, 
New York, July 7, 1829, his parents being 
Daniel and Elizabeth (Van Warmer) Davis, 
the former of Scotch and the latter of Dutch 
descent. They reared a large family in 
the Empire state. There our subject grew 
to manhood and was educated in much the 
usual manner of boys of his day. 

On coming west Mr. Davis first located 
in Kendall county, Illinois, and at Newark 
he was married October 24, 1850, to Miss 
Amelia Hollenback, a daughter of George 
and Sophia (Sidel) Hollenback. Her father 
was a native of Virginia but when a young 
man removed to Muskingum county, Ohio, 
in 1829, and was there married. He subse- 
quently came west and after residing in 
Kendall county, Illinois, for a time, he lo- 
cated permanently on a farm in Macon 
county, this state, where he made his home 
until called to his final rest at the age of 
seventy-two years. His wife was sixty- 
two at the time of her death. Her father 
died at the age of eighty years and her 
mother at the age of seventy. Mrs. Davis' 
paternal grandfather was eighty-two at 
the time of his death, and her grandmother 
reached the advanced age of ninety-seven 
years. Her ancestors came to America be- 
fore the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Davis 
was born in Kendall county, Illinois, on 
the ist of December, 1831, and is a twin 
sister of Hon. George Hollenback, a prom- 
inent citizen of Aurora, Illinois. In the 
family were twelve children, ten of whom 
reached manhood and womanhood and six 
are still living, but Mrs. Davis is the only 
one of the number living in Macon county. 
She was only six months old when the 
Black Hawk war broke out, at which time 
the family fled to Fort Dearborn (now Chi- 
cago) for protection, being among the first 
to reach that place. Her brother, Clark 



60S 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Hollenback, was a soldier of the Civil war 
and died from the effects of wounds re- 
ceived in the service. Mrs. Davis was 
reared and educated in her native county, 
and is a lady of culture and refinement, well 
informed, and possessing remarkable intel- 
lectual powers. 

Five children were born to ^Ir. and Mrs. 
Davis, as follows : Sophia is now the wife 
of Arthur McNichoU and has six children. 
George H., living near Lake Benton, Min- 
nesota, is married and has twin children. 
Daniel H., of Decatur, is married and has 
two children. Melvin H., a prosperous 
farmer of Macon township, is married and 
has one child. Carrie Belle married Clem 
Smith, of Louisiana, and died in April, 1903, 
leaving two sons, I'oth of whom are mar- 
ried. 

In 1851 Mr. and Mrs. Davis went to New 
York state, where he was engaged in farm- 
ing until 1857, when they returned to her 
native county, settling on the Fox river, 
near Aurora. He continued to carry on agri- 
cultural pursuits in Kendall county until the 
15th of January, 1865, when they came to 
Macon county and located on a farm five 
miles southeast of ]\lacon, having purchased 
two hundred and forty acres of wild land, 
which he at once began to cultivate and 
improve. At that time the country was full 
of sloughs and ponds and wild game was 
abundant, and Air. and Mrs. Davis were 
eye witnesses of almost the entire develop- 
ment of this state. Tlicir first home here 
was a little shanty, which was later replaced 
by a nice comfortable residence; good 
barns and outbuildings were also erected : 
and Mr. Davis planted every tree upon the 
place and ditched and tiled the land, spend- 
ing about three thousand dollars in improve- 
ments. He handled considerable stock and 
continued to engage in general farming until 
the 1st of January, 1894. when he retired 
from active labor and removed to the village 
of Macon, where he purchased a pleasant 



iiome and improved the place, it being still 
the home of his widow. For fifty years 
they traveled life's journey together, shar- 
ing its joys and sorrows, its adversity and 
prosperity, but soon after celebrating their 
golden wedding the husband was called 
away, dying on the 26th of November, 1900. 
The funeral services were held in the Meth- 
odist church and after the sermon, which 
was preached by Rev. Willard, he was laid 
to rest with Masonic honors, having long 
been a member of that fraternity. In 
August, 1868, Mr. Davis united \vith the 
Methodist Episcopal church and was ever 
afterward a devout and earnest Christian, 
taking an active part in church work. He 
voted with the Republican party and held 
the offices of school director and road mas- 
ter in his township. Honest and reliable 
in business, he met with well desdrved suc- 
cess and was able to leave his widow in com- 
fortable circumstances. The old home- 
stead is now rented and Melvin H. Davis 
now manages his mother's business affairs. 
Since the death 01 her husband and daughter 
she has failed somewhat in health owing to 
the shock caused by these sad events. She 
is a most estimable lady and is highly re- 
spected by all who know her. her lovely 
character having won her the friendship of 
all with whom she has been brought in con- 
tact. 



JOHN W. WALKER. 
For many years this gentleman has been a 
resident of Macon county and his name is in- 
separably connected with the agricultural and 
commercial interests of this region. He has 
a wide reputation as a most capable business 
man and his life demonstrates what can be ac- 
complished through energy, careful manage- 
ment, keen foresight and the utilization of the 
powers with which nature has endowed one 
and the opportunities with which the times 
surround him. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



609 



A native of Illinois, Mr. Walker was born 
in Madison county, this state, on the 29th of 
October, 1838, and is a son of Edmond B. and 
Rebecca (Chance) Walker. The father's 
birth occurred in North Carolina in 1809, and 
he was seventeen years of age when he came 
to Illinois with his parents and located near 
r.elleville in St. Clair county, becoming early 
settlers of that portion of the state. There he 
carried on farming and stock-raising quite 
successfully for several years and became the 
owner of about two hundred acres of valuable 
land. He died in December, 1847, •" ^^e faith 
of the Baptist church, of which he was a life- 
long member, and to which his wife also be- 
longed. They were married at the home of 
the bride on Rich Prairie, north of Belleville, 
and became the parents of nine children, 
of whom four are still living, namely : Joel 
T., who is at the head of the firm of 
Walker & Snell, and has charge of the ele- 
vator at Moweaqua ; John ^^^, of this sketch ; 
Elijah, who is a prominent business anan of 
Assumption, Illinois, where he runs an ele- 
vator and also conducts an implement store ; 
and Edmond B., an extensive farmer residing 
near Blue Mound in Blue Mound township, 
this county. The mother of these children 
was born in 18 12 and came to Macon county 
with her two youngest sons in 1863, making 
her home with her children until her death, 
which occurred in February, 1892. Her 
father. Rev. Joseph Chance, was a native of 
Kentucky and a minister of the Baptist 
church. He married i\Iiss Sarah Linton, who 
was born in Virginia and died in December, 
1864. He was born in 1778 and died in 1840. 

During his boyhood and )Outh John W. 
Walker received a good common school edu- 
cation in St. Clair county and for three months 
attended a school in Marion county, taught by 
his cousin, Jacob O. Chance, afterward clerk 
of the appellate court and still later of the 
supreme court of the United States. At the 
age. of twenty-three years our subject entered 



the Union army, enlisted at Summerfield, Il- 
linois, on the 1 2th of August, 1862, as a mem- 
ber of Company C, One Hundred and Seven- 
teenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which 
he served for three years, being discharged at 
Camp Butler on the 6th of August, 1865, at 
the close of the war. He participated in 
thirty-three battles and skirmishes, including 
the engagements at Pleasant Hill, April 9, 
1864; Marksville Prairie, Nashville, Fort 
Derusia, Fort Blakely and Spanish Fort. He 
was always found at his post of duty, valiantly 
defending the old flag and the cause it repre- 
sented, and he never missed a battle or march 
in which his regiment took part during the 
entire three years he was at the front. 

While Air. Walker was in the army his 
mother and two brothers had come to Macon 
countv and purchased a half of what is now 
known as the Brennaman farm in South Ma- 
con township, consisting of one hundred and 
sixty acres, and on leaving the service he also 
located here, buying ninety-two and a half 
acres of prairie land in the same township, 
which he broke, tiled and fenced and im- 
proved by the erection of a good house and 
barn. 

Having secured a home of his own, Mr. 
Walker was married in February, 1868, to 
Miss Martha \'. Oglesby, a daughter of Wil- 
liam B. and Edith (Moore) Oglesby, and six 
cnildren were born of that union, but only 
three are now living, namely : Edith R., wife 
01 Frank Meyer, a farmer of Laurens, Iowa; 
George W., who is manager for H. I. Baldwin, 
a grain broker of Decatur; and Mary E., 
wife of Orin L. Wright, a farmer of South 
Alacon township. The mother of these chil- 
dren died at Pleasant Valley farm near Walker 
Station, June 6, 1883, and Mr. Walker was 
again married September 9, 1884, his second 
union being with Miss Mary E. Kautz, a 
daughter of Frederick and Mary Kautz, who 
were from Brown count)-, Ohio. Twins were 
born to our subject and his second wife but 



(510 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the daughter ched in infancy. The son, Tom 
P., assists his father in business and resides 
at lionie. 

IMr. Walker continued to reside upon his 
first farm from March, iS68, until 1877, when 
he traded the place for a farm of two hundred 
and ninety-two and a half acres adjoining 
Walker Station, to which he gave the name of 
Pleasant \'alley stock farm. He became 
quite extensively engaged in the buying and 
shi])])ing of cattle and hogs and in 18S0 in- 
duced the Illinois Central Railroad to put in a 
switch and sidetrack and got up the petition 
to huilil a station here, to which was given 
ilu' name of Walker in his lionor. He iIumi 
began to deal in grain as well as stock and in 
1882 built the first elevator here. He shipped 
his first carload nf cattle in April, 1875, and 
continued in business alone until 1885. when 
he formed a partnership with his brother, 
Klijaii Walker, K. T. .\llison and W. P.. 
Xeubegin,. under the firm name of Walker 
r.rothers & Company, and purchased" the 
south elevator at .Macon, which they ran in 
connection with the one at Walker. Later our 
subject retired from the firm and for one year 
managed the business at Walker. He and his 
brother then purchased Mr. .Allison's interest 
in the business, which they carried on under 
the style of Walker P.rothers until 1888, when 
our subject became sole proprietor and dis- 
posed of the .south elevator at Macon. He 
carried on the business alone at Walker until 
bis elevator was destroyed by fire in Decem- 
ber. 1894, but in the meantime he had pur- 
chased an interest in the north elevator at 
Macon in partnership with J. I'. X'ongundaw 
Tn the spring of 1895, in partnership with 
Frank Snel). .Mr. Walker erected a new ele- 
vator at Walker, which they sold in 1896 to 
Ills older son. (ieorge Walker, who is now 
manager for H. I. lialdwin. 15esides the ele- 
vator at Walker the firm of Walker & Snell 
own one at Mowea(|ua and another at Rad- 
ford, our subject being manager of the one at 
Walker. He has a nice home at that place. 



surrounded by beautiful grounds consisting" 
of two and a half acres. 

Since casting his first presidential vote for 
.Vbraham Lincoln in i860, Mr. Walker has 
affiliated with the Rei)ublican party. His 
father was a Whig in politics. For several 
years he served as school director but has 
always refused to hold other official position, 
preferring to devote his undivided attention 
to his extensive business interests. He and his 
brother are charter members of the blue lodge, 
Xo. 467, F. & A. M., of Macon, which they 
joined thirty-eight years ago, and he also be- 
longs to the Grand .Army Post at that place. 
Religiously he and his wife hold membership 
in the Methodist Episcopal church and give 
liberally to Ixith church and school work. Mr. 
Walker has made for himself an honorable 
record in business, and b\' his well directed 
efforts has acquired a handsome competence. 
.\s a citizen, friend and neighbor he is true 
to ever\- duty and justly merits the esteem in 
which he is held. 



NIRC.M ARlioTT. 

In the year 187 1 Xirum .Vbbott became 
a resident of Decatur. He was a carriage- 
maker anrl wood-worker by trade and be- 
cause of his jiroficienc}- in the line of his 
chosen vocation was a valued addition to 
the industrial circles of the city. A native 
of Connecticut, he was born February 14, 
1837, and was a son of Xirum and l-'liza- 
beth .Vbbott, who were also born in the 
east. The mother died during the early 
cbildluiod of her son Xirum. The father 
af-terward removed to the west, making his 
way to Michigan, where he worked at the 
blacksmith's trade for a short time. He 
then became a resident of northern Illinois, 
where he followed the same pursuit and 
finall\- iie removed to Minnesota, where he 
engaged in farming until his death. 

Xirum .Abbott, whose name introduces 
this record, acquired a common school edu- 




JOHN BARRON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



*) 1 ?. 



cation and then began preparing for a bus- 
iness career by learning the trade of wagon 
and carriage making. He soon mastered 
the business, becoming an excellent work- 
man, and later he owned a shop in Chaskey, 
Minnesota, where he carried on operations 
for several years. He continued to follow 
his chosen pursuit in that state until 1871, 
when he came to Decatur. Here he was em- 
ployed in the agricultural works for some 
time, but afterward resumed work at his 
trade, which he followed continuously up to 
the time of his demise. 

Mr. Abbott was married in Rockford, Illi-- 
nois, the lady of his choice being Miss 
Louisa M. Cooling, a native of England, 
and a daughter of John and Ann Cooling. 
They came to America in an early day and 
settled in Ogle county, Illinois, where the 
father engaged in farming and where both 
he and his wife eventually passed away. 
Mr. and Mrs. Abbott became the parents 
of seven children, of whom three are now 
living, as follows : Hattie, the wife of Will- 
iam Braucher, of Danville, Illinois; Charles 
J., who married Lulu Curry and is a painter 
in Decatur ; and M3'rtle, who is residing at 
home with her mother. 

In early life Air. Abbott voted with the 
Republican party, but later held himself 
free from all partyties and cast his ballot for 
the candidates whom he regarded as best 
qualified for office'. He was a hard working 
man and became skilled in his chosen pur- 
suit, so that he was always enabled to com- 
mand good wages at his trade and thus he 
left his family in very comfortable circum- 
stances. His wife owns the property at 
No. 1048 North Monroe street, where she 
and her daughter reside. 



JOHN BARRON. 
In a history of those who were once ac- 
tive in the business life of Decatur mention 
should be made of John Barron, now de- 



ceased, who was a real estate and loan 
agent here. His business grew to extensive 
and important proportions and he was wide- 
ly and favorably known as a representative 
of the trade relations of the city. He 
claimed Vermont as the state of his nativity, 
his birth having there occurred in the city 
of Burlington, March 21, i860. His parents 
were Patrick and Julia Barron, both of 
whom were natives of Vermont and they 
always made their home near Burlington, 
where the father followed the occupation of 
farming. There both the father and mother 
passed away. One of their sons, however, 
is still a resident of Vermont, being now a 
priest of the Catholic church in Bennington. 
A sister, Mrs. John Fitzgerald, resides in 
Troy, New York. 

John Barron attended the public schools 
of his native county to some e.xtent, but his 
educational privileges were limited. At the 
age of ten years he left home and went to 
Lancaster, Ohio, where he began work as 
an apprentice to the blacksmith's trade, be- 
ing thus employed for three years. From 
that time until his death he was dependent 
entirely upon his own efforts and deserved 
great credit for what he accomplished and 
at the age of thirteen years he came to Ma- 
con county, Illinois, and settled in the vil- 
lage of Warrensburg, where he began work 
at his trade. Later he engaged in black- 
smithing on his own account and secured a 
good patronage because of his e.xcellent 
workmanship, his honorable business 
methods and his earnest desire to please his 
customers. While living in Warrensburg 
he likewise filled the office of postmaster 
for three years and was recognized as a 
leading and influential citizen there. In 1897 
he removed to the city of Decatur and be- 
came identified with its business aflfiirs as 
a real estate and loan agent, his ofifice be- 
ing located at No. 123 East Main street in 
connection with James O'Mara, an attorney. 
He handled much valuable property and 



614 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



negotiated many important realty transfers ; 
also placed many loans and as a representa- 
tive of this line of business had a large 
clientage. 

On January i, 1900, Mr. Barron was mar- 
ried in Decatur to Miss Mollie Holland, a 
native of this city and a daughter of John 
M. and Margaret (White) Holland, both 
of whom were natives of Ireland, whence 
they came to America at an early day, mak- 
ing their way at once to Decatur. Thej^ 
were among the early settlers here and Mr. 
Holland worked as a common laborer m 
Decatur until 1901, when he removed to 
Pueblo, Colorado, and retired from business 
life. Both he and his wife still reside in 
this city. Two children were born unto .Mr. 
and Mrs. Barron: Willie Andrew, born June 
22, 1 901 ; and Julia, born January i, 1903. 

The business career of Mr. Barron was 
one which gained him deep and sincere ad- 
miration from all who were familiar with 
his honorable record. Starting out in life 
for himself at the tender age of ten years, 
mastering his trade and then following it 
for a long period, he made his course such 
a one as was worthy of the highest respect. 
In public affairs he was prominent and 
while in Warrensburg he held the office of 
constable and collector for several years. 
He was also postmaster at that place for 
three 3'ears and was assistant supervisor of 
Decatur for some time. He exercised his 
right of franchise in support of the Repub- 
lican party and always kept well informed 
on the issues of the day, thus being able 
to give intelligent support to the principles 
which he advocated. He was a charter mem- 
ber of Decatur Council, No. 577, Knights 
of Columbus, and both he and his wife were 
members of St. Patrick's Catholic church of 
this city. In manner he was genial and cor- 
dial and he gained many friends. He passed 
away December 28, 1902, and that he was 
a popular and highly esteemed citizen was 
shown ])v the fact that his was one of the 



largest funerals ever held in the city, hun- 
dreds gathering to pay their last tribute 
of respect to one whom they had known 
and honored. Mrs. Barron owns a nice new 
residence at No. 940 North Edward street, 
in which she is now living, and she also has 
other valuable property interests in De- 
catur. 



LFA'AXT B. C. LEFFINGVVELL. 

Levant B. C. Leffingwell is now engaged 
in dealing in oil in Decatur. There are 
many points in his business career which 
show him to be an honorable, upright man 
and while he has encountered difficulties 
and hardships he has always maintained a 
reputation which proves the truth of the 
old adage that a good name is rather to be 
chosen than great riches. He is to-day, 
however, meeting with a fair degree of suc- 
cess and year by year his prosperity is in- 
creasing. 

Mr. Leffingwell was born in \\'heeler 
township, Steuben county, New York, Jan- 
uary 16, 1830, a son of Jonathan and Han- 
nah (.\very) Leffingwell, of New York. The 
paternal grandfather also bore the name of 
Jonathan Leffingwell and was a native of 
Massachusetts. The maternal grandfather 
was Temperance .\very, and he, too, was 
born in New England. Jonathan Leffing- 
well, Jr., died when but fifty years of age, 
his son Levant being then a youth of eleven 
}ears. He had always followed farming 
and iijiun the old homestead reared his 
family of eight children, of whom four are 
now living, namely : Artemas, Levant, 
Kulh Cordelia and Hannah Jane. Those de- 
ceased are Amanda, Jonathan Axcry, Lem- 
uel and Leander. 

Levant B. C. Leffingwell, who was the 
fifth in order of birth, accompanied his pa- 
rents on their removal from the Empire 
state Id Indiana during his early boyhood 
and there he was reared. I lis advantages 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



615 



ior securing an education in early life were 
limited, however, for he was able to attend 
school only during three months of the win- 
ter season. He managed to acquire a 
knowledge sufficient, however, to enable 
him to teach school and he entered upon 
that profession when twenty years of age, 
following it for five winters in the country 
district. During three winter seasons he 
was a teacher in Macon county. He ar- 
rived here in 1856 and engaged in farming 
in connection with his educational work. 
In 1861, however, he returned to Indiana, 
where he spent four years. In 1865 he came 
once more to Decatur, where he established 
a grocery store, conducting this with a fair 
measure of success until 1873. He then be- 
came a factor in business circles of Indian- 
apolis, Indiana, engaging in the wholesale 
paper trade. The following, year he came 
once more to Decatur and again opened a 
grocery store, but about this time he met 
with financial reverses, and thinking to re- 
cover his losses he removed to Kansas in 
December, 1877, and homesteaded a claim. 
There he began life anew, but drought and 
failure of crops again brought gloom and 
disappointment. However, he did not to- 
tally lose his courage, but with a brave 
heart started again. Returning to Decatur 
in July, 1880, he engaged in the restaurant 
business, putting forth every effort to make 
the enterprise a profitable one with the firm 
determination that he would pay off all of 
his creditors. This honorable course he 
continued in and in four years he had paid 
off' dollar for dollar. His business industry 
has since won him a fair measure of success. 
In 1884 he removed to Florida, where he 
spent one year, and then, returning to De- 
catur, he again engaged in the grocer)^ 
trade. In 1887 he began dealing in oil, 
which business he sold in 1893, removing 
then to California on account of the health 
■of his daughter, Maude. She was not ben- 
efited as they had hoped, but died in Indi- 



ana in 1895, and Mr. Leffingwell then re- 
turned to Decatur, where he became an 
oil dealer, and his attention is still devoted 
to that pursuit. 

On the 24th of August, 1854, Mr. Lefifing- 
well was united in marriage to Esther Ann 
Sutton, who was killed by a run-away team 
on the i8th of April, 1888. She left two 
children: Maude, now deceased; and San- 
ford, who is living in California. On the 
i8th of August, 1901, Mr. Leffingwell was 
again married, his second union being with 
Amanda Seilegg, of Decatur. Mr.' Leffing- 
well and his wife have many friends in this 
city. A man of strong individuality and 
indubitable probity, he has attained a fair 
measure of success in the affairs of life, al- 
though he has encountered hardships and 
difficulties in his career. He is a man of 
genial and social nature and one who is 
honored and respected by all those who 
know him. 



FRANCIS STEWART. 

Francis Stewart was for many years iden- 
tified with farming interests in central Illi- 
nois, and his activity in business and his 
trustworthiness in all trade transactions 
made him a valued representative of agricul- 
tural life here. A native of the Emerald 
Isle, his birth occurred in County Down, 
March 24, 1837, and he was the youngest of 
the seven children of James and Dorothea 
(Brown) Stewart, who were also born in 
CountyDown,but were of Scotch descent. 
The father was a miller by trade and owned 
a mil! in his native country, where he and his 
wife spent their entire lives, the father pass- 
ing away in middle life and the mother at an 
advanced age. In the family are two sis- 
ters who are yet alive in Ireland — Mrs. 
Isabella Brown, a widow, in Belfast; and 
Martha Stewart, who is living in Killaleigh, 
County Down. 

Francis Stewart is the onlv member of 



616 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the family that came to America. He was 
eighteen years of age when he left home 
and went to Glasgow, Scotland, where he 
worked in a foundry for two years, after 
which he came to America in 1857, at- 
tracted by the business opportunities of the 
new world. He settled in Livingston 
county, New York, fifty miles east of Buf- 
falo, where he worked as a farm hand for 
three years, or until i860, when he came 
to Illinois and purchased forty acres of land 
in Christian count)^ to which he afterward 
added two hundred acres, thus making a 
valuable farm of two hundred and forty 
acres, which he owned up to the time of 
his death. In his farm work he was prac- 
tical, enterprising and resolute, and his 
labors made his fields very productive and 
his work profitable. He had had but lim- 
ited educational privileges in his native 
land but by experience and obeservation 
he added greatly to his knowledge and be- 
came a well informed man. 

On the 26th of October, 1861, Air. Stew- 
art was married to Miss Isabella Irvin, at 
Mount ;\uburn, Christian county. She was 
a daughter of James and Margaret (Corri- 
gill) Irvin, natives of Scotland, born on 
the island of Pomona — "the goddess of 
flowers." Airs. Stewart was born there and 
well remembers the beautiful island. Her 
father was a farmer there. She had an 
uncle who was pressed into military service 
to assist the allied armies fighting against 
Napoleon and as he was never heard from 
again it is supjjoscd that he was killed at 
the battle of Waterloo. Mrs. Stewart also 
remembers when church differences caused 
many of the Presbyterians to withdraw 
from their church inulcr the name of Dis- 
senters. 

Unto Air. and Airs. Stewart were born 
six children : James married Agnes Carr, 
a native of Canada, and they had two chil- 
dren, but both are now deceased. Dorothea 
and Alaggie were twins and the latter died 



in infancy, while the former died July 30, 
1895, at the age of twenty years. Belle 
is the wife of William Black, living north 
of Blue Alouhd. William married Nellie 
Armstrong, of Blue Mound, and they have 
one child, Golda B., born July l, 1897. 
Charles, who is now superintendent of the 
schools of Elwood, Illinois, wus a member 
of Battery D, Sixth United States Artillery, 
in the Philippines and returned home with 
health greatly impaired. 

Mr. Stewart was a volunteer of the One 
Hundred and Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, 
and served until the end of the Civil war, 
proving a valiant defender of the Union 
cause. In times of peace he was equally 
loyal to the nation and ever had a deep and 
sincere love for the stars and stripes. His 
political support was given the Republican 
party and he held the office of school di- 
rector. A Royal Arch Alason, he first held 
membership in Grove City Lodge, F. & .\. 
.M., and on his removal to Blue Alound he 
joined IBlue Alound Lodge, No. 682, of 
which he was an exemplary representative 
up to the time of his death. His church 
relationship was with the Presbyterian de- 
nomination, while his wife is a consistent 
member of the Alethodist church. He lived 
true to the principles in which he believed 
and at his death, which occurred in Blue 
Alound, July 14, 1900, his remains being 
interred in Waltz cemetery, his loss was 
deeply felt by many friends. He came to 
this county a young man with very limited 
capital and in an honorable business career 
he steadily worked his way upward so that 
he left to his family a comfortable com- 
j)etence as well as an untarnished name. 



ANDREW J. THOAIPSON. 

P'or many years a resident of Alacon 

county, Andrew J. Thompson was well 

known because of his activity in business 

life and his devotion to manly principles. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



617 



He followed farming during the early years 
of his residence here, but afterward became 
connected with industrial and commercial 
interests of the city of Decatur, and his last 
years were spent in an honorable and well 
•earned retirement from labor. 

Mr. Thompson was a native of the Em- 
pire state, his birth having occurred near 
Rochester, New York, on the 4th of June, 
1834. His parents were James C. and Me- 
hitable (Gould) Thompson, also natives of 
New York, where they remained until their 
removal to the west at an early epoch in 
the settlement and development of Illinois. 
They took up their abode in McHenry 
county, this state, and upon the farm which 
the father cultivated and improved there 
they spent their remaining days. 

Andrew J. Thompson was but a boy at 
the time of the removal of the family to the 
west, and his education, which was begun 
in the public schools of New York, was 
continued in the schools of McHenry county 
and in a college in Chicago, in which he 
was graduated. Through the periods of va- 
cation and after completing his college 
course, he assisted his father in the opera- 
tion of the home farm, and while there he 
also learned the carpenter's trade. He re- 
mained in McHenry county until 1859, 
when, with his brother, George W. Thomp- 
son, he came to Macon county. The latter 
engaged in farming near Warrensburg until 
his death, which occurred in 1899. 

Andrew J. Thompson settled upon a farm 
in Hickory Point township and was there 
united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth A. 
Allen, who became a most faithful and 
valued companion on the journey of life. 
She was a native of Tennessee and a daugh- 
ter of James x\llen, who was born in South 
Carolina but spent the greater part of his 
life in Tennessee, devoting his energies to 
farming until his death, which occurred 
during the early childhood of our subject. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were born 



four children, but the first one died un- 
named. Allen J., the son, married Dora 
Green, and now resides in St. Louis, where 
he is engaged in the restaurant business. 
Mina is now the wife of J. L. Hedrick, who 
is employed as a finisher in the Pullman 
car shops in Chicago. Eva, the youngest, 
died at the age of eleven years. 

After his marriage Mr. Thompson en- 
gaged in farming in Hickory Point town- 
ship, where he remained for siS: years, and 
on the expiration of that period he sold 
his land and removed to Decatur, where 
he turned his attention to the grain bus- 
iness, which he followed for three years. 
He then began carpentering, which he fol- 
lowed for many years, being engaged on the 
construction of some of the best buildings 
in the city. He also traveled for the Tait 
Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of 
agricultural implements. He traveled for 
this firm and also other manufacturers of 
Decatur, working at his trade with them 
all the time in their factories located at dif- 
ferent places. He was thus connected with 
carpentering until a few years prior to his 
death, when he put aside active business 
cares and labors and enjoyed a well earned 
rest at his pleasant home in Decatur until 
called to his final rest. On the 13th of July, 
1903, he had a stroke of paralysis and passed 
away the following day. 

l\Ir. Thompson always took an active in- 
terest in politics and voted with the Re- 
publican party. He was a member of the 
Masonic fraternity of Decatur and also the 
Knights of Pythias lodge, while his wife 
is a member of the Christian church. She 
is an estimable lady whose excellent traits 
of heart and mind have gained her many 
friends. Mr. Thompson was particularly 
well known in Decatur and Macon county, 
where he made his home for forty-four 
.years. He made it his aim to utilize his 
time to the best advantage, to so direct his 
labors as to bring the best results possible. 



618 



PASt AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and he accoiiiplishcd much ihrough an ac- 
tive and rehable business career that won 
him the confidence and good will of all with 
whom he was associated. 



WILLIAM II. BRAMBLE. 

Indelibly engraved on the pages of his- 
tory in Illinois is the name of William H. 
Bramble. Within the last half century- 
America has demonstrated her right to the 
leadership of the world in the realm of in- 
vention. She, at first, by the brilliancy of 
her achievements won the attention of the 
old countries, then commanded a respect 
which rapidly developed into a wondering 
admiration. Though she cannot cope with 
the old masters in the fine arts, Europe has 
acknowledged her pre-eminence in science 
and useful invention. She has given to the 
world unexcelled labor-saving and cost- 
reducing machinery, and Mr. Bramble has 
contributed to this reputation of the United 
States through his efforts along the lines of 
invention. It was said by an eminent Chi- 
cago divine that "There is nothing extem- 
poraneous ; everything results from some 
previous condition or labor." This truth is 
especially manifested in the life of the in- 
ventor. Lie may perfect in a few weeks or 
perhaps days an invention of good worth, 
but it is the outgrowth of years of thought, 
study and experiment. 

Mr. Bramble is now widely known as a 
pioneer of Macon county, as a prominent 
architect and contractor, and because of his 
inventive power is known as the "Western 
Genius." Lie was born in Piketon, Pike 
county, Ohio, .September 19, 1821. being the 
youngest of three children, the others being 
James, who died in earh- childhood ; and 
Rebecca, who became the wife of Dr. Ly- 
man, of (^hicago. The father. Henry Bram- 
ble, was born and reared in Maryland, and 
there learned the stone-cutter's trade. When 



a young man he removed to Pike county, 
Ohio, where he worked at his trade for a 
time and then devoted a number of years 
to the conduct of a hotel in Chillicothe, 
Ohio. Subsequently he removed to Delphi, 
Indiana, and for some time he engaged in 
merchandising. Llis next venture was in 
farming and in connection with his son-in- 
law he purchased a large tract of land near 
Lafayette, Indiana, but after several years 
he sold his interest in this property and 
purchased land elsewhere, making his home 
on the latter tract until after his son was 
married. He then went to live with his 
son-in-law. Dr. Lyman, in whose home he 
passed away, at the age of forty-si.x years. 
His wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Sarah Turner, was a native of Ohio, and 
died in Chillicothe, that state, when her 
son William was a young lad. 

William Bramble spent his earl)' life in 
his father's hotel and store. He attended 
school until about sixteen years of age and 
then went upon his father's farm, but he 
])osscssed natural inventive genius and his 
gift in this direction was shown in early 
boyhood. While working in the fields he 
would think of some improvement that 
might be made in farm implements and 
would immediately set to work to embody 
his idea in material form, perchance to the 
detriment of the field he was weeding. 
When but fifteen years old he invented a 
corn planter and about the time he attained 
his majority when lying in bed one night he 
suddenly conceived the idea of making a 
grain scale that would receive, weigh and 
discharge the grain and add up the amount. 
This idea took complete possession of him, 
but it required eleven years for him to bring 
his ideas and the scale to perfection. In 
order to carry out his experiments he sold 
his farm and erected a hotel near Lafayette, 
Indiana, building a little workshop nearby. 
There he spent many hours every daytrying 
to perfect the grain scale. His mind was 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



619 



completely absorbed in the project and the 
monej- he received from the sale of his 
farm was soon spent. People of the neigh- 
l)orhood almost believed that he had lost 
his reason, so completely did he devote him- 
self to his invention, but after eleven years 
of hard and self-denying labor his work 
was completed. Going to Washington he 
received a patent and on his return he be- 
gan the sale of the automatic grain scale. 
One of his sales amounted to eighty thou- 
sand dollars. The success of the invention 
was astonishing after a brief period. A 
machine was placed on exhibition at Lafay- 
ette which received and measured the grain, 
gave tlie number of bushels and calculated 
the amount which it might bring at the 
current price. From the receipts of his 
sales \lv. Bramble erected a large hotel in 
Lafayette, Indiana, which still bears his 
name. 

There were, however, some difficulties to 
be overcome and hardships to be endured 
before he reaped the full reward of his 
labors. He sold his patent from a model, 
but when the purchaser came to put it in 
use it was worthless, so his property was 
returned and he handed back the money. 
He then borrowed money to improve this 
machine and after six months he went to 
Cincinnati, where he remodeled and per- 
fected his invention. While there he re- 
ceived a gold medal upon it, also one in 
Baltimore and a third at the World's Fair 
in New York. The scale being completed, 
Mr. Bramble admitted a partner to the bus- 
iness and opened an office in Cincinnati, 
where he began the sale of his machine. 
He sold it to the extent of about ten thous- 
sand dollars, but through the rascality of 
his partner he lost all that he had made, 
retaining only about twenty-five hundred 
acres of wild land near Council Bluffs, 
Iowa. The machine he exhibited in every 
state of the Union and received premiums 
at hundreds of places, including the Ohio 



state fair in 1855 and the New York state 
fair in the same year. He also won a gold 
medal at Baltimore and at the New York 
American Institute. He won a special 
gold medal, a silver medal and the first 
diploma at the fourteenth annual, exhibition 
of the Ohio Alechanics Institute and also 
gained another special medal, and all of 
these he now has in his possession. 

In the spring of 1857 Mr. Bramble took 
his family and household goods to Iowa, 
proceeding by boat from St. Louis to his 
possessions near Council Bluffs. He found 
the country, however, wild and unsettled, 
being inhabited much more largely by Indi- 
ans than white men, and not caring to make 
that district a place of residence he re- 
turned to St. Louis with the intention of 
making his way to Springfield, Ohio. Com- 
ing, however, to Decatur he decided to 
locate in this city, feeling that it had a 
promising future before it. He first pur- 
chased an acre of land of the late Orlando 
Powers, and thereon built a brick house, 
which he afterward sold for eight thousand 
dollars. He then purchased six and a half 
acres of land, upon which he has since built 
twenty dwellings, some of which he has 
sold at different times. He now owns a 
dozen or more residences in Decatur, all 
in two blocks. He has likewise done con- 
siderable contracting and building in this 
city following the erection of his first brick 
house. 

His inventive genius, however, has largely 
been the controlling influence of his life. 
Not content to engage in the usual routine 
of business affairs his genius at one time 
found expression in an improved bedstead 
known as Bramble's Spring Rockaway bed. 
This proved successful and met with an ex- 
tensive sale, and many of the beds are still 
used. One of his most important inven- 
tions, however, is the Yale Postoffice Lock 
Box, which is now in hundreds of towns 
throughout America and Europe. He re- 



620 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ceives a royalty on every box sold and this 
affords him a princely income. lie secured 
a patent on this box in 1865 and showed the 
invention to the postmaster of Boston and 
he agreed to adopt the box. Trouble con- 
cerning the invention followed, for the Yale 
Manufacturing Company of Stamford, Con- 
necticut, adopted his ideas and began man- 
ufacturing the box without regard for Mr. 
Bramble's patent. A long contest followed, 
but at length the United States courts de- 
cided that Mr. Bramble should receive a 
royalty on every postoffice box manufac- 
tured, lie has also invented a padlock that 
brings him a large income and he is the in- 
ventor of twenty-seven different styles of 
locks. A manufactory was established in 
Terre Haute, Indiana, called the Bramble 
Lock Company, of which he was superin- 
tendent, and from its manufactures he was 
to receive a royalty, but this company went 
out of existence after several months. Mr. 
Bramble received twelve medals on his in- 
ventions and his genius places him among 
the most prominent inventors of the coun- 
try. 

In politics Mr. Bramble is a Republican 
and has been deeply and actively interested 
in local politics in Decatur. He has served 
as alderman of his ward for forty-five years 
and for a long time he was the only man 
the Republicans re-elected. He has high 
standing with the laboring classes and he 
has been an extensive employer of labor. 
All who have worked under him recognize 
his fairness, his justice and his regard for 
those who serve him. He has taken con- 
tracts for railroad work and graded the 
line between Decatur and Monticello, fin- 
ishing the road in ninety days. Besides 
this he has done much grading of residence 
lawns and a few years ago he platted an 
addition to Decatur, covering four acres. 

Mr. Bramble was united in marriage to 
Anna Slaback, a daughter of Levi Slaback, 
of Tip]iecanoe county. Indiana. She died 



in December, 1900, at the age of seventy- 
nine years. Three children were born unto 
them: Estella B., who is the widow of 
Alexander Jenison ; Edward Gordon ; and 
Oneis. A friend of all educational, social 
and moral interests Mr. Bramble has long 
been recognized as a progressive and pub- 
lic-spirited citizen of Decatur, and, though 
not a member of any religious denomina- 
tion, he was for a number of years a trus- 
tee of the Baptist church and his support, 
co-operation and helpfulness have never 
been withheld from any worthy object. He 
has none of the eccentricities generally at- 
tributed to inventors, and when not in his 
workshop, engaged with his experiments, 
he has always been found as a man genial 
and affable, a gentleman whose pleasing 
manner has won him hosts of friends, while 
his achievements along the line of inven- 
tion command the admiration and respect 
of the world. He has now passed the 
eighty-second mile-stone on life's journey 
and is to-day enjoying the fruits of his toil 
and the honor and fame which he has so 
justly won. 



SAMUEL WEAVER. 
A resident of Macon county for more 
than half a cenutry, Samuel Weaver is one 
of the best known stockmen in Illinois, and 
his efforts in this direction have aided in 
gaining for the state its reputation as a 
stock-growing center of America. He owns 
altogether twenty-two hundred and fifty 
acres of land in this county, his home farm 
comprising seven hundred acres, and all 
is under cultivation. He resides on section 
22, Hickory Point township, and while num- 
bered among the most successful agricul- 
turists of this part of the state all recognize 
the fact that he well deserves his prosperity 
for it has come to him as the direct result 
of his own labors. Since seventeen years of 
age he has been dependent upon his own 




JOHN G. KELLBR 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



623 



resources for a living and his advancement 
has been along legitimate business lines. 

Mr. Weaver was born in Lancaster 
county, Pennsylvania, in October, 1824, a 
son of Conrad Weaver, a native of the Key- 
stone state, and of German lineage. 
Throughout his entire life the father fol- 
lowed farming and his labors were termin- 
ated in death in the year 1841. His widow, 
who bore the maiden name of Rebecca 
Senseman, survived him until 1862. They 
were the parents of ten children, of whom 
our subject was the fourth in order of 
birth. 

Samuel Weaver remained at home until 
after his father's death, when he started out 
to make his own way in the world, learning 
the blacksmith's trade in Carlisle, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he served an apprenticeship 
of two years, receiving nothing but his 
board and clothing during that time. He 
then returned to the farm and operated 
his mother's homestead farm for six years. 
In 1850 he started by team for Illinois, lo- 
cating in Macon county. In 1850, in Penn- 
sylvania, he had married Miss Sarah Sailer, 
and their life in the west was begun upon 
a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, 
which Mr. Weaver purchased on section 
16, Hickory Point township. It was raw 
prairie and he turned the first furrows 
there and planted the first seed upon the 
virgin soil. For fourteen years he continued 
to develop, cultivate and improve that 
place and then removed to his present 
home on section 22, Hickory Point town- 
ship, where he has seven hundred acres of 
valuable land. As his financial resources 
have increased he has added to his property 
from time to time until now his landed pos- 
sessions in Macon county aggregate twenty- 
two hundred and fifty acres. All of his land 
is under cultivation and in addition to the 
production of the cereals best adapted to 
the soil and climate he is extensively en- 
gaged in the raising and breeding of stock. 



He has about one hundred head of cattle 
upon his place and also good grades of 
horses. His business in this line has been 
carried on so extensively and successfully 
that he has won the reputation of being 
one of the most prominent stock-raisers of 
Illinois. He is an excellent judge of cattle, 
horses and hogs, which has enabled him to 
purchase judiciously and to make advan- 
tageous sales. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have been 
born five children : Alfred, the eldest, re- 
sides upon the home farm ; Charles, who 
married Miss Shirley, is a farmer and lives 
upon the tract of land on which his pa- 
rents settled more than a half century ago; 
Nancy is the wife of John Keister, of Ma- 
roa, Illinois, a well known farmer of this 
county ; Catherine is the widow of Jacob 
Lehman, and • resides in Hickory Point 
township ; and Susan is the wife of Asa 
Grossman. 

Mr. Weaver has served as commissioner 
of highway, but has never sought or desired 
public office, his time and attention being 
fully taken up by his business affairs, which 
are extensive, important and valuable. His 
life record should serve to inspire and en- 
courage others who have to start out for 
themselves empty-handed, for it has been 
along legitimate business lines that he has 
won his splendid prosperity, so that he is 
now ranked with the most substantial citi- 
zens of Macon county, and is held in the 
highest honor and esteem. 



JOHN G. KELLER. 
John G. Keller was born near Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania, in 1853, and at the age of four 
was brought to central Illinois, where he has 
since resided. He is the oldest of a family of 
eight children, all of whom are living. His 
father, Jacob S. Keller, born near Middletown, 
Pennsylvania, in 1828, of German descent, 
was married to Elizabeth B. Garver in 1850. 



t>u 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



This union was severed by the father's death, 
wliich occurred October 21, 1903, making fif- 
ty-three years of married Hfe, during tifty^ 
years of which death never visited the imme- 
diate family. Tlie father was one of the early 
pioneers of central Illinois ; sacrificing his 
eastern home he devoted himself to the devel- ' 
opment of the western wilds into wa\ing fields 
of golden grain. 

Our subject's boyhood days were .spent on 
the farm, following the plow in the summer, 
and attending the neighboring school in the 
fall and winter. After availing himself of the 
privileges afforded by the country schools, 
he attended Westfield College, from which 
he holds a certificate of graduation. 

The greater part of his life, thus far, has 
been devoted to educational work, ranging 
from country school to city and cuunty super- 
intendencies. In 1894 he was elected county 
superintendent of the Macon county schools ; 
in 1898 he was re-elected to the same position, 
which he held until the expiration of the term 
December 1, 1902, making eight successive 
years of inihlic service. He has taken an 
active part in politics as well as in education, 
serving seven years as chairman of his home 
township, and two years as chairman of the 
county central committee. 

In August, 1890, at Argenta, Illinois, I\Ir. 
Keller was united in marriage to Mollie B. 
Wikoif, who is a descendant of the Burns fam- 
ily, of which Robert Burns was a member, 
and has for the last nine years been a resident 
of Decatur, Illinois. 

Mr. Keller is a member of the following 
lodges : Macon Lodge. No. 8, A. F. & A. M. ; 
lodge No. Ill of the Order of Eastern Star 
of Decatur: lodge of Modern Woodmen of 
Argenta ; and of the Benevolent Protective 
Order of Elks, Decatur Lodge, No. 401. 



JAMES E. BROWN. 
James E. Brown is one of Macon county's 
native sons and a representative of an old and 
honored family of this section of the state. 



whose identification with the history of this 
country dates from an early period in its de- 
velopment. He was born in Jllini township on 
the 2 1 St of November, 1868, and is a son of 
Amos and Abbie A. (Brown) Brown, natives 
of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, re- 
spectively. The father was born in Kensing- 
ton, March 9, 1843, his parents being Stephen 
and Dollie (Batchelder) Brown. The latter's 
father, David Batchelder, was a deacon in the 
Congregational church at Hampton l-'alls, 
New Hampshire, having succeeded his father 
and grandfather in that office. Our subject's 
paternal grandfather, Stephen Brown, was a 
very prominent and influential man in his com- 
munity and was called upon to represent his 
town in the state legislature. He was born 
February 4, 181 7, and died July 7, 1900. In 
his family were ten children, of whom Amos 
is the second in order of birth. The latter is 
the father of six children, four sons and two 
daughters, namely : James E., whose name in- 
troduces this sketch ; John A., who married 
Mabel C. Ingham and is living in lllini town- 
ship ; Alice M. and May Helen, both at home 
with their parents ; Arthur, who was born 
.September 14, 1884. and died in the following 
November ; and a son, who was born (Jctober 
28, 18S5, and died the same day. 

James E. Brown secured his early educa- 
tion ill the district schools of lllini township- 
and later took a general course at the normal 
scIkwI at Valparaiso, Indiana, in 1889 and 
1890. He began earning his own livelihood 
by working on a farm at eighteen dollars per 
month and has since devoted his time and 
energies to agricultural pursuits with good 
results. He commenced farming for himself 
in 1891 upon the Taylor farm on section 30, 
lllini township, where he remained two years^ 
removing to his present farm on the same sec- 
tion in the fall of 1893. He is now the owner 
of one hundred and sixty acres of land which 
he has placed under a high state of cultivatiori 
and well imjiroved, making it one of the model 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Q-J5 



farms of the locality. He feeds about two car- 
loads of cattle for market each year and a 
half a carload of hogs, and he also owns and 
operates a threshing machine and corn-sheller. 
He is a very industrious, energetic man and 
the success that he has achieved is certainly 
well merited. 

On the 1 2th of January, 1892, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Brown and Miss 
Katharine M. Batchelder, a daughter of Sam- 
uel E. and Sarah M. (Clark) Batchelder. Her 
paternal grandfather was Nathaniel Batch- 
elder, a son of Elisha Batchelder and grand- 
son of David Batchelder, who was born Janu- 
ary 13, 1736. Her father, Samuel E. Batch- 
elder, was born in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, 
February 24, 1828, and died in lUini township, 
this county, July 3, 1893, his remains being 
interred in the Illini cemetery. He inherited 
the old homestead in New Hampshire, which 
he sold and removed here about i860, becom- 
ing one of the leading men of the community. 
He was a deacon in the Illini Congregational 
church, which was organized in 1868 and is 
one of the few churches of that denomination 
in Illinois that has never received any aid in 
building the house of worship and in suport- 
ing its ministers. Mrs. Brown is the youngest 
in a family of four children, the others being 
Augusta, wife of William T. Eaton ; Abby 
Whitehouse, who was born June 8, 1858, and 
died October 22, 1893; ^"^1 John Clark, who 
married Susan L. Harper. Our subject and 
his wife have an interesting family of six 
children, whose names and dates of birth are 
as follows : Avis Marilla, April 24, 1893 ; 
Mildred, August 27, 1894; Kathleen Augusta, 
December 26, 1895; Baxter Batchelder, Janu- 
ary 18. 1898; Helen Abigail, December 13, 
1899; and Theodore, June 28, 1902. 

Mr. Brown is an ardent Republican in poli- 
tics and for two years has filled the office of 
road commissioner. Both he and his wife are 
active and consistent members of the Congre- 



gational church of Illini and are people of 
prominence in the locality where they reside, 
their circle of friends and acquaintances being 
extensive. 



JESSE E. YOHE. 

Jesse E. Yohe, a well-known jewelry mer- 
chant of Decatur, lias resided in this city for 
the past fifteen years. He was born in Mon- 
ongahela, Pennsylvania, a son of John S. and 
Amanda S. Yohe. The father was a carriage 
manufacturer and in the year 1880 he left 
Pennsylvania and removed with his family to 
Mount Vernon, Ohio, where he remained for 
seven years and then came to Illinois, the fam- 
ily home being established in .Shelbyville, 
Shelby county. The father again engaged in 
carriage manufacturing, but later turned his 
attention to agricultural pursuits, conducting 
a farm in the southern part of the state. 

Mr. Yohe of this review accompanied his 
parents on their removal to Ohio and to Il- 
linois. He pursued his education in Mount 
A'ernon, Ohio, and after his father began 
farming he assisted him in the cultivation of 
fields and meadows on the home place in 
southern Illinois. In 1901 the family re- 
moved to Macon county and here the father 
again engaged in farming. He is still living 
in this county. Unto him and his wife were 
born ten children, four sons and six daughte;rs, 
all of whom yet survive with one exception. 

It was in the year 1889 that Jesse E. Yohe 
arrived in Decatur. He was then quite young 
and he entered the service of H. Post as an 
errand boy, but his ability, faithful perform- 
ance of his duties and close adherence to his 
work gradually won him advancement and 
that he enjoyed the unqualified confidence and 
trust of his employers is shown by the fact 
that he remained for fourteen years in the 
services of H. Post & Son, learning the watch- 
maker's and jeweler's trade during that time 
and becoming an efiicient workman. In 
]\Iarch, 1903, he resigned his position and pur- 



626 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



chased of E. J. TIarpstrite the jewelry store 
located at No. 146 luist I'rairie avenue. This 
he is now conducting and it is recognized as 
one of the best jewelry stores in this part of 
the state. 

Mr. Yohe is a member of Macon Lodge No. 
8, A. F. & A. M., also belongs to En Ami 
Lodge No. 593, K. P., and to the Modern 
Woodmen Camp, No. 1626. Socially he is 
connected with the Iroquois Club, of this city. 
He is one of the popular and prominent busi- 
ness men of Decatur and his establishment is 
well conducted, he handling a large line of 
fine jewelry goods, which in its attractive ar- 
rangements wins the attention of the public 
and secures a liberal share of the general pa- 
tronage. Mr. Yohe is genial in manner and 
his unfailing courtesy and deference for the 
opinions of others have won him the high re- 
gard of young and old, rich and poor. 



CYRUS M. LMBODEN. 
Cyrus M. Imbodcn, who has longer been 
connected with the butchering business than 
any other representative of the trade in De- 
catur, was born in Pennsylvania in 1845. 
His father, John Imboden, was a native of 
Lebanon county, that state, and on the 22d of 
November, 1855, arrived in Decatur, where 
on the 23d of December of the same year he 
opened a meat market. He did his own 
slaughtering and purchased his own stock. 
The new enterprise proved profitable and he 
continued to engage in that business until the 
1st of April, 1880, when he retired to private 
life. He was then succeeded by his sons, 
Cyrus M. and John G., and the new firm con- 
tinued in the trade until the ist of October, 
1898, when Cyrus M. Imboden became sole 
proprietor. The market has been continued 
at one location since its establishment in 1855. 
The father's first shop was in a small frame 
building twenty by thirty feet and one story 
in height. That was afterward replaced by a 



brick structure of the same size and earlj' in 
the '60s he built the present block known as 
the Imboden Block at the corner of South 
Main and Wood streets. It was built in mod- 
ern style and thoroughly equipped for the pur- 
pose intended and in the new building Mr. 
Imboden gained even greater success than he 
had previously enjoyed. 

While in Pennsylvania John Imboden was 
united in marriage to Sarah Mark, a native of 
Lebanon county, and when he came to De- 
catur was accompanied by his wife and their 
four children. They made the journey west- 
ward by way of Pittsburg, Cleveland and Chi- 
cago and eventually reached Macon county. 
Mr. Imboden never sought or desired office, 
preferring to devote his time and attention to 
his business affairs until his retirement from 
active business hfe. He died December 31, 
1899, and his wife passed away March i, 
1894, at the age of seventy-five years. In 
their family were nine children, of whom 
seven are living, all sons. These are Cyrus M., 
of this review ; Adam H., who is married and 
is a traveling salesman of Wichita, Kansas; 
Hiram, who is married and is living in Wich- 
ita ; Miller, who is married and conducts a 
flouring mill in Wichita ; David C, who is en- 
gaged in the brokerage business in Chicago; 
and John G., who is a farmer and stock-dealer 
01 Macon county, carrying on business on an 
extensive scale and acts as judge of cattle in 
Chicago; and Frank W., a Methodist min- 
ister, located in Kingman, Kansas. The other 
members of the family died in infancy. 
The father was president of the board of trus- 
tees of the First Methodist Episcopal church 
for many years and took a very active part 
in church work. 

Cyrus M. Imboden acquired his education 
in the schools of Decatur and after putting 
aside his text-books began clerking in this 
city, being thus engaged with several large 
firms. At the age of seventeen years he en- 
listed in Company F, One Hundred and Fif- 
teenth Illin.ois Infantry, as a private under 




ANDREW SHOEMAKKR 




MRS ANDREW SHOEMAKER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



«29 



Captain F. L. Hayes and Colonel Jesse H. 
Moore. He served until February 29, 1864, 
and was then discharged on account of severe 
wounds sustained in the battle of Chicka- 
mauga on September 19 and 20, 1863. After 
his return from the war he engaged in the 
grocery business and in other pursuits in con- 
nection with his brother Adam until July 6, 
1870, when he became a member of the firm 
owning a meat market established by his 
father. The firm name was then changed to 
Imboden & Son and our subject has since con- 
tinued in this business, conducting the market 
along progressive lines and keeping thorough- 
ly in touch with modern ideas. He deals in 
a high grade of meats and because of the ex- 
cellent quality of his goods and his honorable 
business methods he receives a large and 
growing patronage. 

On the 9th of August, 1870, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Imboden and Miss 
Clara Allison, a daughter of Dr. B. A. and 
Amanda (Patrick) Allison, the former a na- 
tive of Kentucky and the latter of Indiana. 
Seven children were born of this union, of 
whom five arc now living : Daisy J., the wife 
of Ira Fleming of Storm Lake, Iowa ; Sarah, 
who is a teacher in the public schools of De- 
catur ; Charles A., who is a bookkeeper in the 
Millikin Bank ; Benjamin A., who holds a 
similar position ; Susanna, a student in the 
high school of Decatur ; and two that died in 
infancy*. The family residence is at No. 236 
West North street. 

Fraternally Mr. Imboden is a Mason, be- 
longing to the blue lodge and chapter and also 
to Beaumanoir Commandery, K. T. In public 
affairs he has been prominent and influential 
and in the '80s he served for two terms as 
assistant supervisor. He has always taken an 
active part in politics yet has never sought 
office for himself, preferring that his friends 
should have the honor and responsibilities of 
public office. He is a prominent member of 
the First Methodist Episcopal church, with 
which he has been identified for forty years. 



having joined at the age of fourteen. He has 
long served as one of its officers and is now 
a member of its board of stewards. 



ANDREW SHOEMAKER. 

Andrew Shoemaker has passed the sev- 
enty-third mile-stone on life's journey and 
and is now living a retired life. In former 
years he was a well known contractor, but 
now a rest from further labor has been 
vouchsafed to him as the reward for his 
activit}' and energy in earlier years. He was 
born in Herkimer county, New York, No- 
vember 20, 1828, a son of John S. and Lena 
(Piper) Shoemaker, both of whom were 
natives of the Empire state. In their family 
were eight children and four of the brothers 
are still living in New York. 

Mr. Shoemaker of this review was the 
third in order of birth and he pursued his 
education in his native county, studying 
in the old schoolhouse which stood on what 
was known as Shoemaker Hill. Nearly all 
of the pupils in that school bore the name 
of Shoemaker, as the family was a numerous 
one in the locality. Our subject was reared 
to farm life, early becoming familiar with 
the labors of field and meadow and he as- 
sisted in the cultivation of the old home- 
stead until he was twenty-two years of age. 
At that time he went to work on the Hud- 
son River Railroad under J. B. Moss, as- 
sisting in making the grade for that road. 
He acted as foreman for the contractor for 
a number of years and in this capacity was 
engaged upon the construction of the Erie 
canal, being foreman of a crew enlarging 
that artificial waterway. 

The business opportunities of the west, 
of which he heard favorable ' reports, at- 
tracted him to Illinois and in 1852 he came 
to this state. Here he worked under J. B. 
Moss, the contractor, acting as his foreman 
in the grading of the Alton Railroad. Later 



630 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



he returned to the east, remaining three 
months, and on the expiration of that period 
he again came to llhnois in 1854 and took 
charge of the railroad work on the Illinois 
Central Railroad extending through Cairo. 
With railroad building he was long actively 
identified as a contractor and has taken and 
executed many contracts for railroad bridges 
and special work. lie has also carried on 
contracting as a carpenter and in this ca- 
pacity has erected a number of good build- 
ings in Decatur and vicinity. He possesses 
excellent mechanical ability and thoroughly 
understands the great scientific principles 
which underlie such work. He has, more- 
over, had varied practical experience and 
in the execution of his contracts has dis- 
played marked capability, fairness and skill. 
Many evidences of his handiwork are seen 
in substantial structures in Decatur and tlu' 
surrounding country and he continued in 
business until about 1S97, when he put aside 
the more arduous cares of life and lias since 
lived retired. 

On the 28th of Ocldber, \S^(\ Mr. .^hoe- 
maker was united in marriage in Decatur 
to Miss .Sarah jane Meyers, a native of 
Indiana, and a daughter of James Meyers. 
She came to Illinois during her girlhood 
days and for many years she was a faithful 
companion and helpmate to her liusl)an(l 
on the journey of life, but in .May, u;i),^ 
she was called to her final rest, passing away 
when about sixly-si.x years of age. Four 
children had been born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Shoemaker, but one was deceased ere the 
mother's death. The others are as follows: 
Ernest, who resides at home ; Mary L., who 
is acting as her father's housekeeper: and 
Cliloe, who is now the wife of Ira Swarts, 
of Christian county, who is a train dis- 
patcher on the Illinois Central Raihoad. 
They had two children but both are now 
deceased. Grace Shoemaker, a daughter of 
our subject, was the wife of James lirooks 
and died leavimr one (laughter. Morenee 



I. Brooks, who now lives in Chicago. Mrs. 
Shoemaker was a consistent and active 
member of the Grace Methodist Episcopal 
church and a lady whose many excellent 
traits of character endeared her to all who 
knew her so that her death proved a great 
bereavement to her many friends as well 
as her immediate family. 

In his political afliliations .Mr. .'-•hoiMnaker 
has long been an active Democrat and 
served as alderman of the city fourteen 
years, being elected to represent the fifth 
ward. He exercised his official prerogatives 
in support of every measure which he be- 
lieved would prove of public good and did 
much for the substantial progress and im- 
provement of the city. He also served as a 
volunteer fireman of Decatur and for thirty- 
si.x years he has been a valued and honored 
member of the Odd Fellows Society, ex- 
eniplif}-ing in his life its beneficent prin- 
ci])les. 

For lhirt\-nine years he has occupied 
his present home at No. 992 East Eldorado 
street, this having been one of the first 
houses erected in that part of the city. The 
land lying to the east of his home was even 
not under cultivation at that time and there 
were many sloughs, which seemed to ren- 
der it unfit for tilling. There was a great 
deal of wild game in the neighborhood and 
the work of improvement and progress 
seemed scarcely begun. Mr. Shoemaker 
has taken a deep interest in everything per- 
taining to the progress and development ol 
this part of the state and has borne his 
full share in this work. He now owns a sub- 
stantial residence in Decatur and other city 
property and is well-to-do as the result of 
a life of industry, enterprise and careful 
management. 

In 1852 he cast his first presidential vote, 
supporting Pierce, and he regards it the 
duty as well as the privilege of every .Amer- 
ican citizen to manifest his preference for 
the candidate nominated for office that the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



631 



best interests of the country may be thus 
conserved. His wife was a devoted mem- 
ber of the Grace Alethodist Episcopal cliurch 
for many years and took an active part in 
foreign and home missionary work and in 
the work of the Sunday-school and young 
people's society. She did everything in 
her power to uplift humanity and to extend 
the cause of Christianity and hers was a 
noble example. Mr. Shoemaker has now 
advanced far on life's journey and because 
he, too, has lived an upright and honorable 
fife he receives the veneration and respect 
which should ever be accorded one of his 
years. 



JOHN F. KEISTER. 

Prominent among the successful citizens 
of Macon county who are devoting special 
attention to the raising of stock and have 
met with marked success in that business 
is John F. Keister, whose home is on sec- 
tion T,2. jMaroa township, owning one of the 
valuable and well improved farms of that 
locality. His possessions have all been 
acquired through his own efforts and as 
the result of his good management and ex- 
cellent business ability he has become one 
of the most substantial men of his com- 
munity. 

'Sir. Tveister was born in 1843 '" York 
countv, Pennsylvania, of which state his 
parents, Peter and Susan Keister, were also 
native.?. Tn 1850 the father brought his 
familv to Macon county, Illinois, and was 
engaged in farming in Hickory Point town- 
ship until called to his final rest in 1889. 
The subject of this review was only seven 
years old when he came to this county, 
which at that time was but sparsely set- 
tled and much of the land was still in its 
primitive condition. As soon as old enough 
to be of any assistance he began to aid in 
the work of the farm, being reared to habits 
of industrv and usefulness. At the age of 



twenty-two he rented a tract of land from 
his father and was engaged in its operation 
for eight or nine 3'ears. At the end of that 
time he was able to purchase two hundred 
and eighty acres, for which he paid forty 
dollars per acre, and he has since bought 
more land from time to time until he now 
has three hundred and sixty acres in Maroa 
township and four hundred acres in Hick- 
ory Point township, having paid one hun- 
dred and twenty-five dollars per acre for 
the last that he purchased. He has made 
all of the improvements upon his home 
place, which is one of the best farms in the 
county. Besides his comfortable residence 
he has built large barns and other outbuild- 
ings for the accommodation of grain, stock 
and agricultural implements. At the present 
time he gives all of his attention to the rais- 
ing and feeding of cattle and is one of the 
best known stock men in the county. He 
has a fine herd of one hundred and twenty- 
five head of cattle upon his place. It is his 
custom to go to Texas and buy calves, 
which he brings home and fattens for mar- 
ket. Twice he has fed fifteen head of Here- 
ford cattle for the International Fat Stock 
Show, and on the first occasion received 
three hundred and fifty dollars in premiums 
and the second time seven hundred dollars. 
He is now feeding several head for the 
World's Fair, to be held in St. Louis in 
1904. 

In 1866 ^Ir. Keister married Miss Nancy 
A. Weaver, a native of Cumberland county, 
Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Samuel 
\N'ea\-er. Unto them have been born six 
children, namely: Charles, who died at the 
age of twenty-four years ; Samuel, who died 
at the age of four: Mary, who died at the age 
of thirty; Frank, who died at the age of 
twenty-one ; Harriet, now the wife of Fred- 
erick Moore, who is living in South Da- 
kota; and Mabel, at home with her parents. 

?^Ir. and ]\[rs. Keister are both members 
of the Christian church and are most esti- 



632 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



mablc people, well liked by all who know 
them. In his political affiliations our sub- 
ject is a stanch Republican, and he is an 
honored member of the Grand Army Post 
of Maroa, having been one of the defend- 
ers of the Union cause during the dark 
days of the Rebellion. When the war broke 
out he was too young to enter the service, 
but in 1864 he enlisted in Company E, One 
Hundred and Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry under Colonel Lackey, and on the 
expiration of his term of enlistment was 
mustered out at Springfield, Illinois. His 
life affords an excellent example to the 
young in that he started out for himself 
without capital, but having a determinalion, 
to succeed he industriously applied himself 
until he has acquired a good property and 
stands to-day among the most prosperous 
and substantial citizens of the county. It 
is his intention to retire from active bus- 
iness life in the fall of 1903 and remove to 
Maroa, where he expects to spend his re- 
maining years in ease and quiet, enjoying 
the fruits of former toil. 



HIRAM II. WISE. 
Hiram H. Wise, who is now engaged in the 
real estate business in Decatur and whose in- 
ventive genius has given to the world a mmi- 
ber of devices of value and importance, was 
born in Akron, Ohio, on the 31st of Decem- 
ber,, 1 85 1, his parents being William and 
Catherine (Kline) Wise, both of whom were 
natives of Pensylvania and were of German 
descent. The father was born in Union coun- 
ty of the Keystone state and the mother's 
birth occurred in Cumljerland county, but they 
spent many years of their active lives in Ohio, 
where the father carried on agricultural pur- 
suits. He was an enterprising farmer who 
prospered in his undertakings and who died 
upon his Ohio farm in the year 1876. Hiram 
H. Wise is the \oungest in their family of 



twelve children. Those still living are : Mary, 
the wife of John Benner; William J.; Lydia, 
who is the wife of Abraham Wilhelm ; Jacob ; 
Washington ; Catherine, the wife of William 
J. Ridgely; Hiram H. Those deceased are: 
Samuel, Elizabeth, Susan, Rebecca, and Peter, 
who died in infancy. 

Hiram H. Wise spent the first nineteen 
years of his life in the state of his nativity, 
being reared to manhood upon the old home 
farm, while the district schools afforded him 
the educational privileges which he enjoyed 
in his youth. When a young man of nineteen 
years he left Ohio for Macon county, estab- 
lishing his home in Blue Mound in March, 
1 87 1. After attaining his majority he mar- 
ried and in order to provide for the expenses 
of the newly established household he began 
business as a barber, conducting the first shop 
in Blue Mound. It was thus he gained his' 
start. After two years he turned his atten- 
tion to the music business, carrying a line of 
nuisical instruments and musical specialties in 
connection with sewing machines. In that 
store he continued until 1881, when he re- 
moved to Taylorville, Illinois, where he be- 
came a dealer in agricultural implements. 

Ill January, 1882, however, he removed to 
Decatur and formed a partnership with S. M. 
Lutz as proprietor of a music store, which 
he conducted for three years. On the expira- 
tion of that period he sold out to his partner, 
who still continues the business. Mr. Wise 
then located on St. Louis avenue near the 
southwestern border of the city of Decatur 
and established what is known as the Wise ad- 
dition to the city. Lie is now dealing in real 
estate and has an excellent knowledge of 
realty values and of the properties that are on 
the market. He puts forth every efifort in his 
power to secure the improvement of the city 
along special lines of progress and as a real 
estate dealer has excellent opportunit\- to aid 
in the substantial growth of Decatur in this 
way. As a real estate dealer he now has a 
large clientage and his business is proving 




H D. M. HODGE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



635 



profitable. His own attractive home was built 
on the Wise addition in 1887. While a resi- 
dent of Blue Mound he also laid out an addi- 
tion to that place and assisted in dividing the 
village into town lots in 1892. He also gave 
to the city a beautiful park, which has been 
named Wise's Park. 

Mr. Wise also possesses considerable in- 
ventive genius and three of the productions of 
his brain have come to public lotice as being 
useful and valuable devices. He is the in- 
ventor of a window frame, w.iich is so con- 
structed that the window may be opened and 
cleaned without removing the sash. This is 
especially valuable for office luildings. He 
also invented a shaft supporter and anti-rat- 
tler, a unique invention likely to be brought 
into general use. Another worV of his fertile 
brain and busy hands is a dumbwaiter to lower 
into open wells for the preservation of fruit 
and table delicacies. Mr. Wise is continually 
thinking out along original lines and his ef- 
forts have been of considerable benefit to the 
world and show marked mechanical ingenuity. 

In 1873 was celebrated the marriage of 
Hiram H. Wise and Miss Sarah E. Seiberling, 
a davighter of James Seiberling, one of the 
honored pioneers of Blue Moun^, now living 
at the age of eighty-five years^ Mrs. Wise 
was born in Akron, Ohio, but since her early 
girlhood days has lived in Macon county, 
where she has a wide acquaintance and a large 
ntimber of warm friends. Socially Mr. Wise 
is connected with Chevalier Bayard Lodge, 
K. P. He usually votes with the Democratic 
party, but is Prohibition in sentiment and has 
long been a warm friend of the cause of tem- 
perance, doing everything in his power to sup- 
press the sale of intoxicants. His interest in 
his fellow-men is deep and sincere and his co- 
operation has been given to many measures for 
the general good. In the business world he has 
attained an enviable position and a creditable 
reputation and tlie success which has crowned 
his efforts shows that abilitv. energy and 



strong determination are important factors in 
the active affairs of life and that earnest, per- 
sistent labor. will ultimately bring its reward. 



HENRY D. M. HODGE. 
Henry D. M. Hodge is a representative 
of one of the oldest families of the south- 
eastern part of Macon county, his parents 
having settled in Mount Zion township in 
1831. Six years later his birth occurred 
on the old family homestead there, his natal 
day being November 12, 1837. His parents 
were Henry J. and Penelope (Traughber) 
Hodge, the former a native of North Caro- 
lina and the latter of Kentucky. The father 
was a school teacher in early days there and 
removed from North Carolina to a farm 
near Nashville, Tennessee, where he resided 
until 1830, when he came to Illinois. He 
first settled in Sangamon county, where his 
step-father was living and there he engaged 
in general farming for a year. In 1831 he 
came to Macon county, establishing his 
home in Mount Zion township, when it was 
all wild land. There he entered a tract from 
the government, upon which not a furrow 
had been turned or an improvement made, 
and the arduous task of developing a farm 
was capably performed by him. It was 
in this county that Mr. Hodge was united 
in marriage to j\liss Penelope Traughber 
and the young couple began their domestic 
life upon the old home place situated six 
miles east of the village of Mount Zion. 
Throughout his entire life the father car- 
ried on agricultural pursuits and annually 
the rich fields accorded to him good har- 
vests which found a ready sale on the mar- 
ket. His death, however, occurred when he 
was still in the prime of life, he passing 
away August 30, 1838, and his widow after- 
ward became the wife of Martin Blaney, of 
IMorgan county, Illinois, who is now de- 
ceased. Mrs. Blaney died in the village of 



636 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Mount Zion on the 8th of September, 1885. 
The subject of this review was the only 
child of the first marriage, but there were 
seven children by the second marriage, as 
follows : Jane, the widow of John Wana- 
cott, and a resident of Mount Zion; Mary, 
the wife of David Dickey, of Mount Zion ; 
James, of Chicago; and Mrs. Catherine 
Cooper, Morrison J. Blaney and Mrs. Alice 
Martin, all deceased; and one who died un- 
named. 

Henry D. M. Hodge was only one year 
old at the time of his father's death. He 
was reared by his mother and step-father 
and attended the public schools, lie worked 
on the home farm in his youth until 1858, 
when he went to Missouri and there he was 
married the next year to Miss Elizabeth 
Adams, a native of Piatt county, that state, 
born January 6, 1842, a daughter of Henry 
and Sarah (Reed) Adams. Her father was 
a farmer in Missouri, but on account of ill 
health went to Colorado and died near 
Pikes Peak. His wife passed away in Mis- 
souri. 

After his marriage Mr. Hodge took up 
his abode upon a farm in Johnson county, 
Missouri, where he lived for two years and 
then in 1861 returned to Macon county, pur- 
chasing a tract of land in Mount Zion. To 
this he added from time to time and now 
he owns two hundred and forty acres all on 
section 4. .Mount Zion township. He made 
all of the iinprovcmcnls upon the i^ropcrly 
and developed a splendid farm, engaging 
thereon in the cultivation of tlie fields and 
in the raising of stock until 1888, when lie 
removed to the city of Decatur, where he 
has since lived a retired life. 

In 1899 he was called upon to mourn the 
loss of his wife, who died in this city on the 
2ist of January of that year. Three chil- 
dren were born unto them: Nannie C. the 
eldest, born in Johnson county, Missouri, 
January 22, 1861, is the widow of George 
W. Jones and resides with her father. Her 



husband was born in Mount Zion township, 
December 14, 1856, and was a son of Cley- 
bourn and Matilda (Davis) Jones, the latter 
now deceased, while the former is living 
in Decatur at the advanced age of ninety- 
two years. He was one of the pioneer set- 
tlers of Macon county. George W. Jones car- 
ried on agricultural pursuits throughout his 
entire life and died on the i8th of July, 1898, 
respected by all who knew him. .Anderson 
J. Hodge, the second member of the family, 
was born September 8, 1862, and married 
Bessie Jones, a sister of George W. Jones. 
She died in June, 1896, leaving one child, 
Everett Henry, born October 8, 1889. After 
the death of his first wife Anderson J. Hodge 
married Emma Bedford, and they also re- 
side with his father. He is a contractor 
and builder and also superintends his farm 
in Mount Zion township. Walter J., born 
April 10, 1866, married Hattie Meisin- 
heilder and they reside upon his father's 
farm in Afount Zion township. They had 
six children: Gertrude, Beulah, Lucile, 
George W., Orlan Ray, and E-eo. but the last 
named died in 1890. 

• Mr. Hodge is a Prohibitionist, voting for 
the men and measures of the party. He 
has held some minor township offices, but 
has never been very active in political work, 
desiring rather to give his time and atten- 
tion to business ailfairs. He is a member 
of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of 
Mount Zion, to which his wife also belongs. 
In his business career he won success and 
his valuable farm of two hundred and forty 
acres is one of the best improved in Mount 
Zion township and is the visible evidence 
of his life of thrift and industrv. .\ worthy 
representatixe of one of the honorcil pioneer 
families of Macon county, he has witnessed 
the development and growth of this section 
of the state through two-thirds of a cen- 
tury. ' Great changes ha\e occurred during 
this period for Macon county has ke])t apace 
with uni\ersal progress and improvement 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



637 



and Mr. Hodge has ever been deeply inter- 
ested in what has been done and has borne 
his part in the work of public development. 



JAMES MILLIKIN. 
James Millikin is numbered among the 
founders of Decatur. He has been the pro- 
moter of many of its business enterprises, 
has aided in its extension along many lines 
of permanent improvement and has assisted 
in marked degree in making it a center of 
production and commercial activity that has 
a wide power in the business world. Co- 
operation in this work forms the life record 
of James Millikin. To say of him that he has 
risen unaided from comparative obscurity to 
rank among the capitalists of Illinois is a 
statement that seems trite to those familiar 
with his life, yet it is but just to say in a his- 
tory that will descend to future generations 
that his business record has been one that 
any man would be proud to possess. Begin- 
ning at the very bottom of the ladder he has 
advanced steadily step by step until he is now 
occupying a position of prominence and trust 
reached by very few men. Through his en- 
tire business career he has been looked upon 
as a model of integrity and honor, never 
making an engagement that he has not ful- 
filled and standing to-day an example of what 
determination and force, combined with the 
highest degree of business integrity can ac- 
complish for a man of natural ability and 
strength of character. He is respected by 
the community at large and honored by his 
business associates. 

Mr. Millikin is a native of Pennsylvania, 
his birth having occurred in Washington 
county, on the 2d of August, 1830. The fam- 
ily is of Scotch lineage and was established 
in Pennsylvania about the middle of the 
eighteenth century by representatives of the 
name who crossed the Atlantic from the land 
•of the heather. Other branches of the familv 



settled in Jilaine and in the south, Millikin's 
Bend on the Mississippi river having obtained 
its name in this way. Abel Millikin, the 
father of our subject, was a farmer by occu- 
pation and prospered in his life work. He 
wedded Nancy \'an Dyke, who was of Dutch 
lineage, her ancestors being among the emi- 
grants from Holland, who settled along the 
Hudson river, while at a later date repre- 
sentatives of the family established their 
homes in New Jersey. 

Under the parental roof James Millikin 
spent his boyhood days and while not engaged 
with the duties of the farm he attended the 
district schools of the neighborhood, there 
laying the foundation for a good practical 
education. He also had the advantage of the 
more advanced instruction to be received in 
Washington College of Pennsylvania, where 
he remained as a student for three years. His 
family and friends believed that he would be- 
come a member of the medical fraternity 
which claimed several representatives of the 
Millikin relationship, but the tastes and tal- 
ents of the young man were evidently not in 
this direction and he determined to come to 
the west, believing that in this great and 
growing section of the country he saw oppor- 
tunities for advancement along lines of busi- 
ness activity which he thought would be more 
congenial than the practice of the healing art. 
The year 1848 witnessed his arrival in the 
Mississippi valley. He first settled in Dan- 
ville, \'ermilion county, and for a time was 
engaged in the live-stock business, there pur- 
chasing, raising and trading in stock of all 
kinds. He also rented farms upon which to 
raise his stock and in control of his business 
interests showed keen discernment, excellent 
executive ability and unfaltering enterprise. 
It has been upon this foundation that he has 
reared the su])erstructure of success and 
while he is to-day numbered among the capi- 
talists of Decatur an analyzation of his life 
record will show that his prosperity is the 
legitimate outcome of his own labor. With 



638 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



keen discernnicnl he recognized possibilities 
whicli were not seen by others. Knowing 
that the population of Illinois was rapidly in- 
creasing through the emigration of people 
from the eastern states to the Mississippi 
valle}', he resolved that he would make 
investments in land, believing that it would 
rise rapidly in value. Accordingly he made 
extensive purchases of land in Illinois and 
also in southwestern Iowa, securing much 
of this land for one dollar and one dollar and 
a quarter per acre. He was the original owner 
of the tract upon which the town of Bement, 
Illinois, is now located and by purchase there 
came into his possession many acres of broad 
prairie, upon which no improvements had been 
made, but which in due course of time com- 
manded a high market price. 

The rapid development of the state was 
manifest in Decatur as well as in other lo- 
calities and Mr. Millikin resolved to cast 
in his lot with the residents of this enter- 
prising and growing town. The year 1856 
witnessed his arrival here, but though he 
changed his place of residence he did not 
change his occupation, but continued to 
deal in lands, real estate and live-stock, 
thus becoming recognized as one of the 
prosperous and enterprising men of the 
city. Quick to see business opportunity 
and to utilize it he recognized the need of 
a banking establishment in Decatur and in 
i860 organized the private banking house 
of J. Millikin & Company. From that time 
to the present his name has figured con- 
spicuously in connection with the financial 
history of the city and he to-day stands at 
the head of one of the strongest, safest 
and largest banking institutions of Illinois. 
He has had diflferent partners, but through- 
out the entire existence of the bank he has 
been its president and has exerted a con- 
trolling influence in its affairs. For thirty- 
one years the institution continued as a 
private banking establishment and in Octo- 
ber, 1897, was inccM-poratcd as the Millikin 



National Bank, with James Millikin as 
president; O. B. Gorin, cashier; and J. M. 
Brownback, assistant cashier. Mr. Milli- 
kin is still the president, while Mr. Gorin 
has become vice president and Mr. Brown- 
back cashier. These officers were elected 
in 1898 and since that time there has been 
no change. To-day the home of the Milli- 
kin National Bank is one of the finest bank 
buildings- in the state outside of the city 
of Chicago. It is a seven-story structure, 
standing at the corner of Water and East 
Main streets and substantially equipped in 
every particular. This bank is a United 
States depository and its present deposits 
are about three million dollars, while its 
loans and discounts amount to two million 
two hundred thousand dollars. Its em- 
ployes reach the number of sixteen, some 
of whom have been connected with the in- 
stitution through two decades. From a 
small beginning Mr. Millikin has developed 
this enterprise and its almost marvelous ex- 
tension is due in very large measure to his 
thorough understanding of the business, 
his keen sagacity and his unfaltering pur- 
pose guided by the soundest business prin- 
ciples. 

But while Mr. Millikin is widely known as 
the president of the banking institution which 
bears his name he is also recognized as a lead- 
ing factor in many other enterprises which 
have contributed to the growth and pros- 
perity of the city as well as to the success of 
individual stockholders. He is interested in 
the Decatur Coal Company and is president 
of the Union Iron Works Company, which 
he assisted in organizing about 1870. Large 
and satisfactory dividends have always been 
jiaid by this corporation and its capital stock 
of sixty thousand dollars has been augmented 
by a surplus of one hundred and twenty-five 
thousand dollars. In other lines of business 
enterprises his activity and aid have been felt 
and his wise counsel has proven most valu- 





> *'-v^*/ 







X 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



641 



able in the successful control of all the in- 
terests with which he has become associated. 
In 1858 Mr. Millikin was united , in mar- 
riage to Anna B. Aston, a daughter of the 
Rev. Samuel Aston, a minister of the Presby- 
terian church. Mr. Millikin has from his 
boyhood davs been a member of that church 
and he and liis wife have aided largely in its 
growth and the extension of its influences in 
Decatur, contributing freely of their means 
to its support and co-operating in many de- 
partments of its activity for the benefit of 
the race. His political allegiance is given to 
the Republican party and he has been unfal- 
tering in his advocacy of its principles, but 
has never turned aside from his business 
course to seek the preferments of office. His 
broad humanitarian spirit is often manifested, 
but unostentatiously, he has ever been ready to 
extend a helping hand to those who try to aid 
themselves and in his business he has ever 
rewarded faithful service on the part of his 
employes. It is certainly not asserting too 
much to say of one who can direct and con- 
trol business interests of such magnitude as 
those with which Mr. Millikin is associated 
that he must possess, aside from commercial 
foresight and sagacity, the happy faculty of 
reading and judging men and that he has un- 
usual powers of organization and executive 
ability — in a word, that he must be a master 
mind, and yet if one would seek in j\lr. Mil- 
likin's career the causes that have led to his 
prosperity they will be found along the lines 
of well tried and old time maxims. Honesty 
and fair dealing, promptness and fidelity, all 
these have been manifested in his career and 
in the control of the institutions with which 
he is associated. Decatur acknowledges her 
indebtedness to him for what he has accom- 
plished in her behalf. The city which be- 
came his home in the period of his early man- 
hood and almost at the outset of his business 
career has always been very dear to him and 
as his means have increased he has given lib- 
erally and generously for her benefit and im- 



provement. His charitable spirit, too, is 
shown in his many benefactions and yet there 
is perhaps in this city no man who gives with 
less display than James Millikin. He has 
never allowed the accumulation of wealth to 
in any way warp his kindly nature or to in- 
fluence his treatment toward those less fortu- 
nate. 



JAMES WILLIAM RACE. 
James William Race has been engaged in 
business in Decatur for forty-six years. He 
has always been successful and it is his wish 
that others will meet with like success. 



G. A. JIMISON. 

For over sixty-two years this gentleman has 
been a resident of Macon county and is to-day 
justly numbered among her honored pioneers 
and leading citizens. The diiiference between 
the past and the present can scarcely be real- 
ized even by those who were active partici- 
pants in the development of the county. The 
present generation can have no conception of 
what was required by the early settlers in 
transforming the wilderness into a well-settled 
and highly cultivated locality. Mr. Jimison 
has seen almost the entire development of this 
region and well remembers when a person 
could ride horseback across the prairies be- 
tween Alaroa and Pulaski without seeing a 
farmhouse. 

A native of Macon county, he was born in 
Friends Creek township, in 1841, and is a son 
of George and Hannah Jimison. The father 
was a native of Scotland, born in 1810, and 
came to America about 1818. After residing 
in the east for two years he removed to Ohio 
in 1820 and during the '30s came to Illinois, 
settling in Friends Creek township, Macon 
county, where he took up one hundred and 
sixty acres of government land and later 
added to his property until at the time of his. 



642 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



death in 1852 he owned two hundred and fif- 
teen acres. He made farming his Hfe occupa- 
tion. In liis family were eight children. 

At the age of twelve years G. A. Jimison 
began earning his own living, by working as 
a farm hand at fourteen dollars per month and 
was thus employed until i860, when he rented 
forty acres of land, on which he raised a crop 
of corn. Prompted by a spirit of patriotism 
he enlisted in 1861 in Company A, Forty-first 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel 
Pugh, and was in the battles of Fort Donel- 
son. Shiloh, Hatchie's Run and several other 
small engagements. He was very fortunate 
in that he was never wounded or taken pris- 
oner, and at the close of the war was mus- 
tered out in 1865 at Hall's Hill, Virginia. 

Returning to his home in Friends Creek 
township, Mr. Jimison began farming on forty 
acres of land left him by his father and an- 
other forty-acre tract which his brother had 
purchased for him. Later he purchased forty 
acres more and kept adding to his property as 
he found opportunity until he had four hun- 
dred and forty acres. For the first tract he 
paid twent_\-five dollars per acre and for the 
next eleven dollars per acre. He made all of 
the improvements upon his land and in his 
farming operations met with excellent success. 

In 1867 Mr. Jimison was united in marriage 
to Miss Millie A. Woodward, who died a year 
later, leaving one son, Theodore, who is now 
in the Coast Artillery as sergeant major at 
New Orleans and has been in the service for 
eleven years. Mr. Jimison was again mar- 
ried in 1877, his second union being with Miss 
Elizabeth Mulinix, by whom he has si.x chil- 
dren : Minnie, wife of .Albert Gould, of 
Friends Creek township : Lillie, wife of Bun 
Parr, also of Friends Creek township; George 
W. : Mollie ; Ida. and Daisy. 

Politically Mr. Jimison is identified with 
the Democratic party and he has filled the 
office of .school director. In 1899 he removed 
to Argenta and has since lived a retired life. 
During the long years he has been a resident 



of Macon county he has championed every 
movement designed to promote the general 
welfare, has supported every enterprise for the 
public good and has materially aided in the 
advancement of all social, educational and 
moral interests. After a useful and honorable- 
career he can well afford to lay aside all busi- 
ness cares and live in ease and retirement. 



WILLIAM R. SCRUGGS. 

Since 1869 the firm name of Linn & 
Scruggs has been an honored one in business 
circles in Decatur, and one which has marked 
value on commercial paper. He whose name 
introduces this record has since 1869 been an 
active partner in the firm, and as such is pro- 
prietor of one of the most important dry- 
goods houses in this city. He was born near 
Lynchburg, Virginia, on the 13th of Febru- 
ary, 1828. His father, Reaves S. Scruggs, 
was also a native of the Old Dominion, and 
was a farmer by occupation. He chose as a 
companion and helpmate on life's journey 
Miss Mildred L. Otey, who was likewise bornr 
in Virginia, her birthplace being in the vicinity 
of Lynchburg. 

In a private school William R. Scruggs ob- 
tained his education, and under the parental 
roof he remained until he reached fifteen 
vears, although a period of his youth was 
spent upon the farm. ITe at that time went to 
Iluntsville, Alabama, where he remained for a 
number of years. At the outbreak of the 
Civil war he joined the Confederate 
army, being true to his loved south- 
land. When the terrible struggle was 
over, he returned to Lynchburg and soon 
afterw^ard went to Bedford county, Virginia, 
while later he became a resident of New York- 
city. In the latter place he found employ- 
ment in the capacity of a clerk and continued 
there until 1869, when he came to Decatur. 
Here he invested his capital in a dry-goods 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



643 



business in partnership with W. H. Linn under 
the firm name of Linn & Scruggs, both being 
active, enterprising men of keen sagacity. 
Thev built up a large business, and the part- 
nership was of a most harmonious and pleas- 
ant character, being continued until the death 
of Mr. Linn in June, 1900. There was no 
change in the firm name, even then, for W. H. 
Linn, Jr., succeeded to his father's interest in 
the business, and over the door of the estab- 
lishment the firm style of Linn & Scruggs is 
still seen. This firm is one of the best- known 
not only in Decatur but in central Illinois. 
The store is situated in the Powers block, a 
five-story building, and occupies the corner, 
which is one hundred and thirty by one hun- 
dred and forty feet. A large force of clerks 
is employed and a full line of dry goods, car- 
pets and notions is carried. The stock is very 
extensive, and the business of the house has 
assumed extensive proportions. The business 
methods institued at the organization of the 
firm have always been continued and have 
ever commanded uniform confidence and 
therefore have gained the liberal support of 
the public. ^Ir. .Scruggs is fair and just in 
his treatment of his employes and demands of 
them the same courteous treatment and honor- 
able dealing that he has ever accorded to those 
who trade in his establishment. 

In 1867 was celebrated the marriage of Wil- 
liam R. Scruggs and Miss Minnie T. Chad- 
sey, of New York city, where she was reared 
and educated. They have two children, Sal- 
lie, at home ; and Reaves, who was a student 
in the .\lton Military College, and now is a 
resident of Niagara Falls, New York. Mr. 
Scruggs is a member of the First Presbyterian 
church, and his wife a member of the Baptist 
church, and they do all in their power to pro- 
mote growth and extend influence of the 
church. It is but just and merited praise to 
say of Mr. Scruggs that as a business man he 
ranks among the foremost ; as a citizen he is 
honorable, prompt and true to everv engage- 
ment ; and as a husband and father is a model 



He is unassuming in 



worthy of all imitation 

manner, sincere in his friendship, and steadfast 

and unswerving in his loyalty to the right. 



JOSEPH K. HARDY. 

Joseph K. Hardy, who has now departed 
this life, and who for many years so conducted 
his farming interests that he won sviccess, 
becoming a prosperous citizen of his commu- 
nity, was born in Butler county, Ohio, on the 
nth of February, 1836, and was the eldest of 
the ten children of George D. and Elizabeth 
( ^larsh ) Hardy. The father's birth occurred 
in the east, but the mother was a native of the 
Buckeye state. In the family are three broth- 
ers and three sisters who yet survive : John, 
who lives in Shelby county, Indiana; Moses, 
a resident of Sheridan county, Missouri ; Oli- 
ver, of Mount Auburn, Illinois ; Mrs. Johnson, 
a widow of Blue Mound ; Mrs. Hulda Van 
Cleve, of Blue Mound ; and Mrs. Phoebe 
\\'agant, of Missouri. 

In the district schools of Ohio and Indiana 
Joseph K. Hardy acquired his education, and 
at the age of nineteen he left school and began 
working on a farm, having previously become 
familiar with the labors of fields and meadow 
by assisting his father through the periods of 
vacation. In 1868 he came to Illinois and lo- 
cated in Christian county, near Mount Au- 
burn. In September, 1869, he removed to 
Macon county and purchased forty acres of 
land, while his wife also bought an equal 
amount, and he continued to add to this as his 
financial resources increased, until he had two 
hundred and forty acres, valued at thirty thou- 
sand dollars. 

Mr. Hardy was twice married. He first 
wedded Sarah Jane Cross, and unto them were 
born two children : Mrs. Elizabeth Ellen 
Bowen, whose husband is a farmer of Chariton 
county. Missouri ; and Joseph William, who 
married Matilda Whitman, and is a farmer 
living in Morrisonville, Illinois. Mr. Hardv 



644 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



next wedded Maria Hurst, the widow of 
George Junken, who was killed at Chicka- 
mauga during the Civil war. Her parents were 
Benedict and liarbara (Foster) Hurst, natives 
of Mar\land, and of English and German de- 
scent. In their family were ten children, nine 
daughters and one son, of whom six daughters 
are still living. Mrs. Hardy was the sixth of 
the family. She was educated in the common 
sciiools of Wayne county, Indiana, and on the 
2 1st of March, 1869, gave her hand in mar- 
riage to Mr. Hardy. By his second union he 
had three children, but only one is living. 
George E. and Sarah Ivy were twins, but the 
latter died at the age of seventeen months. The 
son married Ida McGrew, of Chariton county, 
Missouri, and they reside on the old home 
farm in Macon county. They have two sons, 
Edgar McGrew and George Evart. 

In his political affiliations Mr. Hardy was 
always a stanch Republican, and was tax col- 
lector for two terms and school trustee and 
school director. He belonged to the Grand 
Army of the Republic, in which he was en- 
titled to membership because of his service as a 
corporal in Company E, Seventy-ninth Indiana 
Infantry. He was wounded in the head and 
shoulder at Mission Ridge. His religious 
faith was that of the Methodist denomination, 
and his membership with the church at Blue 
Mound. In his business affairs he was very 
successful, and in addition to his farm prop- 
erty he owned four lots and a nice residence in 
Blue Mound which Mrs. Hardy has occupied 
for some time. His widow is living retired,' 
save the management of her investments, the 
rental from the farm bringing a good income 
which supplies her with all of the necessities 
and many of the luxuries of life. Mr. Hardy 
died May 30, 1903. 



PETER J. DEMPSEY. 
Peter J. Dempsey was for many years a 
member of the police force of Decatur and 
stood as a stalwart defender of the rights and 



liberties of the people and the preservation of 
the dignity of the law. So loyal was he in the 
discharge of all his duties that he won high 
commendation from all concerned, and well 
does he deserve mention in this volume. Illi- 
nois numbers him among her native sons, for 
his birth occurred in Clinton on the 29th of 
May, 1858, his parents being Michael and 
Mary (Dunn) Dempsey. The father was a 
native of Queens county, Ireland, and the 
mother's birth occurred in County Limerick, 
Coming to America at an early day each lo- 
cated in Massachusetts, and in that state they 
were married. Subsequently they resolved to 
establish a home in the west, and accordingly 
made their way to Clinton, Illinois, where they 
resided for eight or ten years. Following this 
they located in Decatur, where Mr. Dempsey 
worked at his trade of marble cutting for a 
few years. He then became mail agent on the 
Peoria, Decatur & Eastern Railroad, and occu- 
pied that position for several years, after which 
he went upon the Wabash Railroad, running 
out of Decatur in a similar capacity for ten 
years. In the discharge of his official duties 
he was prompt, faithful and reliable, and now 
he is enjoying a well earned retirement from 
further labor, making his home with his chil- 
dren in Decatur, his wife having previously 
passed away. 

Peter J. Dempsey was largely indebted to 
the public schools of Decatur for the educa- 
tional privileges which he enjoyed, and when 
he had mastered the branches of learning 
therein taught he began assisting his father in 
the marble works, being employed there until 
eighteen years of age. He then obtained a 
position in the freight depot in this city on the 
line of the Indiana, Decatur & Western Rail- 
road, and that he was most loyal to the trust 
reposed in him is indicated by the fact diat for 
eleven years he continued to serve in that 
capacity. His w^ork was ever free from error, 
and he received little criticism upon his meth- 
ods of discharging his duties. Upon leaving 
the freight department of the railway service 




T. E. DOWNING 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



047 



he obtained a position on the Decatur poHce 
force, and acted in that capacity for seven 
years or up to the time of his death. 

Mr. Dempsey was married May 2, 1883, in 
St. Isadore's church at Bethany, Ilhnois, the 
lady of his choice being Miss Mary E. Dvvyer, 
a native of Morgan county, Illinois, born May 
5, 1856, and a daughter of Jeremiah and Cath- 
erine (Cody) Dwyer. Her father was born 
in County Limerick, Ireland, and at an early 
day braved the dangers incident to an ocean 
voyage in order to become a resident of tlie 
new world that he might enjoy its better busi- 
ness opportunities. He settled in Morgan 
county, Ilhnois, where he engaged in farming 
for a few years and then removed to Moultrie 
county, this state, where he continued to carry 
on agricultural pursuits until the infirmities 
of old age caused him to retire. He then 
took up his abode in Dalton City, Illinois, 
where he lived in honorable retirement from 
further labor until called to the home beyond 
on the 18th of August, 1900. His widow, who 
was born in Killarney, Ireland, now owns a 
nice home in Dalton City, where she is greatly 
respected because of her many excellencies of 
character. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Demp- 
sey was blessed with two children : Zella, who 
was born October 4, 1886; and Lucile, born 
January 4, 1895. 

It was on the 25th of September, 1898, that 
Mr. Dempsey was called from this life. He 
had held several minor offices in the city, in 
addition to his service on the police force, and 
was ever found loyal to the confidence reposed 
in him, discharging his duties to the best of 
his ability. In politics he was a stanch Re- 
publican, never wavering in his allegiance to 
the party. Both he and his wife were mem- 
bers of St. Patrick's Catholic church of De- 
catur, and his funeral was the second preached 
by Father Murphy, now the priest in that 
church. Mr. Dempsey was a leading resident 
of Decatur and had many friends here because 
of his genial manner, jovial disposition and 



unfailing courtesy. Mrs. Dempsey and her 
children now reside at No. 1139 North Clay- 
ton street, and she owns the property there 
located. 



T. EDWARD DOWNING. 

T. Edward Downing is connected with 
the business circles of Decatur as a plumb- 
ing and heating contractor, and is also a 
dealer in gas fixtures. His natal day is De- 
cember 8, 1872, his parents being Wayne 
and Elizabeth Downing, both of whom 
are now residents of Decatur. In their 
family were ten children, two sons and eight 
daughters. Eight of this number are now 
living. The father of our subject was born 
in this country, but the mother is a native 
of the Emerald Isle and was brought to 
America when quite young by her father, 
Patrick Casey, now deceased, who was a 
well known Irish citizen of Decatur. 

In the public schools of this city T. Ed- 
ward Downing acquired his education and 
when he had mastered the common branches 
of English learning he put aside his text 
books and at the age of fourteen years en- 
tered the employ of H. Mueller, who was 
then located on East Main street and with 
whom he learned the plumbing trade. For 
eleven years he remained with that house, 
his long connection being an indication of 
capability, close application and fidelity. 
In 1897 he resigned his position that he 
might engage in business for himself and 
formed a partnership with W. J. Wells. 
They located at No. 224 West Main street, 
where they continued in business until the 
spring of 1901, when the partnership was 
dissolved. Mr. Wells then embarked in 
business alone on North Main street, while 
Mr. Downing remained at the old location. 
His patronage is extensive and his business 
profitable. He now has in his employ seven 
men and although he has been in business 
but a comparatively brief period large and 



us 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



important plumbing and heating contracts 
have been awarded him. He has put in the 
plumbing and heating systems in some of 
the best and largest buildings in central 
Illinois, including the Christian county 
courthouse at Taylorville, the Logan county 
courthouse at Lincoln. Illinois, the Elks 
auditorium at Champaign, the new Car- 
negie library of Decatur, the National Bank 
of Stonington, St. Mary's Catholic church, 
school and parsonage, at Paris. Illinois, the 
Douglas Hotel at Tuscola. St. Patrick's 
Catholic church of Decatur, and also in 
some of the best residences of this city and 
county. 

In December, 1893, was celebrated the 
marriage of Mr. Downing and Miss Cath- 
erine McGrath, of Litchfield, Illinois. Five 
children have been born unto them, those 
living are all sons, namely: Edward, Roy. 
Louis and Harold. A little daughter died 
in infancy. Mr. Downing is a member of 
Decatur Council of the Knights of Columbus 
and the Fraternal Army of America, and he 
and his wife hold membership in St. Pat- 
rick's Catholic church of this city. He 
stands to-day as one of the prominent self- 
made men of Decatur, who has worked his 
way up from the bottom round of the lad- 
der and now he stands on the plane of af- 
fluence. His business patronage is ex- 
tensive and the income derived therefrom 
makes him one of the leading and prosper- 
ous young business men of the city. 



CAREY L. HOLMAN. 
Carey L. Holman, a wide-awake and up-to- 
date farmer residing on section 9. Whitmore 
township, is a native of Ohio, his birth having 
occurred in Ross county, that state, on the 
28th of May, 1 861. His parents, Martin and 
Mary (Ferba) Holman, were also born in 
Ohio, where they continued to make their 
home for several years after their marriage, 



but during the Civil war they came to Macon 
countv. Illinois, and located on a farm, near 
Decatur, on the Bloomington road. In their 
family were nine children, seven sons and two 
daughters, and seven of the number reached 
years of maturity, but Mrs. Sabrina Dillahunt 
and Mrs. Eva Samuels are both now deceased. 
The sons that are still living are William, a 
resident of Decatur : Albert, of Iowa ; David, 
who makes his home south of Oreana ; Carey 
L , of this sketch, and Norman, of Marshall, 
Te.xas. 

Carey L. Holman remained on his father's 
farm until he attained his majority, and re- 
ceived his education in the district schools of 
the neighborhood. On the 19th of December, 
1 888. he was married in this county to Miss 
.Mabel Toney, a daughter of John and Mary 
( Nesbitt) Toney, who were natives of Ken- 
tucky and North Carolina, respectively. Her 
father was about fifteen years of age when he 
removed to Indiana. Her maternal grand- 
father, William Nesbitt, was of Irish descent, 
while his wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Jane Dobbins, was of Scotch extraction, and 
could trace her ancestry back to the seven- 
teenth century. The family was founded in 
North Carolina at a very early day in its set- 
tlement. Mrs. Holman was born in Lawrence 
county, Irtdiana, on the 6th of .\pril, 1869, and 
is now makmg preparations to visit her old 
home there which she has not seen since the 
age of twelve years. Her education, which 
was begun in the public schools of her native 
county, was completed in the high school of 
Decatur, which she left in her senior year. 
She is a well read woman, having a special 
fondness for history, and her eldest daughter 
seems to have inherited that taste. In her 
father's family were seven children, of whom 
two died in infancy, those still living being 
Claude L., Jesse, Mabel. Emmett and Grace. 
.\11 are residents of Piatt county, Illinois, with 
exception of Mrs. Holman, and Emmett is 
now the only one unmarried. L^nto our sub- 
ject and his wife were born six children, but 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



649 



two died in infancy. Those living are Grace, 
Fred, Park and Reva. 

After his marriage Mr. Hohnan was en- 
gaged in farming upon rented land for a few 
years, but in 1889 he purchased his present 
place on section 9, Whitmore township, con- 
sisting of one hundred and sixty acres of rich 
and arable land under a high state of cultiva- 
tion. Since it came into his possession he has 
planted trees, put up fences, erected a good 
barn in 1902, and has made many other useful 
improvements, which add greatly to the value 
and attractive appearance of the place. In 
connection with general farming he feeds con- 
siderable cattle for market, and is meeting 
with good success in his undertakings. He is 
a progressive business man, of known reliabil- 
ity, and he has the confidence and high regard 
of all who know him. Both he and his wife 
are members of the Christian church of Ore- 
ana, and they have a wide circle of friends and 
acquaintances throughout their adopted 
county-. 



WILLIAM O. JONES. 
On the list of those who have practiced at 
the bar of Macon county and whose careers 
have reflected honor and credit upon the pro- 
fession appears the name of William O. Jones, 
who became a resident of Decatur in 1859. 
He had formerly been a law student under 
Abraham Lincoln at Springfield, and his course 
was a merit to his honored preceptor. Mr. 
Jones was a native of Cortland, Alabama, born 
on the 19th of August, 1828, a son of Charles 
Lewis and Elizabeth Speak McAfee (Owen) 
Jones, the former a native of Prince George 
county, Maryland, the latter of Fairfax county, 
\'irginia. On leaving his native state the 
father removed to Alabama, where he remained 
for a few years, and then went to Morgan 
county, Illinois, removing afterward to 
Springfield, this state, where he resided until 
his death. The mother later made her home 



with her children and died at the home of her 
son, William O., in Decatur. 

In Morgan county, Illinois, William O. 
Jones attended the public schools and later 
continued his studies in the city of Spring- 
field. He entered upon his business career at 
the age of sixteen as a clerk in a dry-goods 
store of the capital city and followed that pur- 
stiit for ten years or until twenty-six years of 
age. In the meantime, however, he had 
forme*d a desire to make the practice of law 
his life work, and to this end he devoted his 
leisure hours to the study of law, making 
Abraham Lincoln's office his headquarters dur- 
ing the period which he was able to devote to 
the mastery of the principles of jurisprudence. 
Mr. Lincoln was a near neighbor of otir sub- 
ject, residing just across the street from the 
Jones residence. Mr. Jones, of this review, 
continued as a student for several years, and 
then became editor of the Springfield Journal, 
but had charge of that paper for only a short 
time or until 1859, for in that year he removed 
to Decatur and opened a law office in this city. 
He was not long in convincing the public that 
he was well qualified to handle important liti- 
gated interests, and he continued in active 
practice until after the inauguration of the 
Civil war, when he enlisted in his country's 
service. He was made a lieutenant colonel 
and went to the front, but was only in the 
army for ninety-eight days, being then honor- 
ably discharged on account of ill health. At 
the end of that time he returned to his home in 
Decatur and soon afterward purchased a farm 
west of the city and near Fairview Park. To 
the supervision of his property and to light 
labor in connection with the cultivation and 
development of the fields he then gave his 
attention until his death. His health was 
never very rugged, and on the 5th of Decem- 
ber, 1873, he passed away. 

Ere going to the war Mr. Jones was united 
in marriage on September 10, 1857, to Miss 
Sarah B. Groves, a native of Kentucky, born 
January 11, 1835, and a daughter of John R. 



♦350 



P. .of AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and Maria Louise (Grooms) Groves, both of 
whom were natives of Kentucky, whence they 
removed to Sangamon county, Illinois, in an 
early day. The father there carried on farm- 
ing until the death of his wife, after which 
he abandoned the plow and removed to the 
village of Mechanicsburg, where he lived re- 
tired until his own demise. Mr. and Mrs. 
Jones became the parents of seven children : 
Charles Lewis, who married Kittie M. Cokley, 
who resides in Decatur ; Frederick Owen, who 
married Katie Russell and is living here ; 
Marie Louise, who is with her mother; James 
Thomas, who died at the age of one year and 
three months ; Albert Hale, who married Car- 
rie Clark and is residing in Decatur; Edna 
Grooms, who is living at home: and Willie, 
who died m infancy. 

In public affairs Mr. Jones was prominent, 
influential and helpful. He quickly recog- 
nized opportunities and did everything in his 
power to advance the public growth along 
social, intellectual and moral lines. He served 
as county superintendent of schools in Macon 
county for a few years, and the cause of edu- 
cation found in him a warm friend. In politics 
an earnest and stanch Republican, he was al- 
ways a hard worker for the party, and was one 
of the organizers of a Lfnion League at the 
time of the Civil war. He belonged to the 
Masonic order in Springfield, and although he 
never united with the lodge in Decatur he 
assisted in forming the society here. Both he 
and his wife were members of the First Pres- 
byterian church. Since her husband's death 
Mrs. Jones has removed into the city and is 
now living at No. 1125 North Church street 
with her two daughters. 

Decatur found in Mr. Jones a valued repre- 
sentative of its best interests. He was a citi- 
zen loyal and true, a faithful frienjl, a devoted 
husband and father and a consistent Christian. 
He made the most of bis opportunities not 
only in his own behalf, but for the general 
good and the public welfare, and his life was 



so straightforward and honorable that all men 
respected and esteemed him and his name was 
untarnished bv anv unworthv word or deed. 



EDWARD HARPSTRITE. 
Edward Harpstrile has passed the sev- 
enty-sixth mile-stone on life's journey and 
now in the evening of his days is living re- 
tired in Decatur, enjoying a well earned 
rest. He also receives the veneration and 
respect which should ever be accorded to 
one who has attained advanced years. He 
belongs to that class of worthy representa- 
tive citizens that Germany has furnished 
to the new world, his birth having occurred 
in Baden on the 18th of February, 1827. 
His parents, John B. and Mary S. (Roamar) 
Harpstrite, were also natives of Baden, in 
which country they remained until 1833, 
when they decided to establish their home 
in America. Accordingly they left the port 
of Havre in a sailing vessel bound for New 
York. That method of ocean travel was 
very slow in comparison to that of the pres- 
ent day and it was not until sixty-one days 
had passed that the Harpstrite family ar- 
rived at their destination. From New York 
city they made their way to Trenton, New 
Jersey, thence to Reading, Pennsylvania, 
and on to Dayton, Ohio, where they re- 
mained for a year. Their next place of 
residence was I-ogansport, Indiana, where 
Jt)bn B. Harpstrite found employment on 
the canal and thus provided for his family 
for a time. Later he was employ'cd by 
Freeman Hunter on a farm for six years 
and thus gradually he made a start in busi- 
ness life in the new world. In 1844 he re- 
moved to Clinton county, Illinois, where he 
purchased a tract of new" land. Not a fur- 
row had been turned or an improvement 
made upon this place and the family experi- 
enced all the hardships and trials of pioneer 
life during their early residence there. ^Mr. 
Harpstrite performed the difficult task of 




ME. and MRS- ANDREW J. WILLIAMS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



6o3 



opening up a new farm, but in the course of 
time his labors were rewarded with good 
harvests. He also engaged in the raising 
and feeding of cattle and other stock and 
was quite successful in his work. It was 
upon that old home farm that the mother of 
our subject died and was buried. 

Accompanying his parents on their vari- 
■ous removals, Edward Harpstrite therefore 
attended school in a number of different 
places. His last term spent in the school- 
room was at Delphi, Indiana. He remained 
upon the home farm until twenty-one years 
of age and though his educational privileges 
were somewhat meager, his training at farm 
labor was not limited. The year 1855 wit- 
nessed his arrival in Macon county. He 
afterward settled in South Wheatland town- 
ship, where he invested his hard earned sav- 
ings in a tract of one hundred and sixty 
acres. This he improved and cultivated until 
i860, when he sold the property and took up 
his abode in the city, becoming interested in 
the brewing business in company with his 
brother, Augustus Harpstrite, under the 
firm style of Harpstrite Brothers. This 
business was continued from i860 until 
1884, When Edward Harpstrite sold out to 
his partner and to Henry Shlauderman, Mr. 
Harpstrite retiring from business on account 
of failing health. He, however, owns two 
good farms which return to him an excellent 
income. One .of these comprises one hun- 
dred and fourteen acres and the other one 
hundred and eighty acres and all is under 
a high state of cultivation. 

In 1852 was celebrated the marriage of 
Mr. Harpstrite and Miss Dorothy C. Rueb- 
samen, who was then a resident of Clinton 
county, Illinois, but who was born in Baden, 
Germany,' in 1835. They traveled life's 
journey together for about twenty-four 
years and then Mrs. Harpstrite was called 
to her final rest in 1876. She had become 
the mother of eight children, of whom seven 
are now living, namely: Kate H., who is 



the wife of Peter Ullrich, a resident of Ce- 
dar Rapids, Iowa ; Mary A., at home ; 
Charles W., who is living in Sedgwick coun- 
ty, Kansas; Edward J., at home; Dexter; 
John H., who is likewise a resident of Sedg- 
wick county, Kansas; Bertha, at home; and 
Emma F., who is still witii her father. 

Since attaining his majority Mr. Harp- 
strite has given his political support to the 
Democracy and for four years he served as 
a member of the city council, representing 
the fourth ward. During that time he ex- 
ercised his official prerogatives in support 
of every measure which he believes would 
contribute to the general good. He began 
life a poor boy, but by energy, industry and 
good management has become the possessor 
of valuable properties. His life has been 
characterized by qualities which in every 
land and clime command respect and his 
career has been creditable alike to the coun- 
try of his nativity and to his adopted land. 



ANDREW J. WILLIAMS. 
Sixty-seven years have come and gone 
since Andrew J. "Williams became a resident 
of Macon county. He was then but a boy, 
yet here he spent his youth and early man- 
hood and as he reached mature years be- 
came a factor in the agricultural life of 
Macon county. When he passed away the 
community mourned the loss of a valued 
citizen and his friends one whom they had 
known only to honor and esteem. His birth 
occurred in Yazoo, Mississippi, on the 1st 
of January, 1831, his parents being Andrew 
J. and Rebecca Williams. The mother died 
in Mississippi during the early boyhood 
of her son and the father was afterward 
married in Macon county. His birth had 
occurred in Connecticut and in early life 
he had gone to the Yazoo valley of Missis- 
sippi, where he became a planter, remaining 
in that locality until 1836, which was the 



654 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



year of his arrival in ^lacon county. Pur- 
chasing a tract of land in Decatur town- 
ship, he there engaged in farming for a few 
years, but on account of failing eyesight he 
retired from business and resided in the 
city of Decatur until his death. Only two 
of his children are now living: John, who 
is living retired in North Monroe street in 
Decatur; and Virginia, the wife of Isaac 
W. Ehrman, a laundryman of this city. 

Andrew J. Williams was only five years 
of age when his father came to Macon coun- 
ty. It was in the public schools of this 
locality therefore that he acquired his edu- 
cation, but his opportunities for gaining 
knowledge from te.xt books were limited as 
in his youth he largely assisted in the oper- 
ation of his father's farm. It was only 
through the winter months in his early boy- 
hood that he was enabled to attend school. 
His training at farm work, however, was 
not meager and he soon gained practical 
experience concerning the best methods of 
caring for and cultivating the fields. He 
remained at home until his marriage to Miss 
Lavina Veach, who died in Macon county 
in the early '50s. In 1858 Mr. Williams 
was again married, his second union being 
with Miss Julia .-X. Gulick, who was born 
September 27, 1840, at the place where she 
now resides. Her parents were Levi and 
Harriet (.McElroy) Gulick, the former a 
native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. 
They, too. became earl}' settlers of Macon 
county, arriving in the year 1837 and here 
the father purchased a farm known as the 
old Packar<l estate now included within ihe 
city of Decatur, it being the present resi- 
dence of Mrs. Williams. There Mr. Culick 
made his home and carried on agricultural 
pursuits until his death. 

After his marriage Mr. Williams jnu-- 
chased land in Decatur townshij) and was 
engaged in its cultivation and improvement 
up to the time of the Civil war. As he 
could not content himself to remain at home 



when his country was in danger and needed 
the aid of her loyal sons at the front he 
enlisted in 1862, becoming a member of 
Company B, One Hundred and Sixteenth 
Illinois Regiment under Captain McClurg 
and Colonel Tupper. The company partici- 
pated in the battle of Vicksburg, the Ar- 
kansas expedition, the .Atlanta campaign, 
the march to the sea and the Carolina cam- 
paign and history records many acts of 
valor performed by the One Hundred and 
Si-xteenth Illinois. Mr. Williams was never 
injured in any way, but on account of ill- 
ness contracted in the south he was dis- 
charged after a short service and returned 
to his home. He then resumed farming 
in Decatur township and continued to culti- 
vate his fields until his removal to the city 
of Decatur in order that he might live a re- 
tired life. He took up his abode at the home 
which his widow now occupies and spent 
his remaining days in rest from further 
labor. 

Unto Mr. and ;\lrs. Williams were born 
eight children : Harriet Ellen, the wife of 
M. S. Perry, a farmer of Decatur township ; 
Francis F., who married .'\nnie Bain and re- 
sides in Douglas, Arizona; Virginia A., the 
wife of David H. Hughes, of Decatur; Al- 
bertus C, who married Catherine Rife and 
is a merchant of Dillon, Montana; Mary E., 
the wife of Fred L. Muzzy, of Decatur; W. 
L., who married Elsie Fickle and lives in 
Decatur; George, deceased; and one that 
died unnamed in infancy. 

The death of Mr. Williams occurred De- 
cember 15, 1896. He had served as high- 
way commissioner in Decatur township for 
a number of years, but otherwise held no 
office nor sought political preferment as a 
reward for party fealty. He gave strong 
endorsement to Republican principles, how- 
ever, and always voted for the men and 
measures of the party. He was a valued 
representative of the Grand Army Post 
of Decatur and had many friends outside 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



655 



of tlie fraternity, his excellent traits of 
character having endeared him to those with 
whom he was brought in contact. He was 
one of nature's noblemen, who without pre- 
tense or ostentation so lived as to enjoy 
the esteem and regard of all with whom 
he was associated. :Mrs. Williams now re- 
sides at No. 1345 North Union street, where 
her lawn covers a half block square. She 
also owns ten acres of land on College 
street near the Peoria, Decatur & Evans- 
ville Railroad. She was left in comfortable 
financial circumstances by her husband and 
in social circles she is highly esteemed, be- 
ing widely and favorably known in this cit\'. 



WILLIAM F. BROOKSHIER. 
The subject of this sketch is one of the self- 
made men of Macon county, who through his 
own unaided efi'orts has attained a place 
among the leadmg and well-to-do farmers of 
Pleasant View township where he now makes 
his home. He was born near Winchester, in 
Clark county, Kentucky, December 23, 1833, 
his parents being Martin and Amanda (Cum- 
mins) Brookshier, both of English descent. 
The father was also a native of Kentucky, 
where the family was established at a very 
early day in its history by our subject's pater- 
nal grandfather, who was from North Caro- 
lina, and settled in Clark county, where he 
bought a tract of land. The maternal grand- 
parents of our subject were from Virginia 
and North Carolina. Martin Brookshier be- 
came the owner of eighty-four acres of land 
in Clark county, Kentucky, on which he 
raised corn, oats and wheat, tobacco being an 
unprofitable crop at that time, though it has 
since been raised with profit in that state. He 
also raised some cattle, sheep and hogs, and 
was the owner of one slave before the war. In 
his family were the following children : Min- 
erva, who died during her girlhood ; William 
F. : Martin A., who died in 1900; Elias H., a 



preacher living in ^lonroe county, Indiana; 
Wiley, a widower living in Clark county, Ken- 
tucky; O. H., a retired farmer living in 
Springfield, Illinois; John N., a resident of 
Clark county, Kentucky ; Amanda, wife of 
William Berryman, of that county; Achilles, 
deceased ; James Q., living in Madison county, 
Kentucky ; Mary A., who died in girlhood ; 
Elizabeth, also deceased; W. W., who makes 
his home in Madison county, Kentucky, and 
Lucy, who died unmarried. 

Reared in the state of his nativity, William 
F. Brookshier pursued his studies in the com- 
mon schools of Clark county, the school house 
being built of logs with a puncheon floor and 
seats and a large fireplace at one end. At the 
age of fifteen began earning his own liveli- 
hood by working as a farm hand at seven dol- 
lars per month. He was. thus employed for 
eleven months and was obliged to rise each 
morning at four o'clock. Later he learned 
blacksmithing, and during the two years of his 
apprenticeship he was given only fifty dollars 
per year in compensation for his services. 
Subsequently he worked one year for another 
blacksmith in Kentucky, and at the end of that 
time removed to Danville, Indiana, where he 
was employed in a mill one summer. He then 
returned home and resumed work as a farm 
hand. His next employment was getting out 
ties for the Wabash Railroad in Vermilion 
count}-, Indiana, and Vermilion county, Illi- 
nois, and saw the first train run into Decatur 
in 1857. Later he worked one year for old 
Uncle Johnny Taylor, nine miles southwest 
of Decatur. 

Mr. Brookshier was then married to Miss 
Mary E. Hurst, and they located on the Tay- 
lor farm, where they spent one year. He then 
removed to a farm near Mount Auburn, in 
Christian county, where tlie following two 
years were passed, and for five years lived on 
the Augur farm in the same county, after 
which he worked at the blacksmith's trade in 
Mount Auburn for one year. In 1863 he 
came to Macon county and bought railroad 



\ 



Co6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



land one and a half miles south of Blue 
Mound, paying ten dollars per acre for one 
forty acre tract, and eleven dollars for the 
other forty acres. This he sold in 1881 for 
sixty dollars per acre and then purchased one 
hundred and sixty acres where he now lives in 
Pleasant View township, for which he paid 
forty-five dollars per acre. He has erected all 
the buildings upon the place and today has a 
very desirable and well improved farm under 
a high state of cultivation. Besides his home 
property he owns ninety-two acres in South 
Macon township, for which he gave sixt_\-five 
dollars per acre. He is a very energetic, en- 
terprising and progressive farmer, and the 
success that has come to him is certainly well 
merited. At present his sons operate the land 
while he is now practically living a retired life, 
enjoying a well earned rest. 

Mr. Brookshier's first wife died in 1869. 
By that union lie had five children, three of 
whom are now living, namely: Lola May, wife 
of James Chapman, of Blue Mound town- 
ship ; Benedict AI., who married Rosa Price 
and is in the employ of a wholesale house in 
St. Louis, Missouri ; and Barbara Etta, wife 
of William B. Gordon, who is in a wholesale 
house in Cincinnati, Ohio. For his second 
wife Mr. Brookshier married Mrs. Mary J- 
(Logan) Boyd, who died July 20, 1902, leav- 
ing four children by our subject : Jonathan 
W., who married Laura Easley and follows 
farming in South Macon township ; Joseph E., 
who married Lulu Shaddnck and lives on sec- 
tion 12, Pleasant \'iew township; Edwin F., 
at home with his father, and Mabel, wife of 
Frederick Weicklein, living on section 13. 
Pleasant \'icw township. 

Since attaining his majority, Mr. Brookshier 
has afiiliated with the Democratic party, and 
he has long been an earnest and consistent 
member of the Christian church. He has led 
an upright, honorable and useful life, and he 
has won the confidence and high regard of 
those with whom he has been brought in con- 
tact either in business or social life. He helped 



organize and proposed the name of Pleasant 
View township and was also one of the four 
men to organize the school district in which he 
lives. 



SAMUEL GRIMM. 

Samuel Grimm, who is practically lixing 
a retired life in Decatur, though to some 
extent is interested in the real estate busi- 
ness here, came to Macon county on the 17th 
of March, 1875. His early home was in 
Pennsylvania, for he was born in York 
county, that state, on the 5th of June, 1856, 
a son of Joseph and Kate (.Sowers) Grimm, 
who spent their entire lives in York county. 
By occupation the father was a farmer. The 
first of the family to come west was our 
subject's brother, John S. Grimm, who ar- 
rived in Macon county, Illinois, in the spring 
of 1872, and located on a farm in Hickory 
Point township, where he engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits for seven years. At the 
end of that time he returned to the Key- 
.-;lone state and is still residing in York 
county. 

Samuel Grimm received a good practical 
education in the common schools of his na- 
tive county and he also acquired an excel- 
lent knowledge of those duties which fall 
to the lot of the agriculturist. His brother 
ha\ing previously located in Macon county, 
Illinois, he too came to this county in 
March, 1875, as previously stated, and be- 
gan work here as a farm hand, l)eii>g cm- 
])loyed on several difl'crcnt farms in the vi- 
cinity of Forsytli until 1877. That year he 
rented a farm near the same village in Hick- 
ory Point town.shi]) from the late Charles 
Ewing, of Decatur, and continued to operate 
that ]3lacc for thirteen years. 

At the end of that time Mr. Grimm pur- 
chased a farm of seventy acres near the vil- 
lage of Boody, where he lived for three 
vears, and then removed to a farm near La 




FREDERICK KRASCHEL 




MRS. FREDERICK KRASCHEL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ^lACON COUNTY. 



Gfil 



Place. Illinois, where he lived for two years. 
He next moved to Elwin. Illinois, where 
he bought ninety-five acres of land, mak- 
ing his home there for three years. On dis- 
posing of that property he went to St. 
Charles cotmty, Missouri, where he pur- 
chased a farm of one hundred and sixty-four 
acres and engaged in its cultivation for two 
years, but in March, 1903. he returned to 
Illinois and now makes his home in Deca- 
tur. Here he has purchased several build- 
ing lots in the western part of the city 
and erected houses thereon, which he now 
rents, deriving therefrom a good income. 
These are located on West Wood and West 
Macon streets and his own private residence 
is at No. 1 129 the former street. 

On the 14th of December, 1881, Mr. 
Grimm was united in marriage to Miss 
Tempie E. McCoUom, who was liorn in 
Anna, Illinois, on the 31st of July, i860. 
Her father, John McCollom, who was a 
cooper by trade, came to this state at an 
earlv day and is now living retired with 
our subject and his wife. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Grimm were born six children, as fol- 
lows: Arthur, deceased; Edward, who is 
employed in the car shops at St. Charles, 
Missouri ; Cliiiford, a clerk in a shoe store at 
St. Louis, Missouri ; William, at home with 
his parents; Phvllis, deceased: and Doris, 
at home. 

In religious faith both Mr. and Mrs. 
Grimm are Methodists but have never 
united with the church at Decatur. Mr. 
Grimm gives his political, support to the 
men and measures of the Democratic party 
and takes an active interest in public af- 
fairs, though he has never cared for office. 
He stands well in business circles, being a 
man of known reliability, and by his well 
directed eflforts he has acquired a com- 
fortable competence. He started out in life 
for himself empty-handed and his success 
is due entirely to his own industry and good 
management. 



FREDERICK KRASCHEL. 

Frederick Kraschel, residing on section 
34, South Macon township, is a man whose 
successful struggle with adverse circum- 
stances shows what can be done by indus- 
try and economy, especially if a sensible 
wife seconds his efforts to secure a home 
and competence. Starting out in life 
empty-handed, he was obliged to make his 
way withottt any of the aids which are usu- 
ally considered essential to success, but he 
steadily worked his way upward and is to- 
day the owner of a fine farm. 

Mr. Kraschel was born in Germany, Jan- 
uary 27, 1842, a son of John and Mary 
(Schroder) Kraschel. The father spent his 
entire life in that country and died there 
about 1848. Our subject was reared and 
educated in his native land, where he made 
his home until fourteen years of age. In 
1856 his mother, accompanied by her three 
children, Frederick, John and Sophia, 
crossed the broad Atlantic with the hope 
of bettering their financial condition in the 
new world, and settled in Tonawanda, New 
York, where our subject and his brother 
obtained work on farms. The mother also 
worked out until our subject was married, 
when she went to live with him, making 
her home there until her death. 

After going to New York in 1856, Mr. 
Kraschel worked by the month as a farm 
hand for seven years at as low wages as 
two dollars per month and then, in 1865, 
came to Illinois and purchased forty 
acres of land in Pope county, partially 
covered with timber. About this time 
lie was married, in April, 1865, to Miss 
Anna Sandman, a daughter of Joseph Sand- 
man, and renting his own land he removed 
to a farm belonging to his wife, it being 
a part of her father's estate wdiich she had 
inherited. Here the young couple began 
their domestic life in an old log house with 
puncheon floor and large fireplace. The 
cabin was only sixteen feet square, con- 



662 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



tained but one window and the cracks be- 
tween tlie logs were daubed with mud. 
After residing there for seven years both 
farms were sold, and Mr. and Mrs. Kraschel 
removed to Macon county in 1870 and 
rented a farm near Boody. A year later our 
subject was called upon to mourn the loss 
of his wife, who died June 26, 1871, leaving 
the following children: Mary, deceased; 
Joseph, now a resident of California ; Rosa, 
wife of William Eckhart, a farmer of South 
Macon township ; Johnnie, who died at the 
age of five years. Mr. Kraschel was again 
married January 2, 1874, his second union 
being with Miss Nancy Jane Poe, a daugh- 
ter of Frank and Elizabeth Poe. Five chil- 
dren blessed this union but only three are 
now living, namely : IMelvin, a farmer of 
South Macon township ; and Ella and Nel- 
son, both at home. 

For three years after coming to Macon 
county, Mr. Kreschcl operated rented land 
and then bought eighty acres of raw prairie 
near Boody, which he tiled, ditched and im- 
proved by the erection of a house and barn, 
making that place his home for twenty- 
two years. He then purchased a farm of 
one hundred acres in South iMacon town- 
ship and in 1897 bought sixty acres more, 
on which he took up his residence the fol- 
lowing year. He has since devoted his ener- 
gies to the improvement and cultivation of 
this place, has set out an orchard, built a 
barn, bored deep wells and erected wind- 
pumps. He is quite extensively engaged 
in the raising of Duroc Jersey hogs and he 
also feeds some cattle for market. 

Coming to the new world without a dol- 
lar, Mr. Kraschel has made all that he pos- 
sesses, winning success through his own 
mitiring energy and diligence and the as- 
sistance of his estimable wife, who has in- 
deed been a true helpmate to him. She has 
labored with liim in the fields from early 
morning until late at night and he gives her 
credit for much of the success that has 



crowned their efforts. She never com- 
plained under the most trying circum- 
stances and always had a word of encour- 
agement and cheer for her husband at all 
times. Before she was married she worked 
out. She chopped wood and fed stock, 
besides doing the washing and cooking, 
and sometimes worked in the field at one 
dollar per week. By his ballot Mr. Kraschel 
supports the men and measures of the Dem- 
ocratic party, and he has filled the offices 
of road commissioner and school director 
in a most creditable manner. It was during 
his term that the ■ first gravel road 
was made in Wheatland township, and he 
was one of the grand jurors that tried to 
indict the mob which hung Bush in Decatur. 
Fraternally he is a member of Beacon 
Lodge No. 434, K. P. 



ISAAC W. KILE. 

Isaac W. Kile, of Argenta, is practically 
li\ing a retired life in the enjoyment of a 
rest which he has truly earned and richly 
deserves by reason of his industrious ef- 
forts of former years. Accomplishment 
and progress ever imply labor, energy and 
diligence, and it was these qualities that 
enabled our subject to rise from the ranks 
of the many and stand among the success- 
ful few. He is now one of the highly re- 
spected citizens of Argenta and his long 
residence in Macon county and the active 
part he has taken in its development well 
entitle him to representation in its history. 

A native of Illinois, Mr. Kile was born 
near Todds Point in Shelby county, now 
Moultrie county, December i, 1840, and is 
a son of Josiah. and Mary Kile. His father 
was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, in 
181 2, and in the fall of 1838 came to Illi- 
nois, settling in Shelby county, where for 
some time he was engaged in farming dur- 
ing the summer and in teaming to St. Louis 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



663 



in the winter. Later he removed to Piatt 
county, this state, and four years later to 
Macon. He purchased a farm of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres near Monticello, and 
to the improvement and cultivation of that 
place he devoted his energies during his 
residence there. He died in 1891. 

Isaac W. Kile acquired his early education 
in the Friends Creek schoolhouse near Mon- 
ticello, the little temple of learning being 
a log structure with slab benches and other 
primitive furnishings. At the age of twenty 
years he left the parental roof and worked 
•on a farm at fifteen dollars per month for 
three months. About this time the Civil 
war broke out and in response to the presi- 
dent's call for troops, Air. Kile enlisted 
July 25, 1861, in Company A, Forty-first 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel 
I. C. Pugh. He participated in the battles 
•of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Hatchie's Run, 
Vicksburg, Jackson, Cold Water and sev- 
eral other engagements, and being wounded 
in the shoulder was in the hospital at Mound 
City for a time. On the expiration of his 
term of enlistment he was mustered out at 
Springfield, Illinois, in 1864, and returned 
borne. 

Mr. Kile then commenced work for others 
but at the end of one month, he rented a 
farm in Friends Creek township, Macon 
county, and turned his attention to its cul- 
tivation. In 1868 he purchased eighty acres 
of land, for which he paid twenty- 
two hundred dollars, and on selling 
that he bought ninety-two . acres in 
^Miitmore township, on which he lived 
for fifteen years. He then disposed 
of that property and bought one hundred 
and sixty acres of land in Friends Creek 
township, and is to-day the owner of sixty- 
five acres near Argenta and two hundred 
and twenty-three acres elsewhere in the 
county. A quarter .section of this has been 
in the Kile family since 1848. For many 
years our subject was actively and success- 



fully engaged in agricultural pursuits and 
fed nearly all the grain that he raised to his 
hogs, being quite extensively engaged in 
stock raising. About 1893 he purchased a 
house in Argenta, where he has since made 
his home and although he has practically 
retired from active labor he has charge of 
several farms besides his own. He is a 
man of excellent business ability, is ener- 
getic and reliable, and generally carries for- 
ward to successful completion whatever he 
undertakes. 

In 1867 Mr. Kile was united in marriage 
to Miss Emma Thomas, of Piatt county, 
and to them have been born two children: 
William, who married Rose Miller and is 
living on the one hundred and sixty-acre 
farm belonging to his father; and Charles, 
who married Luella Wilkinson and is en- 
gaged in the lumber business in Ivesdale. 
Mrs. Kile is an earnest member of the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church and is a most 
estim.able lady. Fraternally our subject be- 
longs to the Knights of Pythias, the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the 
Grand Army of the Republic of Argenta, 
and politically he is identified with the 
Democratic party. He has taken quite an 
active and influential part in the public af- 
fairs of his town, has acceptably filled the 
office of justice of the peace, was mayor of 
Argenta two years and postmaster three 
years. He made a most capable official and 
has always been found true to every trust 
reposed in him w;hether public or private 
and has manifested the same loyalty in days 
of peace as in days of war. All who know 
him have for him the highest regard and 
he has many friends throughout his adopted 
countv. 



JOHN C. BATCHELDER. 
mini township has no more progressive 
or enterprising citizen living within its bor- 
ders than the gentleman whose name intro- 



604 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



duces this biography. Throughout his ac- 
tive business life lie has been identified with 
the agricultural interests of this locality 
and is to-day the owner of a valuable farm 
of three hundred and twenty acres on sec- 
tions 30 and 31, the neat and thrifty ap- 
pearance of which well indicates his care- 
ful supervision. Substantial improvements 
are surrounded by well tilled fields, and all 
of the accessories and conveniences of a 
model farm are there found. 

Mr Batchcldcr was born in Pittsfield, Illi- 
nois, January 21, 1861, and was only two 
years old when brought by his parents, 
Samuel E. and Sarah Marilla (Clark) 
Batchelder, to this county, the family lo- 
cating in mini township. During his boy- 
hood he pursued his studies in the district 
schools of his native township, and in 1881 
and 1882 was a student in the Normal 
School at ]jloomfield, Iowa, where he took 
a course in commercial banking and general 
business. On completing his education he 
returned to his father's farm, where he re- 
mained until 1888, when he remo\-cd to the 
north half of the southeast quarter of sec- 
tion 30, mini township, and commenced 
farming on his own account. To the culti- 
vation and improvement of that place he 
devoted his attention until 1893, when he 
took up his abode u])on his present farm 
of three hundred and twenty acres. Besides 
this property he owns an eighty-acre tract 
in Custer county, Nebraska. He has re- 
modeled the barn iqion his lu>me farm, mak- 
ing it fifty-four by sixty feet in dimensions 
and with accommodations for sixty head of 
cattle. lie also has stable room for sixteen 
horses and a large mow above. The cattle 
business claims much of his time and he 
usually keeps on hand three carloads. He 
buys his stock in Kansas City and after 
fattening them ships them to the Chicago 
markets. Me also ships the hogs whii-li he 
raises to that city. In the operation of his 
land Mr. Batchelder uses the latest im- 



proved machiner\' and everything about his 
farm is thoroughly up-to-date and con- 
venient. He has a fine system of water 
works, which supplies both his house and 
his barn with water, and the former also 
has hot water pipes. The residence is heated 
by a furnace and an acetylene gas system 
furnishes the light, there being twenty- 
seven jets throughout the house. Upon the 
place there is also the tenant's house, and 
two sets of farm buildings, besides a scale 
house, stockpens, etc. A mill, operated by 
a gasoline engine grinds the feed for both 
J. A. Brown's and ^Ir. Batchelder's stock. 
Mr. Brown is a brother-in-law of our sub- 
ject and lives a quarter of a mile north. 
The farm is laid out into fields of con\enient 
size and a grove of hard maple and walnut 
trees add greatly to the beauty of the place, 
which is considered one of the best im- 
proved and most desirable farms in the 
county. Mr. Batchelder was the first man 
in mini township to put a telephone into 
his house, although there is scarcely a resi- 
dence without one at the present time. 

( )n the 22d of February, 1888, was cele- 
brated his marriage to Miss Susan L. Har- 
[ler. a daughter of Lucien and Ruth Esther 
( Kenney) , Harper, both of whom were na- 
tives of New Hampshire and the former 
was of Irish and Scotch descent and the lat- 
ter of English and Scotch. For many years 
Mr. Harper was a merchant of Haverhill, 
Massachusetts, where he died in 1865, his 
remains being interred in a cemetery at 
Derry, New Hampshire. His father was a 
very prominent man in early days and was 
a meniljer of congress in 181 1. Among her 
most cherished possessions Mrs. Batchelder 
has some old letters written by her grand- 
father at that time, and has a yard stick 
which her father used in his store. She is 
a cousin of Marcia Emery, a poetess of some 
note now living in Boston. Mrs. Batchelder 
is the only child born to her parents. Her 
primary education was obtained in district 




^ If 




ME ud MKS HEKBT JOSTES 



PAST AND l^RESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



667 



>i-litH)l,s, Jiiiil laUT i^lu' was a sliiik'nl in tlu' 
i-ily schools of Georgetown, Colorado, and 
.Martinez, California, and al the Wcsleyan 
University at lUoomingtnn, Illinois, where 
she piirsned a literary course and made a 
special study of nmsic. JJecoming quite pro- 
ficient in that art she successfully engaged 
in teaching nuisic in lllini townshi]) for 
three or four years and is now organist of 
the Congregational clinich there, to which 
she and her husband helnng. the latter being 
a inend)er of the choir, lie, loo, is a mu- 
sician of considerable ability and has been 
leader oi a banil, which he made a credit to 
his work. They had three children: Ruth 
Esther, who was born February 2, 1890, and 
died at ihc age of one month; Ina Lorette, 
born Jamiarv j8, iSyj; and Milton Harper, 
March 2~. 1894. I'.oth are now in school, 
where for the past four years the daughter 
lias missed only three days and the sou none. 
The former now devotes considerable at- 
tention to vocal music. 

Mr. Batchelder is a supporter of the Re- 
publican party and its principles and he is 
an honored member of Summit Lodge, No. 
431, F. & A. M., at Harristown, of which 
he is now worshipful master. As a citizen 
he is public-spirited ami progressive and 
lie occupies an enviable position in the es- 
teem of his fellow men. His plea.sant, 
genial manner makes him many friends and 
he stands high both in business and social 
circles. 



HENRY JOSTES. 
One of the leading citizens of Macon 
who has laid aside all business cares and is 
now living retired at his beautiful home in 
that village is Henry Jostes. Although an 
adopted son of America his loyalty is above 
question and was manifest by his service 
in the civil war. He was born in Germany 
-April 8. 1840. a son of \\'illiam F. and Cath- 



erine Jostes, who came to this country in 
1870 but were not long permitted to enjoy 
their new home as the mother died soon 
after her arrival here and the father passed 
away in 1877 when about seventy-seven 
years of age. Of the nine children born to 
them only our subject and his sister, Ame- 
lia, are now living, the latter being the 
wife of John Rahler, a farmer of Shelby 
county, Illinois. 

Henry Jostes preceded his parents to 
the new world, landing here in 1857. He 
commenced work on a farm in Macon 
county, Illinois, where the town of Boody 
now stands and continued to be employed 
by the month as a farm hand until the Civil 
war broke out. Feeling that his adopted 
country needed his services, he laid aside 
all personal interests and enlisted in July, 
1861, in Company E, Forty-first Illinois Vol- 
unteer Infantry, which was assigned first to 
the Sixteenth Army Corps and later to the 
Seventeenth and was under the command of 
Generals McPherson and Sherman. He re- 
mained at the front for three years and par- 
ticipated in the battle of Fort Donelson, 
the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg, the 
battle of Hatchie's Run and many other 
important engagements. When his term 
of enlistment expired he was honorably dis- 
charged at Springfield, Illinois, in August, 
1864, and returned home with a military 
record of which he may be justly proud. 
He was always found at his post of duty, 
valiantly defending the stars and stripes 
and the cause they represented. 

Soon after his return from the army Mr. 
Jostes was married January 12, 1865, to 
Miss Julia Shoop, who was born in Penn- 
sylvania, March 3, 1843, ^"fl was four years 
old wdien she came to Macon county, Illi- 
nois, with her parents, Daniel and Lena 
(Yoder) Shoop. Her father, who was a 
farmer by occupation, died in 1854, and her 
mother long survived him, passing away 
in 1888, at the age of sixty-one years. Mrs. 



668 



PAST AND PRESENT OF jMACON COUNTY. 



Jostes has two sisters living: Mrs. ^Matilda 
Snider, whose husband is a farmer near 
Sterling, Illinois; and Mrs. Rosa Moss, 
whose husband followed farming near Blue 
Mound, this county. Here Mrs. Jostes was 
reared and received her education in an old 
log school house in Blue Mound township, 
it being furnished in a primitive manner, 
heated by a large fireplace and lighted by 
greased paper windows. 

The children born to our subject and 
his wife are as follows : Emma, now the 
wife of William Fedderman, who follows 
farming near Moweaqua; Agnes, who died 
in infancy ; William, a farmer of Pleasant 
View township ; Mary, wife of Richard 
Dorsey, a farmer of Pleasant View town- 
ship; Frederick, who is engaged in the 
stock business on a ranch in Grant county, 
Nebraska; Benjamin, who is with his 
brother in Nebraska ; Lena, wife of Frank 
Phillips, a tinner of Blue Mound, Illinois ; 
and Lillie and Effie, both at home. The 
sons, William and Frederick, are graduates 
of Brown's Business College of Decatur, 
and all of the children have been given good 
common school advantages. 

After his marriage Mr. Jostes located in 
Blue Mound township, where he purchased 
forty acres of wild prairie land, which he 
tiled and drained, transforming it into a 
good farm. Two years later he bought 
another forty acre tract and kept adding to 
his property from time to time as his finan- 
cial resources increased until he now has 
three hundred and twenty acres of rich and 
arable land in Blue Mound township. His 
first home was a log cabin, twelve by four- 
teen feet in dimensions, to which he made 
an addition after residing there for three 
years. Still later this home was replaced 
by a nice two story frame residence, and he 
also built a good barn and other outbuild- 
ings. He continued to actively engage in 
the operation of his land until 1896, when 
he removed to Macon and bought a lovely 



home — one of the finest in the village. It is 
surrounded by five acres of ground adorned 
b}^ beautiful shade trees. 

Mr. Jostes was formerly a member of the 
Grand Army Post at Blue Mound, but is 
now connected with the one at Macon, and 
by his ballot supports the men and meas- 
ures of the Republican party. For eleven 
years he filled the office of school director 
and has ever taken a deep and commend- 
able interest in those enterprises calcu- 
lated to advance the welfare of his town 
and county. His wife and daughters are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal church 
and take an active part in its work and 
give liberally toward its support. As a 
young man he came to the United States 
and without capital started out in a strange 
land to ov-ercome the difficulties and obsta- 
cles in the path to prosperity. His youthful 
dreams have been more than realized and 
he is now the possessor of a comfortable 
home and competence which enables him tO' 
live in case and retirement. 



H. H. BROWN. 
The middle portion of the nineteenth 
centurj' may properly be termed the age of 
utility, especially in the west. The vast 
region known as the upper Mississippi val- 
ley was but then opened up to civilization 
and the honored pioneers, who found homes 
in this fertile but undeveloped region, were 
men who had to contend with the trials and 
difiiculties of frontier life. Immediately 
following those who claimed the wild land 
and began the work of civilization here by 
developing farms, came another class who 
were soon as active factors in commercial 
and industrial life. It is to the latter class 
that Henry H. Brown belonged and central 
Illinois has largely profited by his labors. 
It is encouraging and interesting to note 
that manv of the residents who came to Illi- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



669 



nois empty-handed worked their way up- 
ward from humble financial position to a 
position of affluence; that as the years 
passed and the country improved, pros- 
perity attended their efforts and wealth 
rewarded their earnest endeavors. The ca- 
reer of Mr. Brown proved his capability 
in business circles and at the same time 
demonstrated the honor and integrity which 
were crowning points in his life record. 

Henry H. Brown was born in Pottsdam, 
St. Lawrence county, New York, August 
ID, 1820. His early life was spent in the 
vicinity of his native home. He was in- 
clined to be studious in his boyhood days 
and at an early age he was admitted to the 
academy in Pottsdam, New Yorl., where 
he pursued his studies for four years and 
was then graduated with honors from that 
institution. While yet a young man he 
came to the middle west, settling first in 
St. Louis. There he followed various pur- 
suits in most of which he prospered. On 
leaving that city he took up his abode in 
Springfield, Illinois, where he engaged in 
general merchandising, forming a partner- 
ship with Mr. Wright under the firm name 
of Wright & Brown. Theirs became one of 
the largest and leading commercial houses 
of central Illinois. It was in 1862 that Mr. 
Brown retired from this line of business and 
removed to Decatur. After remaining here 
but a short time he became interested with 
the late Franklin Priest in several enter- 
prises. His life work was of decided ad- 
vantage to this locality. He was successful 
in nearly every undertaking to which his 
attention was given throughout his active 
business career. After remaining in De- 
catur for a few years he became identified 
with A. Ruth & Company as proprietor of 
a large dry-goods house, which was con- 
ducted along legitimate and progressive 
business lines and was prosperous. After 
a few years, however. ^Ir. Brown retired 
from this concern and was elected to the 



office of tax collector, and was also county 
collector, acting in that capacity for a 
period of eight years. At the end of his 
last term he was appointed a deputy sherifJ 
under the late .ex-Sheriff Fostmeyer. 

In 1878 Mr. Brown organized the H. H. 
Brown Manufacturing Company, which be- 
gan the manufacture of gasoline stoves and 
at one time did a very extensive and profit- 
able business, the trade reaching mammoth 
proportions. In 1893 the company was in- 
corporated and ^Ir. Brown was elected its 
president, holding that position up to the 
time of his death. Although he retired from 
the active management of the business 
about four years prior to his demise he 
allowed his capital to remain in the enter- 
prise and did not withdraw the use and in- 
fluence of his name. He was also the in- 
ventor of a steel device used to fasten down 
the corners of burial caskets. It is now 
extensively utilized throughout the country 
and is manufactured and marketed by the 
company in Decatur at the present time. 

On Christmas day of 1847, occurred the 
marriage of Mr. Brown and Julia S. Brown, 
the ceremony taking place at the residence 
of the bride's parents in Springfield. The 
widow and one son, Charles H. Brown, now 
survive the husband and father. His deep- 
est interests centered in his home, which 
was to him his castle. He was a man of 
modest and retiring disposition, but his 
family and friends found him a most com- 
panionable and genial gentleman, always 
considerate of the feelings of others and 
with generous deference for the opinions 
of others. As a citizen, too, he was consid- 
erate of men of sterling worth and his many 
excellent traits of character gained for him 
the warm regard of all with whom he was 
associated. Holding membership in the 
LTniversalist church, he took an active part 
in its work, regularly attended its services 
and contributed liberally to its financial sup- 
port. Through the whole course of his 



670 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY 



career the ]jrime moving spirit that proinpl- 
ed all nf his actions seems to have been 
improvement and advancement. The idea 
of leaving whatever he touched better than 
he found it was always dominant with him. 
He was a man of true character, whose rec- 
ord must be studied carefully to be rightly 
understood because he was never ostenta- 
tious in anything that he did. In all his 
views, political, religious and social, he was 
broad gauged and liberal. He was a man of 
action rather than of thought and while 
others might argue and debate he went to 
work and demonstrated. 

"He was a man, take him for all in all; 
I shall not look upon his like again." 



CHARLES H. BROWN. 
Well known in the business circles of 
Decatur Charles H. Brown has been an ac- 
tive factor in controlling interests which 
have become of value in promoting the in- 
dustrial and commercial activity of this city. 
He is a native of Springticld, Illinois, born 
on the nth of May, 1852. His parents 
were Henry H. and Julia S. (Brown) 
Brown. In the public schools of Decatur 
and Chicago he ac(|uired his education and 
early in life he became a railroad employe. 
He is to-day one of the oldest railroad men 
living in this city. He was connected w'th 
the engineering corps that made the orig- 
inal survey on the Decatur & State Line 
road, now a part of the Wabash system, this 
work being executed in 1870. In 1871 he 
was employed as ticket agent in Decatur 
for the Illinois Central Railroad Company, 
serving in that position for two years. Sub- 
sequently he acted as agent for the Paris 
& Decatur road, now a part of the Vandalia 
line, from 1873 until 1876 and in the latter 
year he entered the service of the W' abash 
Railroad Company as ticket agent at De- 
catur, continuouslv serving until i8()i, when 



he resigned. His connecliorv with railroad 
interests was of long duration and alv/ays 
of the most honorable character. He was 
so loyal to the trust reposed in him that 
the corporations which he served enter- 
tained for him the highest regard and re- 
])osed in him the most uncjualitied confi- 
dence. As ticket agent he was always oblig- 
ing and courteous to the patrons of the road 
and he won many friends through the pos- 
session of these estimable cjualities. On 
resigning he became general manager of 
the r.rown .Manufacturing Company and is 
now also its secretary. One of the features 
of this company is the manufacture of a de- 
vice for dehorning cattle, the invention be- 
ing in use extensively in the United States 
and is largely exported to the wholesale 
trade in foreign countries, including .Vfrica, 
New Zealand, Holland, Cuba and South 
America and throughout the cattle coun- 
tries of the world. Mr. Brown was also 
president of the Robinson .Manufacturing 
Comi)any during its e.xistence in Decatur 
and was vice president of the Savings & 
Loan Association for many years. 

In 1873 occurred the marriage of Charles 
11. Brown and Miss Mary A. Ellis, who 
died in 1883, leaving two sons. The elder 
is William E. Brown, now the president 
of the Brown Manufacturing Company. He 
maintains his residence, however, in Chi- 
cago and is in the employ of the National 
Casket Company. He is an expert engraver 
'ind designer. Roy H. Brown, the younger 
son, is an artist and illustrator in oils of 
enviable reputation. He studied in Deca- 
tur and later in the Art League of New 
York and was with Jean Monheim of Paris. 
He is now a member of the Art League of 
Xew York and was one of the exhibitors in 
the Art Institute of Chicago in December, 
1899, his oil painting Cranberry Bog receiv- 
ing special attention and commendation. 

Since the year 1872 Charles H. Brown 
has been a meml)er of the ^lasonic frater- 




F. R. QOODE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COuNTY. 



673 



nity and in his life has exemphfied the be- 
neficent spirit of the craft. He belongs to 
Ionic Lodge, No. 312, F. & A. M. ; Macon 
Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M. ; Decatur Coun- 
cil, No. 16, R. & S. M.; and Beaumanoir 
Commandery, No. 9, K. T. He is a man 
of much force of character and strong in- 
dividuality and his pleasant, social manner 
has won him a host of warm friends. 



JOSIAH BROWN, M. D, 
On the list of charter members of the 
Macon County Medical Society is the name 
of Dr. Josiah Brown. Dr. Brown was born 
at Whitby, Canada, August 24, 1827. He 
was a son of Abram and Bathsheba Brown, 
who were Quakers from New England. Dr. 
Brown attended school in Canada and at 
Wilson, New York. As a child, he desired 
to become a physician and always studied 
with that end in view. His father died 
when Josiah was but twelve years old, leav- 
ing a small estate to be divided among a 
large family. With this little assistance, 
and by dint of energy and hard work, and 
by teaching school for a time he was able 
to enter the Augusta, Georgia, Medical Col- 
lege, then one of the best schools in the 
country. At tlie end of the course he was 
graduated and began the practice of medi- 
cine at Gaylesville, Alabama. It was at this 
place that he married Miss Sarah E. Brown. 
Together they moved to Maroa, Illinois, 
where they lived about two years. In 1859 
they located at Decatur, making this city 
their jjcrmanent home. 

Their first two children died in infancy. 
A daughter, Minnie S., died in February, 
1881, at the age of eighteen years. A son. 
Dr. Warren Brown, is a practicing phy- 
sician of Tacoma, Washington. Another 
son. Dr. Everett J. Brown, is a worthy suc- 
ces.sor of his father at Decatur. Still an- 
other son, Frederick A. Brown, is prac- 
ticing law in Chicago. 



Dr. Josiah Brown died May 6, 1889, ^t 
his home 665 Prairie avenue, Decatur, Illi- 
nois, where his wife and daughter, Mrs. 
Charles R. Murphy, still reside. Dr. Brown 
was a member of the Masonic Lodge. In 
politics he was a Republican. In religion 
he was a Presbyterian and was a member 
of that church for more than twenty-five 
years. 

Bj' those who knew him best he will ever 
be remembered as a cordial, true friend ; an 
able and successful physician, sound in his 
judgment and correct in diagnosis, a keen 
observer and a good adviser. He was strict- 
ly temperate and always maintained a high 
standard of right. 



FRANK R. GOODE. 
This is an age of improvement and inven- 
tion and America is the exponent of the 
spirit of the age. No country has kept 
apace with the United States in its inven- 
tions of a utilitarian character, American 
citizens having given to the world many 
products which have been of the greatest 
value in business life. Frank R. Goode is 
an inventor whose career has been eventful 
and who is a self-made man. One of Illi- 
nois' native sons he was born in Taylorville, 
Christian county, on the 12th of February, 
1873, and is a son of Francis and Margaret 
(May) Goode, both of whom were natives 
of this state. The father died in the year 
1887, when sixty years of age. He had de- 
voted his entire life to stock-raising and was 
also an auctioneer for several years. In 
politics he was a prominent and influential 
Detnocrat, who held a number of offices, 
serving both as sheriff and deputy sheriff 
in Christian count)^. As a citizen he was 
enterprising and public spirited, as a busi- 
ness man, active and energetic, and thus in 
his life record are many elements worthy 
of emulation. His widow still survives 



674: 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



him and is now living^ at 129 North Church 
street in Decatur. The Goodes came orig- 
inally from Pennsylvania and James Goode, 
an uncle of our subject, is now the oldest 
living representative of the family. He has 
reached the advanced age of eighty-nine 
years and makes his home in Springfield, 
Illinois. He is the oldest living settler of 
Sangamon county, and the Old Settlers' 
Association presented him with a pair of 
gold glasses in 1900, and a gold headed cane 
in 1901. He has never been ill a day in his 
life, and has never used tobacco or into.xi- 
cants in any form. 

:\lrs. Goode, the mother of our sub- 
ject, was a daughter of the late Dr. Fran- 
cis May, who began his career as a physi- 
cian in 1847 and continued in active prac- 
tice until his death, which occurred in De- 
catur in 1885. 

Frank R. Goode was the only child born 
unto his parents. He acciuircd his educa- 
tion in the public schools and when four- 
teen years of age he lost his father. He en- 
tered upon his business career as a clerk 
and at first received no salary, gaining, 
however, experience concerning mercantile 
methods. The first money he received for 
his services was eight dollars per month, 
and gradually his wages were increased until 
he had reached the age of si.xteen years. 
He then worked upon the road as a travel- 
ing salesman for the Wichita Produce Com- 
pany of Wichita, Kansas, being associated 
with that house until nineteen years of age. 
He then took charge of the wholesale house 
at Flennesscy, Oklahoma, owned by the M. 
T. C.illock Milling Company, the territory 
extending through Oklahoma and with 
headquarters at Hennessey. Mr. Goode 
spent altogether sixteen years in Kansas 
and Oklahoma, Kemaining in the west from 
1880 until 1896. In the latter year he came 
to Decatur and entered the employ of the 
F. B. Tait Manufacturing Company for the 
purpose of selling a windmill patent. In 



September, 1897, he engaged in the patent 
business on his own account opening an 
office in Decatur exclusively for the sale of 
patents. In 1897 he secured a patent upon 
an invention of his own — a clothes line 
grip — which he sold in 1898. In the latter 
year he took out a patent for a slot rending 
machine and the same year secured a patent 
on an invention for laundry packing and 
wrapping. In 1900 he again became a trav- 
eling salesman for the F. B. Tait Manu- 
facturing Company, having charge of the 
gasoline department for one year. In 1903 
he in\cntcd a spring hitch for farm wagons 
and machinery and he carries this on sale 
in connection with his patent business. His 
specialty, however, is patents and during his 
nine years connection with this line of activ- 
ity he has placed some forty different 
patents on the market, many of which have 
become paying inventions. Two important 
ones have been the equalizer for gang plows 
and the surface blade attachment for culti- 
vators. Mr. Goode has made several trips 
to Washington, D. C, in the interest of his 
patents and his office is located at No. no 
^\'est Prairie street, Decatur. 

In 1899 Mr. Goode was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Gertrude Wisher, a daughter 
of C. W. Wisher, of Decatur, and they have 
one child, Ruth Beatrice. He is well known 
in connection with industrial and manufac- 
turing interests throughout this portion of 
the country and has done an important 
business by placing upon the market many 
inventions which have proven of value to 
the business world. 



J. P. STOUTEN BOROUGH. 
The subject of this biography is one of 
the leading citizens of Maroa township, 
where he has spent his entire life. He is 
nut only engaged in farming and stock rais- 
ing but is also interested in a number of dif- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



675 



ferent enterprises which have been of de- 
cided advantage to his section of the coun- 
ty, promoting its material welfare in no 
uncertain manner. As a business man he 
is notably prompt and reliable and he has 
attained a leading place among the repre- 
sentative men of the community in which 
he lives. 

Mr. Stoutenborougli was born in Maroa 
township in 1865, a son of Anthony and 
Sarah J. Stoutenborough. His father was 
one of the early settlers of this county and 
is now living a retired life in Maroa, hon- 
ored and respected by all who know him. 
He is a brother of Garrett Stoutenborough, 
whose sketch appears elsewhere in this 
work. The primary education of our sub- 
ject was obtained in the public schools of 
Maroa and he later attended a business col- 
lege at Decatur. 

At the age of twenty years Mr. Stouten- 
borough commenced operating his father's 
farm, having previously become thoroughly 
familiar with every department of farm 
work. He now owns one hundred and sixty 
acres of the old homestead but has charge 
of the entire tract of four hundred acres, 
which is under a high state of cultivation 
and well improved with good' and substan- 
tial buildings. His place is supplied with 
all modern conveniences, the house is heat- 
ed by a furnace and there is a good system 
of water works. Mr. Stoutenborough has 
always been more or less interested in stock- 
raising and now has some pedigreed stock 
of the Hereford and shorthorn breed of cat- 
tle. He is a director of the Farmers' Mer- 
cantile Association ; is also interested in the 
Citizens' Bank of Maroa and was instru- 
mental in establishing elevators at Rowell 
and Maroa. He possesses good business 
and executive ability and the success that 
has come to him is certainly well deserved. 

On the 9th of April, 1891, Mr. Stouten- 
borough was united in marriage to Miss 
Gertrude Barr, a daughter of Captain Barr, 



of Maroa. She first attended school in 
Friends Creek township, this county, and 
later pursued her studies at Galesburg, Illi- 
nois. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenborough 
are members of the Christian church and he 
is also a member of the blue lodge and chap- 
ter of the Masonic fraternity and the Order 
of the Eastern Star at Maroa. He votes 
with the Republican party but has never 
consented to hold office, preferring to de- 
vote his undivided attention to his business 
interests which have become quite exten- 
sive. He is a true type of western progress 
and enterprise and in all his undertakings 
he has prospered thus far, his success being 
the logical result of his careful and correct 
business methods. 



AUGUSTUS HARPSTRITE. 
The name of Harpstrite early became well 
known in connection with agricultural in- 
terests and the subject of this review is now 
the owner of splendid tracts of farm land 
in Macon county. The name is also a well 
known one in commercial circles, for during 
thirty years Augustus Harpstrite was en- 
gaged in the grocery business in Decatur. 
Now he is living a retired life and all that 
he possesses has come to him as the legiti- 
mate reward of his own labors. He was 
only three years of age when brought to 
this country, but is of German birth, having 
first opened his eyes to the light of day in 
Baden on the 4th of March, 1830. He is the 
third son in the family of John B. and Mary 
(Roamar) Harpstrite, who in the year 1833 
severed the connections that bound them 
to the fatherland and came to the new 
world. They braved the dangers incident 
to an ocean voyage at that time when weeks 
were required to make the trip while only 
days are now demanded for the voyage. 
Sixty-one days had passed ere they reached 
the harbor of New York, and after living 



070 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



at a number of places in the east the family 
home was established at Delphi, Indiana, 
where Ansjiistus Harjistrite sjjent about six 
3'ears, ])ursiiing his education in the jjublic 
schools during that time. The year 1844 
witnessed the removal of the family to Illi- 
nois and tlie establishment of the family 
home in Clinton county. .Mr. Harjjstritc 
of this review ]ar2;el\^ passed his early life 
upon a farm and for some time made his 
iiome with his sister. In Clinton county he 
also continued his education in the ])ublic 
schools and he was early instructed in tlie 
value of industry and perseverance in the 
active affairs of life. The habits which he 
thus formed have been strong elements in 
his later success. 

In October, 1855, Air. Harpstrite came to 
IMacon county and settled tipon a farm near 
.•\lbion in South Wheatland township. In 
1857, however, he went to Chicago, after- 
ward to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was 
employed for a time, while later he located 
in P.elleville, Illinois, and was employed as 
a farm hand at eight dollars per month. It 
is from such a humble beginning that he 
has steadily worked his way upward until 
his name is now enrolled among the pros- 
])erous citizens of Decatur. After five 
months at farm work near P>elleville he re- 
moved to Michigan in 1838, but in the same 
year came to Decatur and located in the 
first ward. 

In the meantime Mr. Harpstrite had 
managed to save a small sum from his earn- 
ings and began business for himself as a 
grocer. His stock of goods was limited, 
but he gradually increased his facilities in 
order to meet the growing demands of his 
trade and for long years he had one of the 
best equipped grocery houses of this city. 
His courteous treatment of his patrons, his 
earnest desire to please and his fair and 
honorable dealings won him many cus- 
tomers and he conducted a successful en- 
terprise from 1838 until 1888. wlicn he sold 



out to Mr. Apple. As his financial resources 
increased he also invested in realty and is 
to-day the owner of five valuable farms in 
.Macon county in addition to considerable 
city property. His labors have been very 
hel])ful in the upbuilding of Decatur and 
its improvement is attributable in consid- 
erable measure to his efforts, for he has 
erected twenty-eight dwellings and business 
houses here. These he rents and the finan- 
cial returns from his ]jroperty are sufficient 
to supply him with all of the comforts and 
many of the luxuries of life. 

While Air. Harpstrite began business with 
\ cry small means he soon gained a reputa- 
tion for honesty and persistency of purpose 
and it is safe to say that throughout his 
entire career he never took advantage of the 
necessities of hjs fellow men in any trade 
transaction. In all of his dealings he paid 
one hundred cents on the dollar. There 
has been no sensational chapter in his busi- 
ness career, his wealth not coming to him 
as the result of a single fortunate deal, but 
as the direct outcome of earnest and long 
continued effort. 



HIRAM ARNOLD. 
Hiram Arnold, who was an honored vet- 
eran of the Ci\il war and who for many 
}ears was a representative of agricultural 
life in Macon county, was born on the 29th 
of February, 1840, in Marshall county. West 
A'irginia, where the city of Wheeling now 
stands. His parents, Joseph and Lucretia 
(Mannon) .Arnold, were natives of Virginia 
and the father there followed the occu])a- 
tion of farming. The paternal grandfather 
was. engaged in building steamboats which 
sailed on the Ohio river. During the early 
boyhood of our subject the parents removed 
to Misssouri and subsequently to Illinois 
and in the schools of this state he acquired 
his education. He had just attained his 




GEORGE OREN 




JOHN H. OREN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



681 



niajoriiN- at the tune of the outbreak of the 
Civil war and becoming deeply interested 
in the events which aroused the country at 
that time, he espoused the Union cause, en- 
listing in Company E, Fifty-seventh Illi- 
nois Volunteer Infantry, with which he re- 
mained for nine months. He was in the 
hospital and because of physical disability 
was then discharged. Later the govern- 
ment granted him a pension in recognition 
of the aid he had rendered the country and 
because of the ill results \vhich followed 
his military career. 

It was on the 28th of January, 1868, that 
Mr. Arnold was united in marriage to Miss 
Mary Ellen Ward. For his second wife 
he chose Elizabeth Hurst, and by that union 
had one son and five daughters : ]\Iary 
Lucretia, the wife of I. X. Newberry, a 
farmer of Osbornville, Illinois, by whom 
she ha.s three children ; .Sarah AL, the wife 
of J. W. Ehlers, who follows farming near 
Mount Auburn, and has two children ; Ellen 
S., the wife of Philip Wetzel, a carpenter 
of Blue Mound, by whom she has one living 
child ; Ithamar, at home ; and Dora May, 
the wife of Henry Ehlers, a car inspector 
of Decatur. 

Mr. Arnold was a member of the United 
ISrethrcn church and exemplified in his life 
his Christian faith and belief. He gave his 
political allegiance to the Republican party 
and he had fraternal relations with the 
Grand Army of the Republic. Throughout 
his business career his attention was given 
to farming and he was the owner of eighty 
acres of land in Pleasant View township, 
which is still in the possession of his widow. 
He placed his land under a high state of 
cultivation and the fields returned to him 
golden harvests, so that the sale of his crops 
brought to him a comfortable living. He 
died January 24, 1903, when in his sixty- 
third year, and his remains were interred 
in Hall cemetery. The qualities of his man- 
hood and the strength of his upright char- 



acter had gained for him the confidence and 
regard of his fellow men, so that his death 
was deeply regretted. 



JOHN H. OREN. 

John H. Oren, a well known and enter- 
prising business man of Decatur and now 
proprietor of the industry conducted under 
the name of the Decatur Hard Plaster Com- 
pany, was born in this city June 17, 1859, 
his parents being George and Mary (Miller) 
Oren. The father was a native of Potts- 
ville, Pennsylvania, and came to Decatur 
in the early '50s in company with Jackson 
Fisher, making the trip from Pennsylvania 
in a wagon. He was then a young man and 
in this county he learned the trade of a 
plasterer and later entered into partnership 
with Mr. Fisher under the firm style of 
Fisher &. Oren. They did a large contract- 
ing business as plasterers and their services 
were in constant demand, a liberal patron- 
age bringing to them a good income. Mr. 
Oren continued an active factor in the in- 
dustrial circles of the city until his death, 
which occurred in August, 1899, when he 
was sixty-seven years of age. His wife, a' 
native of A^rginia, died in 1897, at the age 
of sixty-three years. She was a representa- 
tive of the old historic Miller family and 
was a daughter of " Aunt Polly " Miller, 
one of the pioneer settlers of the state. Unto 
Mr. and Mrs. Oren were born five children : 
John H., the subject of this review; Mar- 
garet, the wife of John Diller ; Frank; Liz- 
zie, the wife of Charles Jacobs; and Clara, 
the wife of Harry Misenhelter. 

John H. Oren received but limited edu- 
cational privileges yet mastered the com- 
mon English branches of learning which 
prepare one for life's practical duties. He 
began learning the plasterer's trade with 
his father when seventeen years of age and 
subsequently became interested in the com- 



682 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



pany, doing contracting on his own account 
and having charge of the business for twelve 
years. He became associated with S. F. 
Perry, who was a practical plasterer with 
an experience of over twenty-five years in 
business at the time the partnership was 
formed. When, in 1897, the Decatur Rock 
Plaster Company became financially em- 
barrassed, resulting in the forced sale of the 
plant,_ the firm of Perry & Oren bought the 
outfit and established the Decatur Hard 
Plaster Company. They began experiment- 
ing for the production of a material which 
would prove superior to anything known in 
that line and their experience and skill en- 
abled them to perfect a wall plaster better 
than anything placed upon the market to 
which they gave the name of the Decatur 
hard wall plaster. All contractors and 
builders recognize the fact that there has 
been nothing ])laced upon the market equal 
to that which is now manufactured by the 
Decatur Hard Plaster Company. The basis 
of this is 'g3'psum rock, which is secured 
from deep mines. It is manufactured by 
men who have devoted many years to se- 
curing and making the best that can be 
made and as the chief element in the hard 
plaster it makes an article of superior worth. 
That the Decatur hard plaster has become 
popular and that its value is recognized by 
contemporaries throughout the country is 
seen by enumerating many fine buildings 
in which it is to-day used. In Decatur it is 
seen in the Orlando Powers block, the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church, in a number 
of large business buildings, together with 
some of the best private residences of the 
city. It is now recommended by every con- 
tractor in the city and by business and pro- 
fessional men generally. The plant is lo- 
cated at No. 341-343 Waliash avenue, where 
the firm is not only manufacturing and deal- 
ing in hard plaster, but where they also deal 
in lime, hair, cement and other materials. 
Mr. Oren has ever worked conscientiouslv 



and has gained a splendid reputation among 
all classes of citizens as a business man of 
integrity and worth, well meriting a large 
share of the public patronage. He manu- 
factures two forms of plaster. The first 
is known as the Decatur hard plaster, which 
has all the ingredients ready mixed and to 
which simply water needs to be added and 
the second is the Decatur hard plaster com- 
pound which requires the addition of sand. 
In placing this product upon the market 
Mr. Oren has given to the world a material 
of marked value in building operations and 
he certainly richly merits the success which 
is now accorded him. 

Mr. Oren has been twice married. In 
1887 he was joined in wedlock to Miss Mag- 
gie Tiernan, of Dalton, Illinois. They lived 
happily together for five years and then in 
1892 Mrs. Oren was called to her final rest. 
In 1894 Mr. Oren was again married, his 
second union being with Mrs. Mary Millard, 
a daughter of Captain C. C. Mason, of 
Mount Pulaski, Illinois. They have two 
children : Elsie May and George Mason. 
In his political views Mr. Oren is a Repub- 
lican where questions of national import- 
ance are involved, but at local elections he 
votes independently of party ties. He be- 
longs to the Fireman's Association, to Coeur 
de Lion lodge. No. 17, K. P., and to De- 
catur District Court, No. 39, of the Court 
of Honor. He finds his chief source of 
recreation in fishing and hunting, but allows 
nothing to interfere with his faithful per- 
formance of business duties and no man en- 
joys a more enviable reputation because of 
the fidelity which he manifests in meeting 
business obligations. 



CAPT.\IN J.\MES H. GLORE. 
W hen tlie tocsin of war soundetl and 
brave men from all parts of the country 
rtocked to the standard of the nation Macon 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



683 



county sent its full quota of gallant soldiers 
to the field and among this number was 
Captain James H. Glore, who won his title 
through the valiant aid which he rendered 
to the nation. Because of this and because 
of his loyalty in citizenship in times of peace 
he is well worthy of representation in the 
history of Macon county. He was, more- 
over, one of the pioneer settlers here, estab- 
lishing his home in this county in 1850. 

A native of Kentucky, his birth occurred 
in Brownsboro, Olden county, on the 27th 
of November, 1834. His parents, iMilburn 
and Sarah (Clark) Glore, were also natives 
of Olden county, and in the year 1850 the 
father removed with his family from Iven- 
tucky to Decatur, where he became asso- 
ciated with business affairs as a manufac- 
turer of brick. He owned and operated a 
brickyard for many years and the product 
of his factory was utilized in the construc- 
tion of many important buildings here at 
an early day. Later he turned his atten- 
tion to the grocery business, which he car- 
ried on for a few years and subsequently 
he lived a retired life, spending his last days 
in rest from further labor and in the enjoy- 
rrijent of the comforts which his own en- 
ergy and industry provided. He passed 
away in 1887 and his wife has also departed 
this life. They were the parents of ten 
children: Wash, who now resides in Chi- 
cago ; Lon, a resident of St. Louis ; Scott 
and Norman, both deceased ; James H. ; 
Relda, the wife of Captain Bingham, of De- 
catur; Amy, the wife of Andrew Hill, of this 
city ; Alice G., who is now librarian of the 
Decatur Free Public Library; Valissa, the 
widow of Edward Moore, of Decatur; and 
Ella, also in this city. All were well edu- 
cated in the best schools of Macon county. 
Like the others Captain Glore attended the 
public schools and subsequently he assisted 
his father in the conduct of the brickyard 
here. At the same time he learned the trade 
of a brickmason and assisted in the erection 



of many of the best brick buildings of this 
city. Until the war broke out he followed 
that pursuit, but after the inauguration of 
hostilities he could not content himself to 
remain at home while his country was in 
danger and therefore he enlisted as a private 
of Company K, One Hundred and Sixteenth 
Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. This regi- 
ment was organized in 1862 and with the 
exception of two companies its members 
were all sons of Macon county. Mr. Glore 
was afterward promoted to the captaincy 
of his company and served in many import- 
ant engagements of the Civil war. With 
liis command he remaified at Camp Macoit 
during the months of August, September 
and October and on the 30th of September, 
1862, was mustered into the United States 
service. On the 8th of November, the regi- 
ment was ordered to Memphis, where it 
was attached to the First Brigade, Second 
Division, Fifteenth Army Corps of the Army 
of the Tennessee. Its active service be- 
gan in Grant's campaign in central Missis- 
sippi and included Sherman's Yazoo expedi- 
tion, meeting the enemy in battle at Chris- 
tian Bayou and afterward at Chickasaw 
Bluflfs. Later came the Arkansas expedi- 
tion, including the investment and capture 
of Arkansas Post. In General Grant's ef- 
forts to gain a foothold in the rear of Vicks- 
burg the One Hundred and Sixteenth Illi- 
nois joined the expedition up Steele's Bayou 
and after other encounters with the enemy 
rejoined the corps and fought at Jackson, 
Mississippi, Champion Hills, Bridgeport 
and in the assaults on Vicksburg. After 
the fall of this city the regiment advanced 
on Jackson and in September, 1863, moved 
to Memphis, Tennessee, thence marching 
to Chattanooga. They participated in the 
battles of Tunnel Hill, Missionary Ridge 
and afterward marched to the relief of 
Knoxville. On the 4th of May, 1864, be- 
gan the Atlanta campaign and with Sher- 
man's great army the One Hundred and 



684 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Sixteenth Illinois moved toward the soutli- 
east. During this time Captain Glore and 
his men were in the engagements at Snake 
Creek Gap, Kesaca and New Hope Church 
and at the last named Cajitain Glore, who 
was then lieutenant, was wt)unded. Then 
followed other encounters with the enemy in 
the Atlanta campaign, concluding in the 
great battle of Atlanta, July 22. 1864. and 
later the siege of the city resulting in its sur- 
render. For three months the ( )ne Hun- 
dred and Sixteenth Regiment had heen un- 
der fire continually night and day. On the 
15th of November they started on the march 
to the sea and then came the Carolina cam- 
paign, ending in the battle of lientonville, 
the last engagement of the war, followed by 
the Grand Review in Washington, where 
with the other representatives of the vic- 
torious army Ca])tain Glore and his men 
received the plaudits of the nation. ( )n iIk- 
-th of June, 1865, with his command. Cap- 
tain Colore was mustered out. 

After the war he returned to Decatur and 
established a wood^-ard, which he conducted 
for a few years or up to the time of his 
marriage in 1870. The lady of his choice 
was Miss Frances E. Gunther, a daughter 
of George and Susan Gunther. the former a 
native of Germany and the latter of Ten- 
nessee. Her father came to America in 
1832 and settled in Ohio but after a short 
time removed to Macon county, Illinois, be- 
ing one of its early residents. Here he 
first operated a saw mill and later jnux-hased 
a tract of land in South Wheatland town- 
ship, whereon he engaged in general farm- 
ing up to the time of his death in 1849. 
His widow, long surviving him. passed 
away in Decatur in 1901. Captain and Mrs. 
Glore became the parents of two children : 
Sarah .Mice and (k>orge G.. both with their 
mother. The latter was born March 28, 
1882, and is now a machinist by trade. 

After his marriage Captain (ilore pur- 
chased a farm in South Wheatland town- 



ship, three miles southeast of Decatur, 
where he spent his remaining days, carry- 
ing on general agricultural pursuits and also 
worked at the mason's trade during the 
busy season. His life was one of activity 
and usefulness. He died I'ebruary 27, 1886, 
respected by all wdio knew him because in 
all life's relations he had been loyal to duty, 
honorable in business, generous in friend- 
ship and loving and considerate of his fam- 
ily. For fifteen years he served as a school 
director in S(5uth Wheatland township and 
the cause of education i)rofited by his earn- 
est efiforts in its behalf. In politics he was 
independent, supporting the men rather 
than the party. However, he kept well in- 
formed on the issues of the day and took 
great delight in all political arguments. In 
all his business undertakings he was very 
successful. Socially he was connected with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at 
Decatur and he maintained pleasant rela- 
tions with his old army comrades through 
his mend)ership in the Grand Army Post 
of this city. He held membership in the 
Christian church, to which his wife yet be- 
longs and there was in his career naught 
that could be censured by his fellow men, 
because he had been ever actuated by hon- 
orable niotives. After his death Mrs. Glore 
resided upan the home farm imtil 1890, when 
she returned to Decatur antl purchased 
her present residence at No. 412 South 
Main street, where she and her two chil- 
dren now reside. 



J. S. P.CFFMFYER. 
For many years J. .'^. lUifTmeyer was ac- 
tively identified with the farming interests 
of Macon county but is now living a retired 
life on section 2, Whitmore township, hav- 
ing acquired a competence which enables 
him to lay aside all business cares and en- 
joy a well earned rest. He was born on 




\J^iriy^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



687 



the 14th of November, 1834, in Pennsyl- 
vania, of which state his parents, Joseph and 
Anna (Shaffer) Buffmeyer, were also na- 
tives. He was their only child. In 1856 
the family removed to Illinois and first lo- 
cated west of Chicago. Subsequently our 
subject became a resident of McLean coun- 
ty, this state, and from there removed to 
Moultrie county. It was in 1879 that he 
came to Macon county and purchased forty 
acres of land on section 2, \Yhitmore town- 
ship, which had already been placed under 
cultivation. Later he added to his farm 
another tract of forty acres on section 11, 
just across the road from his former pur- 
chase, and he was actively engaged in the 
operation of his land for some years. In 
connection with general farming he engaged 
in stock raising to some extent and met 
with good success in the raising of hogs. 
Since 1896 he has practically lived retired, 
leaving the management of the farm to his 
son Joseph, .who now devotes considerable 
attention to the raising of fruit. The farm 
is very productive and yields a handsome 
return for the care and labor bestowed 
upon it. 

In 1854 Mr. BufTmeyer w^as united in 
marriage to Aliss Mary Hartman, of Lan- 
caster, Pennsylvania, and to them have been 
born ten children, those still living being 
John, who is married and lives in Oregon; 
Joseph, who is single and resides upon the 
home farm ; Benjamin, who is married and 
also follows farming in Whitmore town- 
ship ; Lou, wife of Frederick Myers ; and 
Annie, at home. 

Mr. Bufifmeyer has served as school di- 
rector one term and as ditch commissioner 
five years, being the present incumbent in 
the latter office. He and his family are 
members of the German Baptist church and 
stand high in the community where they 
reside. Hospitality reigns supreme in their 
pleasant home, which is a modern frame 
residence, surrounded by spacious lawns. 



beautiful shade trees and an abundance of 
flowers. In his political affiliations Mr. 
Bufifmeyer is an ardent Republican and he 
takes quite an active and influential part 
in local affairs, his opinions carrying weight 
with his neighbors and many friends. 



ENOCH A. GASTMAN. 
Enoch A. Gastman has a record hardly 
paralleled in the history of the country for 
through forty-one years he has remained 
at the head of the Decatur schools. Several 
times has he handed in his resignation, but 
each time the school board and his fellow 
townsmen have urged him to remain in the 
position, which he has so honorably and 
creditably filled. No city in this great com- 
monwealth has a better school system than 
Decatur and this is attributable in large 
measure to the earnest efforts, marked abil- 
ity and untiring devotion of Enoch A. Gast- 
man. He has been so closely and promi- 
nently connected with the educational and 
moral interests here that no history of the 
community would be complete without the 
record of his career. It is a widely acknowl- 
edged fact that the most important work to 
which a man can direct his energies is that 
of teaching, whether it be from the pulpit, 
from the lecture platform or from the 
schoolroom. Its primary object is ever the 
same, the development of. one's latent pow- 
ers that the duties of life may be bravely 
met and well performed. It would be im- 
possible to estimate the influence of the life 
of Mr. Gastman upon those with whom he 
has come in contact, but there are hun- 
dreds of people who have been under his 
instruction and who acknowledge their in- 
debtedness to him for so shaping their 
course in early years that in later life they 
have become valued factors in the affairs 
of the various communities in which they 
have lived. 



688 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Enoch A. Gastman is a native of New 
York city, but almost his entire life has 
been passed in Illinois and he has the deep- 
est love for the state which has so honored 
him. His natal day was June 15, 1834, but 
in April, 1838, he was brought to McLean 
county, the family home being established 
near Hudson. His early life was quietly 
passed in a manner not unlike that of most 
boys of the period. Books were always a 
source of pleasure to him and his interest 
in the work of the schoolroom prompted 
him to enter upon the teacher's profession 
as he neared manhood. He was twenty 
years of age when on the loth of October, 
1854, he first took his place in the school- 
room as an instructor, being employed in 
Saybrook, Illinois. In the year 1855 he was 
a student in the Illinois Wesleyan Univer- 
sity and in the following year he accepted 
a position as teacher in Kappa, Illinois, 
where he remained for nine months, or 
throughout the scholastic year. In 1857 he 
entered Eureka College and on the 5th of 
October of that year he matriculated in the 
Illinois Normal University. It was on that 
date tliat the institution opened and he was 
graduated with the first class on the 29th 
of June, i860. On the lotli of the following 
September Mr. Gastman became connected 
with the schools of Decatur, being assigned 
to a ])osition as teacher in the third grade. 
In the spring of 1861 he taught a three 
months' term of school in Hudson, Illinois, 
and on the 12th of July, 1862, he was ap- 
pointed the first superintendent of the city 
schools of Decatur and the first principal of 
the high school. Here he has remained con- 
tinuously since. To give an entire history 
of his life would be to present a faithful 
])iclure of the work done along educational 
lines in Decatur. During the forty-one 
years of his active superintendenc)' marked 
progress has been made, Decatur keeping 
abreast with the universal improvement 
along educational lines. At first Mr. Gast- 



man received a salary of onl)' two hundred 
and seventy dollars for si.x months' term of 
school, but gradually he was advanced un- 
til he has received on an average of seven- 
teen hundred and twenty-eight dollars and 
fifty cents per year for each year of the four 
decades in which he has l)ccn sujjerin- 
lendent. Only twice during this entire 
period has he ever spoken of salary to the 
school board. At the beginning of the sec- 
ond year he was re-appointed to his posi- 
tion with no advance, while another man 
doing the same work received an increase 
of five dollars per month. Mr. Gastman 
spoke of this matter to the school board and 
was given the increase. Later, when he 
was receiving a salary of nine hundred dol- 
lars per year he was ofTered a school in a 
neighboring city with the salary of tw-elve 
hundred and fifty dollars per year. Wishing 
to accept the more remunerative position, 
.Mr. (iastman asked to be released from his 
contract with Decatur and the board replied 
to this request by advancing his salary to 
twelve hundred. Many important positions 
have been offered him, for his reputation 
has spread far and wide and his name has 
Ijeen inscribed high on the roll of prominent 
educators in Illinois. .Again and again he 
has received flattering offers, and at one 
time he decided to accept one. Accordingly 
he presented his resignation to the school 
board, but it was at once proposed that his 
salary should be advanced to twenty-five 
hundred dollars per year and that he should 
be elected for a term of five years. Certain- 
ly no higher testimonial of the public re- 
gard or of his great usefulness could be 
given. As long as Mr. Gastman wishes to 
remain in the position it is undoubtedly his. 
He has, indeed, become a part of the school 
system of Decatur. He has instituted many 
measures of the greatest and most perma- 
nent benefit to the schools; his own zeal and 
interest in the work have inspired and en- 
couraged his teachers ; and his co-operation 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON -COUNTY. 



689 



with the pupils has led to splendid results 
along character development as well as in- 
tellectual progress. As far as possible he 
has become personally acquainted with all 
of the students and has watched with keen 
interest their course in Hfe after leaving 
school. During his superintendency more 
than a thousand diplomas have been as- 
signed to the graduates of the high school 
■of Decatur and thus leaving his guidance 
young men and women have gone out in 
the world, many of them to attain to promi- 
nence and honor in the active, useful and 
important walks of life. Mr. Gastman has 
always been a close and earnest student of 
social and economic questions and of all 
things pertaining to the progress of the 
world. His interest of course has centered 
along the line of his chosen field of labor 
and he has been quick to adopt all new 
measures which he believed would contrib- 
vite to intellectual progress and improve- 
ment. Public spirited in an eminent de- 
gree his labors have been of the greatest 
benefit to Decatur and his name figures con- 
spicuously in connection with the educa- 
tional history of the state. For a half cen- 
tury he has been a teacher of Illinois and 
for thirty-two years of that time has been 
a member of the state board of education, 
during which time he has been accjuainted 
with all of the state superintendents, being 
a personal friend of all but two of the num- 
ber. 

In July, 1862, Mr. Gastman was united 
in marriage to Miss Frances A. Peterson, 
of Sublette, Lee count}', Illinois, who died 
seven months later, and in August, 1864. 
he was again married, his second union be- 
ing with Miss Caroline S. Sargent, of Clare- 
mont, Nev/ Hampshire. At the time of their 
marriage she was a teacher in the Decatur 
schools. Unto them five children were 
born, those still living being Elizabeth G., 
wife of John H. Powell, of Seattle, Wash- 
ington ; and Louise, at home with her pa- 



rents. Frances died at the age of three 
years. Winthrop E., who was a graduate 
of Michigan University and an electrical 
engineer by profession, died at the age of 
twenty-five years. Floyd A. died at the age 
of nineteen while a freshman at Ann Arbor. 
The two sons died in 1893 within ten days 
of each other. Mr. and Mrs. Gastman have 
a pleasant home on West North street, 
where they have resided for thirty-eight 
years. 



NEWTON F. PICKLE. 
Twenty-two years have come and gone since 
Newton F. Pickle became a resident of Macon 
county, where for some years he followed 
farming, but is now living a retired life in De- 
catur, his home being at No. 2075 North 
Church street. He is a native of Bedford 
county, Tennessee, born June 29, 1834, a son 
of John and Delilah (Lefler) Pickle, who were 
also born in Bedford county, where the mother 
died when her son Newton was a lad of four- 
teen years. The father was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Miss Sarah 
Cheeves. He remained upon a farm in his 
native county until 1863, when he took up his 
abode in Johnson county, Illinois, while later 
he established his home in Pope county, 111- 
nois, where he continued to engage in general 
farming until his death. There were two 
children of the family who came to Macon 
county, the brother of our subject being Jo- 
seph Pickle, who arrived here about 1880, set- 
tling in the village of Macon, where he con- 
ducted a meat market for a short time. He 
then engaged in the hardware business for a 
few years, after which he took up his abode 
upon a farm in South Wlieatland township 
and engaged in the cultivation of the fields 
there for a few years. He next removed to 
Piatt county, but after a short time returned 
to Macon county and lived retired in the city 
of Decatur until his death, which occurred 
May 2, 1900. 



690 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNT ^^. 



The educational privileges which Newton 
Pickle received were meager, as his studies 
were pursued in a log school-house in his na- 
tive county. Farm work early became famil- 
iar to him through the assistance which he 
rendered to his father in the cultivation of the 
fields on the old homestead. After reaching 
adult age he desired to start out in life for him- 
self, and sought a companion and helpmate for 
the journey. In Bedford county he wedded 
Miss Margaret E. Musgrave, a native of the 
same county, born December 29, 1840, a 
daughter of Thomas and Harriet (Forbes) 
Musgrave. Both parents passed away in Ten- 
nessee. The father, who devoted his life to 
farming, died on the I4t1i of July, 1855. The 
young couple began their domestic life upon 
the old home farm and remained in Tennessee 
until 1859, when they removed to St. Francis 
county, Arkansas, where Mr. Pickle engaged 
in farming for two years. He then returned 
to his native state, but in October, 1863, re- 
moved to Johnson county, Illinois, where he 
followed agricultural pursuits until 1881, when 
he came to Macon county, Illinois. His first 
home here was a farm two miles east of De- 
catur, but after a short time spent on that place 
he took up his abode in Friends Creek town- 
ship where he remained for four years. He 
next removed to Maroa township, where he 
carried on agricultural pursuits for five years. 
He then purchased a farm of eighty acres in 
Whitmore township and continued its cultiva- 
tion for four years, after which he sold the 
property on the ist of March, 1896, and re- 
moved to Decatur, where he purchased a lot 
and built his present home. He owns a large 
lot and nice residence on the north side of the 
city and this property is the visible evidence of 
his life of industry, for he has nothing that he 
has not gained through his own labors, being 
entirely a self-made man. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Pickle were born five 
children : Thomas N., who married Harriet E. 
Barber and resides in Decatur ; Mary Delilah, 
who died at the age of three years ; James M., 



who wedded Emma Phillips and is a grocery- 
clerk of Decatur ; Martha E., the wife of 
Charles A. Dickey, of Moweaqua, Illinois ; and 
William F., who married Maud Withgott and 
is engaged in the real estate and loan business 
in Decatur. 

Mr. Pickle votes with the Republican party> 
and while living in Johnson county held some 
local offices, but has always preferred to de- 
vote his energies to his agricultural interests, 
and from the tilling of the soil he has gleaned 
a comfortable competence which now enables 
him to rest from further labor. 



MICHAEL DEMPSEY. 
Michael Dempsey, a retired mail agent 
living in Decatur, was born in the city of 
Dublin. Ireland, on the 29th of September, 
1830. His father, John Dempsey, followed 
the sea and was in the Spanish service at 
the time of our subject's birth, being cap- 
tain of a Spanish man-of-war. The mother 
died when her son was but two or three 
months old and he was left an orphan at 
the early age of six years, being then reared 
by strangers. He obtained a common- 
school education in Ireland and his first 
independent step in life was taken at the 
age of nineteen years when he emigrated 
to America, crossing the Atlantic in a sail- 
ing vessel. Mount Washington, which 
(Irojiped anchor in the harbor of Boston, 
on the 2ud of July, 1849. He then went into 
the country and spent four years in Pel- 
ham, New Hampshire, working as a farm 
hand. Later he went to the city of Lowell, 
• Massachusetts, where he learned and fol- 
lowed the stone-cutter's trade and thus he 
gained a start in the new world. W'hile re- 
siding in Lowell, ^Massachusetts, he ^vas 
married in 1854 and in the spring of the 
following year he came to Illinois, arriving 
in Clinton at midnight, accompanied by his 
wife and his brother-in-law, William Dunn, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



691 



and his wife. Clinton was then a small 
town with little business prospects. Mr. 
Dempsey worked as a marble-cutter there 
until about 1859. 

In 1861 in response to the call of his 
adopted country for aid to crush out the 
rebellion which threatened the destruction 
of the Union, Mr. Dempsey enlisted in 
Company E, Sixty-eighth Illinois Volun- 
teer Infantry as a private. He was after- 
ward transferred to Company B, Seventieth 
Illinois Infantry as first sergeant and was 
in active service for five months, being dis- 
charged in October, 1861, at Alton, Illi- 
nois. He then came to the city of Decatur 
and in the spring of 1863 removed his busi- 
ness here, locating at the corner of Pine 
and West Williams street, where he has 
since made his home. He began working 
at the marble cutter's trade and followed 
that pursuit for a number of years. About 
1876 he entered the railway mail service and 
remained in that capacity for twelve years 
on the Wabash Railroad. Six months be- 
fore the expiration of Grover Cleveland's 
administration he was given his discharge 
for political reasons, although he had long 
been a faithful representative of the mail 
service. Since 1888 he has lived retired. 

On the 26th of February, 1854, Mr. Demp- 
sey was united iti marriage to Miss Mary 
Dunn, a native of Queens county, Ireland, 
who emigrated with her brother to the new 
world in 1850. She was educated on the 
Emerald Isle and was a daughter of Peter 
and Mary (McCabe) Dunn, who spent their 
entire lives in Ireland. For forty-one years 
Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey traveled life's jour- 
ney together and the wife was then called - 
to her final rest May 5, 1895. By that mar- 
riage there were eight children, two of whom 
died in infancy: John S., a marble worker 
of Springfield, wedded Miss Mary McGorey, 
of Decatur, and they have one child, Flora. 
Peter J., who is represented elsewhere in 
this volume, is the second in the family. 



Mary is the widow of T. A. Russell and 
lives with her father. She has two children, 
William E. and Margaret Louise, but the 
latter is known as Jessie. Catherine is the 
principal of the Wood street school of De- 
catur and is a graduate of the col'ege at 
Oregon, Illinois. Thomas F. is a piinting 
contractor, who married Mamie Garber and 
they have one son, Peter O. Lucy I., the 
youngest of the family, is acting as her 
father's housekeeper. Mr. Dempsey and his 
children are members of St. Patrick's 
church, to which his wife also belonged. 
Mr. Dempsey owns a good house and lot 
in Decatur, his home being one of the best 
on the street and the plans for this were 
drawn bv one of his daughters. 



JACOB W. KOHR. 
When after years of long and honorable 
labor in some field of business, a man puts 
aside all cares to spend his remaining years 
in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former 
toil, it is certainly a well deserved reward 
of his industry. 

"How blest is he who crowns in shades 
like these 
A youth of labor with an age of ease," 

wrote the poet, and the world everywhere 
recognizes the justice of a season of rest 
following an active period of business life. 
Mr. Kohr is now living retired at his pleas- 
ant home on section 5, Whitmore township, 
and his history is one that shows the ac- 
complishment of well directed labor. 

A native of Pennsylvania, he was born in 
York county, January 18, 1846, and is the 
ninth in order of birth in a family of ten 
children, all of whom lived to be grown. 
His parents, Louis and Rebecca Kohr, are 
now deceased. He passed the days of his 
boyhood and youth in the Keystone state 
and is indebted to its public school;; for the 



692 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



educational advantages he enjoyed. When 
the Civil war broke out he enlisted in Com- 
pany B, One Hundred and Thirtieth Penn- 
sylvania Volunteer Infantry, and after nine 
months in the service was discharged. On 
account of failing health he subsequently 
went to Minnesota and was engaged in 
steamboating on the Mississippi river for 
a time. 

In the fall of iSOS Mr. Kohr came to Ma- 
con county and took up his residence on 
section 5, Whitmore township, where he at 
first purchased seventy acres and later 
added to it a tract of forty acres and still 
later eighty more acres, but he has since 
sold eighty acres to his son Samuel after 
the latter's marriage. In his farming opera- 
tions our subject met with marked success 
and as he found that the raising of hogs 
proved quite profitable he devoted consid- 
erable attention to that industry. The 
house he erected upon his place in 1868 is 
still standing in a good state of preserva- 
tion, and in 1892 he built a good barn, has 
set out trees of various kinds, and he has 
a number of soft maples which he has raised 
from the seed. Although his land was full 
of ponds and sloughs when it came into his 
possession he has tiled and drained it, and 
to-day has a very desirable and attractive 
farm under excellent cultivation. Since 
1896 he has practically lived a retired life, 
leaving the labors of the farm to younger 
hands. 

On the 14th of October, 1868, in Whit- 
more township, was celebrated the mar- 
riage of Mr. Kohr and ?*Iiss Helen Brown, 
a daughter of Rev. Ephraim and Jane 
Brown, who are pioneers of this county and 
live east of our subject in Whitmore town- 
ship. Three children bless this union : Ida, 
Samuel and Nellie. The son. who resides 
on section 5, Whitmore township, married 
Ida Birchfield and has two children: ^^'cl- 
nia and an infant son. 

Mr. Kohr is one of the standard bearers 



of the Republican party in his community 
and docs all in his power to insure its suc- 
cess. He is now serving as highway com- 
missioner and his official duties have always 
been most faithfully and conscientiously 
discharged. In the work of public improve- 
ment he has ever borne his part and has 
never withheld his support from any enter- 
prise which he believed would prove of pub- 
lic benefit. When he came to Macon coun- 
tv the villages of Oreana and Argenta had 
not yet sprung into existence, and much of 
this region was still wild and unimproved. 



ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH. 
The first Catholic service ever held in 
Decatur was conducted by Rev. Father 
Pendergast in July, 1853, at the residence 
of Mrs. Marvin on West Main street. At 
the close of that service Mary Phalin was 
baptized, she being the first child to receive 
that ordinance in the Catholic church in 
Decatur. Father Pendergast continued his 
labors as rector of the Catholic organiza- 
tion in Decatur for one year. In 1854 Rev. 
I'^ather Cussack. a traveling priest, succeed- 
ed to the rectorship and continued in the 
same until 1859. In the early days of the 
church, services were conducted at private 
residences, one of the favorite places for 
holding the meetings being the log cabin of 
Michael Phalin, which was located on the 
site of his present residence on West Macon 
street. .\t this time the Great Western 
(now the ^\'abash) Railroad was in process 
of construction. Among the contractors 
and construction men were a number who 
were members of the denominational church 
in the east and the attendance at mass in the 
early days was considerably augmented by 
delegations from this laboring class. The 
attendance at mass finally became so great 
that it was necessary to find a more com- 
modious place for worship, and during the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



693 



early days of the pastorate of Rev. Father 
Cussack, mass was celebrated in the old 
brick court house, which was located in the 
southeast corner of Lincoln square. 

In 1857 Rev. Father Cussack raised 
money enough to erect a frame church 
building on a lot in the 700 block on ^Vest 
Prairie street. The lot was donated to the 
cause by a .Mr. Shepherd. Tn 1859 Rev. 
P'ather \'ogt was sent to be rector of the 
church and remained until 1870. The corner 
stone of St. Patrick's Catholic church, lo- 
cated on East North street, was laid on 
March 17 (St. Patrick's day), 1863, and was 
occupied for worship during the following 
winter. 

Rev. Father Walsh succeeded Rev. Father 
Vogt in 1870 and remained rector until 
1873 when Rev. Father Hickey, now vicar 
general of the diocese, became rector and 
continueil until 1876. Very Rev. Father 
Joseph Macken succeeded Rev. Father 
Hickey in 1876. During the pastorate of 
this pious and assiduous priest the church 
attained its greatest growth. During his 
administration, which lasted for a period of 
over twenty-five years, every branch of the 
church was thoroughly organized and 
equipped for assiduous work, and before the 
death of the priest, which occurred in the 
month of March, 1898, the membership of 
the church included over three thousand 
souls. The new parochial school building 
adjoining St. Theresa's academy was built 
during his rectorship, and the convent, 
which had formerly been the property of 
the church, was transferred to the order 
of the Ursuline Sisters. The magnificent 
parish residence on the lot at the rear of the 
church was bought from Moses Stafiford for 
twenty-five thousand dollars a short time 
before Rev. Father Macken's death. 

After watching the heart-broken parish- 
ioners follow the remains of their loved 
priest to the last resting place in Calvary, 
Bishop Ryan began looking around for 



some one to take his place. At Mattoon 
there was a priest who had attained an age 
barely above that of middle age, but yet 
who had made signal and distinguished ad- 
vances in the work of the priesthood of the 
church. This priest was Very Rev. Father 
Murphy, the present rector, who was called 
to the pastorate of St. Patrick's in the early 
part of July, 1898, and who said his first 
mass in the church on Sunday, July 17. 

Very Rev. Father Jereiniah Murphy is a 
native of ilill street. County Cork, Ireland, 
where he was born on Christmas day of 
1856. Near to the hallowed haunts of his 
childhood, at the national school at Cullen, 
he studied until his sixteenth year, and 
then for a short time became a preceptor. 
Obedient to the Divine call he entered St. 
Brendan's Seminary in Killarney where, 
with class honors, he completed the classics 
However, in 1876, at the age of twenty 
years, he bade farewell to the green shores 
of Erin and the dear folks at home and set 
sail for America. Arriving in this country 
he commenced at once upon a course of 
philosophy and theology at the Seminarv of 
St. Francis in Milwaukee. 

He was ordained a priest by Right Rev. 
P. J. Baltes, of the Diocese of Alton, June 
29, 1881. His first mass was celebrated July 
2, in the Church of Our Savior, Jackson- 
ville, Illinois. The occasion was not char- 
acterized by the pomp and display which 
usually attend such celebrations. It was 
low mass at which a few devout wor- 
shipers assisted, while the only attendant 
at the altar was Rev. Father Hickey. For 
a short time he acted as assistant priest at 
Decatur and was then assigned to Virden 
as a pastor. Later he received charge of 
St. Patrick's church at Cairo, Illinois, which 
mission he resigned to pursue a course of 
study under the Jesuits. Soon after he re- 
turned he received an appointment as pastor 
at Winchester, where he built a beautiful 
church and parochial residence. From 



694 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



thence he went to Alatloon where he re- 
mained for six years. In that city St. Jo- 
seph's school and numerous other buildings 
and improvements stand as a monument to 
his zeal. 

Those who know Dean Murphy best 
know that his work has been tireless and 
he has accomplished much since his resi- 
dence in Decatur. On his arrival he found 
a debt of twenty-one thousand dollars hang- 
ing over the church and his constant en- 
deavor has been to sweep that debt out of 
existence. Those who have watched his in- 
cessant labor know that it will not take 
him a great while longer to accomplish his 
object. When the debt is finally discharged 
the fact will no doubt be commemorated 
by a fitting celebration. 

Besides laboring to remove the debt on 
the church property Dean Murphy has made 
some notable improvements in St. Patrick's 
church. The remodeling of the interior of 
the church at great cost and the installing 
of a new heating apparatus are among the 
improvements he has effected. 



• CHARLES J. HARTLEY. 

Charles J. Hartley is the senior member 
of the C. J. Hartley Company of Decatur, 
contractors and builders of special machin- 
ery, also doing all kinds of general repair 
work. The business of which our subject 
is the head has grown to extensive propor- 
tions under his capable management, and 
the industry to-day is a profitable one, con- 
stantly growing in volume and importance. 

Mr. Hartley was born in Quincy, Illinois, 
September 4, 1848, and is a son of James 
and Sarah (Moffitt) Hartley. The paternal 
grandfather, Thomas Hartley, was a native 
of Virginia, who removed from the vicinity 
of Wheeling, West Virginia, to Kentucky 
about the close of the Revolutionary war, 
taking up his abode in Greenup county in 



the latter state. He had loyally served in 
the cause for independence with the Vir- 
ginia troops, taking part in the long war 
from its beginning to its close and thus 
valiantly aiding in winning independence for 
the nation. He resided in Kentucky for a 
number of years and at length was drowned 
in the Licking river about 1820. Thomas 
.Moffitt, the maternal grandfather of our 
subject, was born in Ireland and, crossing 
the Atlantic to the new world about 1803, 
located in Rochester, New York. While 
living there he saw General LaFayette, 
who was paying a visit to America. In 1810 
Mr. Moffitt removed to the west and be- 
came a resident of Nauvoo, Hancock coun- 
ty, Illinois, where he carried on the occu- 
])ation of farming. He reached the very ad- 
vanced age of ninety-six years ere he was 
called to the home beyond. 

James Hartley, the father of our subject, 
was born in Kentucky, but during his youth 
went to St. Louis, Missouri, where for some 
time he engaged in the manufacture of car- 
riages. Later he became a millwright, 
spending the latter part of his life in Quin- 
cy, Illinois, where he died in 1852, at the 
age of fifty years. 

In taking up the personal history of 
Charles J.' Hartley we present to our read- 
ers the life record of one who has become 
widely and favorably known in industrial 
circles in Decatur. He attended the public 
schools until about twelve years of age and 
was then thrown upon his own resources so 
that the mental training which he obtained 
afterward was received by study at night. 
He followed various occupations in order 
to earn an honest living, and at the age of 
fifteen became employed in a machine shop. 
This gave him opportunity to continue his 
education by attending night school and 
he devoted his time to the study of me- 
chanics and natural philosophy, being thus 
engaged from 1863 until 1868. He was first 
with the firm of Gardner & Robertson in 




DR. M. DeWITT POLLOCK 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



697 



their jobbing shops and from 1868 vmtil 
1873 was employed in the engine works of 
M. T. Greenleaf in Quincy, IlHnois. 
Through the succeeding six years he worked 
in various shops in Hannibal, Missouri, and 
again went to Ouincy, whence he came to 
Decatur in 1879. For a few months he 
worked as a machinist in the Union Iron 
Works and then returned to Quincy and 
later went to Fort Madison, Iowa, but made 
a permanent location in this city in March, 
1882. Here for two years he was employed 
in the W. L. Oakes Novelty Works and 
then engaged as foreman and superinten- 
dent with the Warren & Durfee Wooden 
Tray Works, filling that position for two 
years. The firm then incorporated under 
the name of the Warren & Durfee Manu- 
facturing Company, Mr. Hartley continu- 
ing as its superintendent. The manufac- 
tured output, however, did not prove suc- 
cessful and the company took up the manu- 
facture of a grain weigher, the invention 
of William Dunkel, which they continued 
for two years, but th§ machine did not prove 
a success. In the meantime Mr. Hartley 
had himself patented a grain weigher and 
in 1897 assumed control of the plant. He 
began manufacture under the firm name of 
C. J. Hartley & Company and also estab- 
lished a general machine shop. He asso- 
ciated with him in this business his son, 
Arthur J. Hartley, when on the 17th of 
March, 1902, the business was incorporated, 
under the name of the C. J. Hartley Com- 
pany. The success of this enterprise has 
been almost phenomenal. The output of 
1902 more than doubled that of 1901. They 
are contractors and builders of special ma- 
chinery and manufacture grain weighers 
and lifting jacks. They also do a general 
machine and repairing business and the vol- 
ume of their trade has grown to extensive 
proportions. 

In 1871 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Hartley and Miss Eunice Spencer, of Quin- 



cy, Illinois, and unto them were born five 
children, Arthur ]., Joseph F. and Elva Inez, 
who are living ; Florence, who died in 1882 ; 
and one that died in infancy. Mr. Hartley 
belongs to Ionic Lodge, No. 312, F. & A. 
M. ; and Park Lodge, No. 56, A. O.. U. W., 
of Ouincy, Illinois. The record of Mr. Hart- 
ley is that of a man who by his own un- 
aided efiforts.has worked his way upward 
to a position of affluence. His life has been 
one of industry and perseverance, and the 
systematic and honorable business methods 
which he has followed have won him the 
support and confidence of many. W^ithout 
the aid of influence or wealth, he has risen 
to a position among the most prominent 
men of the state, and his native genius and 
acquired ability are stepping-stones on 
which he mounted. 



iNIILTON DE WITT POLLOCK, M. D. 
In this enlightened age when men of in- 
dustry and energy are constantly pushing 
their way to the front, those who, by their 
own individual efl:'orts, have won favor and 
fortune may properly claim recognition. 
Dr. Pollock has won a creditable position 
in the ranks of the medical fraternity and 
although a comparatively young man he 
has at the present time a liberal patronage 
which many an old practitioner might well 
envy. He is one of the citizens of Decatur 
that Pennsylvania has furnished to Macon 
county. His birth occurred in the Key- 
stone state, April 20, 1863, his parents being 
James H. and Lydia M. (Phillips) Pollock, 
the former a native of Lawrence county, 
Pennsylvania, born October 24, 1822, and 
the latter of Vermont. It was in the fall 
of 1863 that the family came to Illinois, set- 
tling in McLean county near Bloomington, 
where the father engaged in general farm- 
ing. He made his home there until 1871, 
when he removed to Champaign county. 



698 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Illinois, and settled ii])on a farm. Throut;]!- 
oiit his entire life he carried on agricultural 
pursuits and was still living on the old 
homestead in Champaign county until a 
short time before his death, which occurred 
in Foosland, Illinois, June i6, 1899. His 
wife died on the 4th of April, 1903. She 
was born at Xcrsliiri'. \'crmonl. June 25, 
1831, and b_v her marriage became the 
mother of eight children: Dr. Milton I)., 
of Decatur; Dr. Robert M.. a physician, 
Dr. Samuel H., a dentist, and Joseph P., 
a retired merchant, all of Rockyford, Colo- 
rado; David \\'., a merchant of l'"oosland, 
Illinois; U. S. Grant, who lives on the old 
homestead; and Emma, wife of W. S. Ilin- 
ton, of Cham]>aign county, illiudis. 

At the usual age Dr. I'ollock began his 
education in the district schools of Cham- 
paign county and advanced to a grade that 
would entitle liim tn receive a teacher's 
certificate. In the fall of 18S5 he became 
a member of the firm of J. H. Pollock & 
.Sons, general merchants and grain dealers, 
of Foosland, Illinois, who were recognized 
at that time as anmng the heaviest local 
grain shippers in central Illinois. Dispos- 
ing of his business interests in January, 
1891, the Doctor went west, locating at 
Rockyford. Colorado, and determining to 
make the practice of medicine his life work 
he became a student under the direction of 
Dr. C. S. Marks, of that place, and on the 
completion of a course in Rush Medical 
College, of Chicago, he was graduated in 
the class of 1895. 

After his graduation Dr. Pollock was 
united in marriage to Miss Emma M. Miles, 
of Foosland, Illinois, a daughter of 'lliomas 
S. and Harriet (Crow) Miles. The young 
couple began their domestic life in Decatur, 
where the Doctor opened an office and began 
the practice of his profession. He has 
steadil)' advanced in public favor and if 
patronage is any criterion of skill ! )r. 
Pollock mav well be accounted one of the 



most capal)le physicians of his adopted cit}-. 
He is a student who reads broadly, thinks 
deeply and with ready adaptability uses the 
knowledge that he has gained for the bene- 
fit of his fellow men. He holds member- 
ship in the Decatur Medical Society, also 
in the State Medical Society and in the 
American Medical Association and thus he 
keeps informed concerning the ad\anced 
ideas of the profession and the new methods 
of work that have been instituted and 
adopted by leading physicians throughout 
the country. He is a member of the hirst 
I'resljyterian church of Decatur. He now 
has convenient and well appointed offices 
at 513. 514 and 515 Powers building. 



EDWIN J. ROBERTS. 
For over a third of a century this gentle- 
man has been identified with the farming in- 
terests of ^lacon county, and in the prosecu- 
tion of his chosen work he has met with excel- 
lent success, being industrious, careful and 
painstaking in carrying on the labors of the 
farm. His early horne was in Xew England, 
for he was born on the 5th of July, 1842, in 
llarnstead, Belknap county, New Hampshire, 
and his parents were George S. and Eliza A. 
( Bunker) Roberts, also natives of that state, 
and the former of Welsh and the latter of 
English descent. Throughout life the father 
engaged in agricultural pursuits. Leaving his 
old home in the east he came to Illinois in 
1865, and after spending about three years in 
Woodford county, he removed to Macon 
county in the spring of 1868 and settled on the 
northwest (|uarter of section 16, Illini town- 
shi]), ]iaying thirty-five dollars per acre for one 
hundred and twenty acres and sixteen and 
Iwii-ihird dollars for the remaining forty acres 
on which our subject now resides. Here he 
died in i8q", and his wife passed away in 
1S85. Their child'-i-n were Sarah Elizabeth, 
who died at the age of four vears ; Edwin T., 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



699 



of this review ; George F., a physician of Min- 
neapoHs, Minnesota, who married Ella 
Thayer, of Lacon, Marshall county, Illinois ; 
and Everett L., a miller of Gothenburg, Ne- 
braska, who married Anna B. Clarke, a daugh- 
ter of Bradbury Clarke, of Illini township, this 
county. 

Edwin J. Roberts grew to manhood in his 
native state and received a good practical edu- 
cation in the common schools and at the Pitts- 
field Academy. He attended the latter insti- 
tution only during the summer, while through 
the fall and winter terms he engaged in teach- 
ing school, receiving at first thirteen dollars 
per month and his board and afterwards 
twent}- dollars per month, the highest wages 
paid at that time. For three winters he taught 
in the same township in New Hampshire, and 
after coming to Macon county, Illinois, he had 
charge of a school in Illini township for three 
years, his wages at that time being fifty dollars 
per month. In the early '70s Mr. Roberts 
made his first purchase of land, consisting of a 
forty acre tract for which he paid thirty dol- 
lars per acre, and later bought forty acres of 
his brother for fifty dollars per acre. He came 
into control of the remainder of the old home- 
stead on the death of his father, and to the cul- 
tivation and improvement of his farm he de- 
voted his energies for many years, but is now 
practically living a retired life while he rents 
his farm. He is secretary of the Illini Mutual 
Fire Insurance Company, which was formed 
in March, 1875, with risks which amounted to 
fift}- thousand dollars, but now amount to four 
hundred and fifty thousand dollars all placed. 
As there have only been five assessments it is 
a very safe and economical investment for one. 
The territory of the company extends over six 
townships : Niantic, Maroa, Illini, Harristown, 
Austin and Hickory Points, and it is called the 
Illini Mutual because the office is located in 
that township. The present officers of the 
company are John A. Connely, president; 
Charles S. Bullard. treasurer, and Edwin J. 



Roberts, secretary, our subject having filled 
that position for twenty-one years with credit 
to himself and to the entire satisfaction of all 
concerned. 

In 1864 Mr. Roberts married Miss Sarah 
Elizabeth Daniels, the only daughter of Na- 
thaniel and Mary Ann (Langley) Daniels. 
She was born in Lee, Strafford county. New 
Hampshire, July 16, 1840, and like her hus- 
Ijand she was educated in the common schools 
and Pittsfield Academy, where she took the 
English course. Harry E. Roberts, the only 
living son of our subject and his wife, was 
born June 3, 1866. He attended the Wesleyan 
University for a time and later was graduated 
at Grand Prairie Seminary in Onarga, Illinois. 
He married Miss Abbie M. Eaton, by whom 
he has one child, Laurence B., born July 31, 
1897, and they live on the southeast quarter of 
the northeast quarter of section 17, Illini 
township. Ernest E., another son, was born 
November 6, 1870, and died July 2, 1871. 
Since the age of three years ]\Iargaret May 
Cheeseman has made her home with Mr. and 
Mrs. Roberts and has been given the same ad- 
vantages as a daughter. She was born July 
28, 1883, and was educated in the common 
schools. 

As a Democrat Mr. Roberts takes an active 
interest in political affairs. For eight years 
he efficiently served as supervisor of his town- 
ship and was chairman of the board two years 
of that time. He was also chairman of the 
committee on plans and specifications for the 
new court house. For thirty years he has 
been an active and earnest member of the Con- 
gregational church of Illini township, to which 
his wife and children also belong, and has been 
deacon of the same for a number of years. 
They receive and merit the high regard of the 
entire community in which they live. Mr. 
Roberts' public and private life are above re- 
proach, for his career has ever been one char- 
acterized by the utmost fidelity to duty. 



roo 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



H. C. JOHNS, M. D. 

'I'lie contemporary and friend of Abraham 
Lincoln, a leader in political circles of the 
state, an extensive farmer and stock-breeder, 
and one of the most active promoters of agri- 
cultural interests in Illinois, a man of strong 
purpose and unfaltering fidelity to duty, Dr. 
Johns was an eminent and influential factor in 
the public life and business circles of Illinois 
for many years. He was known and honored 
throughout Decatur and the state and through- 
out the entire country his name was a familiar 
one in connection with the advancement and 
interests of agriculture. 

Dr. Harvey C. Johnes was a native of Del- 
aware county, Ohio, born on the 20th of June, 
18 1 9, and was in the eighty-second year of his 
age when his life record was ended. The 
family name was originally spelled Johnes, but 
owing to the misdirection of business letters 
aiid other communications which came to him 
it was concluded to drop the "e," and so the 
present spelling of the name was adopted. It 
was in 1840 that the Doctor made this change. 
His early literary education was pursued in 
Granville, Ohio, and determining to become a 
member of the medical profession he afterward 
entered the Jefiferson Aledical College of Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania, in which institution he 
was graduated with the class of 1842. Open- 
ing an office in Circleville, Ohio, he began 
practice in that city, but later removed to Piatt 
county, Illinois. At this time he largely aban- 
doned professional life in order to devote his 
time and energies to agricultural pursuits be- 
cause of the splendid opportunities which this 
state offers in that direction. Occasionally, 
however, he was called to visit a patient and 
rendered valuable aid in this direction in many 
a pioneer household. His fime and energies, 
however, were largely given to general farm- 
ing and stock raising. He made a specialty of 
the breeding of cattle and hogs, and through- 
out his remaining days was identified with 
agricultural interests. 

It was because of failing health that Dr. 



Johns removed from Ohio to Piatt county, set- 
tling there in the year 1849. Five years later 
he came to Decatur, and in 1857 '^"''^ the fam- 
ily home, which stands on a splentlid building 
site, commanding a fine view of the surround- 
ing country. The furniture of the Doctor and 
his wife was brought to Macon county by 
wagon. They owned the only piano between 
Danville and Springfield, and it was the first 
one in Decatur. On the arrival of the piano 
the question arose concerning a plan for trans- 
ferring it from the wagon to the hotel in which 
the Doctor and his wife were boarding. The 
landlord was questioned as to whether there 
were any men around who could assist in un- 
loading the musical instrument. He replied 
that there were none, but that court was in 
session and that when it adjourned several 
men would come to the hotel for supper and 
probably assistance could then be gained. 
The wagon was still standing in front of the 
door when about supper time three men came 
walking down the street and volunteered their 
services in unloading the piano. These men 
were Abraham Lincoln, David Davis and 
Leonard Sweet, who begged that in return for 
their services Mrs. Johns would play for them 
and gladly she complied. 

It was on the 29th of October, 1845, in Cir- 
cleville, Ohio, that Dr. Johns had been united 
in marriage to Miss Jane Martin, and after a 
brief residence of less than four years in the 
state of their nativity they came to Illinois. 
In his business affairs here the Doctor was very 
successful. He was also a type of the repre- 
sentative American citizen who while promot- 
ing his individual interests likewise advances 
the general welfare. There is no man in all 
the state of Illinois who deserves greater grat- 
itude for labor performed in behalf of agricul- 
ture and stock-raising interests. He was made 
a member of the first state board of agricul- 
ture of Illinois, but even previous to this time 
had begun to import thoroughbred stock and 
was the first to introduce fine blooded stock 
into this part of the countrv. He it was who 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



701 



introduced Durham cattle into Illinois, and 
from that time until his labors were ended he 
was greatly interested in the improvement of 
stock, and thus added largely to the welfare of 
the state for prices were proportionately ad- 
vanced as the grade of cattle, horses and hogs 
were improved. His farming lands situated 
in Piatt and Macon county and this portion of 
Illinois were extremely valuable. The rich 
productive soil yielded splendid crops, while 
every equipment conducive to the best inter- 
ests of his stock was added to his farm. It 
was in 1852 that the agricultural board of 
Illinois was organized and Dr. Johns rode a 
mule all the way from Monticello to Spring- 
field to participate in the work of its first 
meeting. He was chosen one of the vice pres- 
idents of the board and was elected its second 
president. For a period of ten years he con- 
tinued his association with the board in this 
official capacity and formed many close and 
lasting friendships with men prominent in 
stock-breeding and farming interests through- 
out Illinois and neighboring states. In con- 
junction with Mr. Jacoby and James M. 
Brown, of Springfield, he was sent to Europe 
by the Illinois State Breeders' Association, to 
purchase thoroughbred horses and cattle. 
They performed their mission successfully, 
bringing some of the finest thoroughbred stock 
ever introduced into the state. The state leg- 
islature had appropriated fifty thousand dol- 
lars for this purpose and the stock sold at such 
excellent prices that money was returned from 
the sale into the state treasury. This, together 
with the introduction of stock made by Dr. 
Johns individually, formed the foundation of 
the stock-breeding interests of Illinois. The 
Doctor continued an active member of the Illi- 
nois State Agricultural Association until about 
1864, and up to that time he and his col- 
leagues, Mr. Jacoby and Mr. Brown, were the 
mainstays of the organization. Dr. Johns was 
also vice president of the National Agricul- 
tural Association and was one of its managers 
at the big exposition which was given by the 



organization in Chicago and which has become 
a historical event of the state. In business 
affairs the Doctor was far-sighted, capable and 
enterprising, and his indefatigable energy and 
sound judgment proved salient features in 
winning him most gratifying prosperity. 

The Doctor was both prominent in political 
and business life, and left the impress of his 
individuality upon the history of the state in 
that way. His early political allegiance was 
given to the Whig party, and in 1852 he was 
elected a member of the state legislature from 
Piatt county. He became an active participant 
in the memorable contest which occurred in the 
assembly growing out of the election of Ly- 
man Trumbull to the position of United States 
senator. In that session Dr. Johns first gave 
his support to Abraham Lincoln, of whom he 
was a warm admirer and personal friend, but 
when he saw that many votes were being 
given to Madison he and other supporters of 
Lincoln, at Mr. Lincoln's personal solicitation 
cast their ballots for Mr. Trumbull, who ul- 
timately secured his election. At other times, 
however, Dr. Johns" service was of more de- 
cided benefit to Lincoln. The latter was a 
frequent visitor at the Johns' residence in De- 
catur and ckjse ties of friendship and of com- 
radeship were formed between the two gentle- 
men. As a delegate to the first national con- 
vention of the Republican party held in Phila- 
delphia, Dr. Johns supported John C. Fremont 
for the presidency and in that convention 
placed Abraham Lincoln in nomination for the 
vice presidency. 

During the war of the rebellion, following 
the battle of Fort Donelson, the Doctor ten- 
dered his services as a volunteer surgeon to 
Governor Yates and was sent to the front to 
minister to the sick and wounded. He had 
charge of a boat load of wounded soldiers, and 
did much efifective service during the latter 
part of the war, his medical skill being of the 
utmost importance in relieving the pain and 
suffering of those who were wounded in de- 
fense of the old flag. He was commissioned 



702 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



regimental surgeon of the One Hundred and 
Twenty-ninth IIHnois Regiment and acted in 
that capacity until February, 1864, when his 
own failing health caused him to resign. 
Earlier in the period of the war he went to 
Washington to use his best efforts to induce 
President Lincoln to accept the services of the 
One Hundred and Fourteenth and One Hun- 
dred and Sixteenth Regiments which were 
then in camp in Decatur and were eager to be 
called to the front. At that time President 
Lincoln offered Dr. Johns a position as sur- 
geon in either regiment, but he did not ac- 
cept. It was largely, however, through his 
influence that the two regiments were sent 
south to engage in the successful struggle for 
the maintenance of the Union. Just before 
the national election of 1864 Governor Yates 
sent Dr. Johns to Tennessee to bring back the 
ill and wounded soldeirs who came home on 
furloughs and to vote. He continued a most 
active advocate of the Republican party until 
1872, when he voted for Horace Greeley and 
later became allied with the Democracv. In 
his last years, however, he took little active in- 
terest in political affairs, although he alwavs 
kept informed concerning questions of local, 
state and national interest. 

I'nto the Doctor and his wife were liorn five 
children : Hon. W. C. Johns ; Sheridan \V. 
Johns ; Mrs. Fannie W. Sedg^vick : Mrs. C. B. 
Mortre, her husband being commander in the 
L'nitcd States Navy ; and Mrs. George C. Dan- 
forth. In i8()5 the golden wedding of the 
Doctor and his honored wife was brilliantly 
celebrated. All of the members of their fam- 
ily were present with nian\' invited guests, and 
little Frances Moore, their granddaughter, 
acted as one of the receiving parties and was 
a most interesting figure on that occasion, 
wearing a gown that was the wedding dress 
of the bride fifty years before. Dr. Johns died 
April 22, 1899, and is interred in Greenwood. 
Airs. Johns still occupies the old homestead in 
which she lived for so many years with her 
luisband. Her mind bears the impress of many 



of the historical annals of the county and state 
and she relates in most interesting manner 
tales of the early days. 

Dr. Johns was a charter member of the De- 
catur Club and an active figure in its circles 
during the early years of its existence. He 
also held membership in the Odd Fellows So- 
ciety. He was a man of great strength, a 
man of commanding personalities, was cordial 
and genial and the circle of his friends was co- 
extensive with the circle of his acquaintances. 
Ills liroad reading made him a well educated 
man. and his unusually strong intellect and 
ready comprehension and appreciation of 
every situation made him a most entertaining 
companion. He never faltered in his allegi- 
ance to any purpose or plan which he believed 
to be right and in liusiness circles he sustained 
an unassailable reputation. His navne became 
a synonym for integrity and while he won 
success it could not be grudged by the most 
envious because it was gained by such worthy 
methods and so honorably used. His ability, 
great mentality and physical activity enabled 
him to accomplish much in life and the state 
of Illinois has been greatly benefited by his 
residence within its borders. 



W. L. FOULKE. 

Farming and stock-raising claims the time 
and attention of ^^^ L. Foulke, who has spent 
the greater part of his life upon the farm on 
section 26, Maroa township, where he now re- 
sides. He was born in Macon county on the 
2fl of December, 1873, and is a son of Edward 
and Adelaide (Callady) Foulke, in whose fam- 
ily were five children, our subject being the 
fourth in order of liirtli. The father died Oc- 
tober 30, 1 90 1. 

W. L. Foulke acquired his early education 
in the district schools near his boyhood home 
and later attended the Westfield high school. 
.At the age of eighteen years he left the home 
farm and has since been dependent upon his 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



r03 



own resources for a livelihood. For six years 
he was employed in the Vandalia freight office 
at Decatur, but with that exception his life has 
been devoted to agricultural pursuits, and he 
now operates his fatlier's old home farm in 
Maroa township, in which he has an undi- 
vided interest. At present he is largely de- 
voting his time to the stock business and is re- 
garded as a good judge of farm animals. He 
is a wide-awake, energetic young business 
man, and is meeting with good success in his 
work. 

On the 30th of October, 1901, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Air. Foulke and Miss 
Lelah Craig, a daughter of \\'illiam H. Craig, 
and they now have a little daughter, Lydia 
.Adelaide, who was born November 4, 1902. 
Air. Foulke is a member of Macon Lodge, No. 
8. F. & A. M., and he also belongs to the chap- 
ter and commandery of that fraternity, all in 
Decatur. By his ballot he supports the men 
and measures of the Republican party, and he 
takes a commendable interest in public affairs. 
Well and favorably known, he has many 
friends throughout his native county, and he 
enjoys the confidence and high regard of all 
with whom he is brought in contact either in 
Ijusiness or social life. 



SIMON P. HOY. 

Simon P. Hoy is now district agent for the 
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Com- 
pany, with headquarters at Decatur. Many 
years of his life were devoted to the active 
■work of the ministry and his influence therein 
was of no restricted order. His career has 
been such a one as makes the world better for 
his having lived and his influence is ever given 
on the side of right, the true and the beautiful. 
Decatur numbers him among its valued and 
representative citizens, and his many friends 
in Macon county will receive gladly this rec- 
ord of his career. 

Simon P. Hov is a native of Fairfield 



county, Ohio, his birth having there occurred 
on the 1 6th of June, 1837. He comes of New 
England ancestry. His father, Peter Hoy, was 
born in Pickaway county, Ohio, and there 
spent a portion of his early life. He was a 
farmer b}' occupation and was an active mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. He 
possessed considerable musical talent — a char- 
acteristic of the Hoy family — and had a splen- 
did voice. He died early in life, however, 
passing away on the 13th of August, 1837, his 
death being the result of a fall in crossing a 
stream on his return from church. He was a 
most devoted Christian gentleman, zealous in 
behalf of the church and its upbuilding, and 
his life was ever in harmony with his profes- 
sions. Although small in stature he possessed 
great strength. He had married Miss Mary 
Stump, a daughter of Joel Stump, who re- 
moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania when a 
\-oung man, first settling in Pickaway county. 
He spent the remainder of his life in the Buck- 
e\e state. He was a man of great moral 
worth, of unquestioned honor and integrity 
and of high ideals as to family life. He was 
of German lineage and was a member of the 
Lutheran church which was also the faith of 
his ancestors. His daughter. Alary Stump, 
after losing her first husband was again mar- 
ried in 1839 to David A. Hoy, a brother of her 
first husband. By him she had ten children 
who reached years of maturity, namely : John 
B., who served in the Civil war as a member of 
Company H, Forty-first Volunteer Infantry; 
Joel W., who was also a defender of the 
Union during the Civil war for three months ; 
.\dam AL, who belonged to Company H, 
Forty-first Regiment of Illinois Volunteers; 
Katherine E. ; David W. : Jacob M.; Joshtia; 
.\lbert : Alary E. ; and Julia, the wife of John 
W. Jinks. All of this family are living. 

Simon P. Hoy at the usual age entered the 
public schools and therein pursued his studies 
until he had mastered the common branches 
of learning. He afterward spent five months 
as a student in the seminarv at Shelbvville, 



704 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Illinois, under Professor Jerome, and later he 
engaged in teaching in the district schools of 
Shelby county for three years. When twenty- 
one years of age, while in Hancock county, 
Ohio, he was converted and became a member 
of the United Brethren church, joining the 
conference in the fall of i860 at Le.xington, 
Illinois, that he might devote his life to the 
work of the ministry. The church organiza- 
tion was known as the Illinois Annual Confer- 
ence of the United Brethren church. His fir.st 
pastorate was the Broadwcll mission, over 
which he had charge for a year. He was next 
appointed to the church in Decatur, Illinois, 
where he served for one year, largely advanc- 
ing the cause of Christianity through his zeal- 
ous and earnest efiforts here. He then located 
in Shelby county, where he again engaged in 
teaching school for one year. On the expira- 
tion of that period he re-entered the ministry 
and filled the pastorate of the church at Wash- 
ington, Illinois, for two years. At the annual 
conference in the fall of 1866 he was elected 
presiding elcU-r of his district, his territory 
covering ten fields of labor. He was the 
youngest man in the ministry of this district, 
but ho proved most capable in his labors as 
presiding elder, and under his guidance the 
churches did effective work. On the expira- 
tion of his term of service in that office he con- 
tinued in the active work of the ministry, 
preaching at the new Pana mission and after- 
ward at the Macon mission. During the 
period of his ministry his labors were greatly 
blessed with accessions in membership. Two 
churches w^re also built during his labors in 
the ministry, one at Wheatland at a cost of 
three thousand dollars, and the other at Blue 
Mound, which was also erected at a similar 
cost. Later Mr. Hoy served the Locust 
Grove circuit of .Shelby county for one year 
and was then elected presiding elder. At the 
next annual conference the central Illinois 
conference was formed and he was given 
charge of the church at Lexington, Illinois, 
this being in 1871. Later he was once more 



chosen presiding elder and continued to serve 
in that capacity for two years, following- 
which time he was stationed at Streator, Illi- 
nois, for one year, and while pastor there the 
new church building was completed. 

In 1874 he located permanently in Decatur 
and entered the employ of D. Appleton as 
salesman for the American Encyclopedia. He 
continued in this line of business until 1882, 
when he entered the service of the Northwest- 
ern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin. His identification with 
this corporation covers twenty-one years, and 
at the present time he is district agent with an 
office in room 312 of the Millikin Building in 
Decatur. He has a very thorough under- 
standing of the insurance business, its methods 
and its scope and keeps in touch with the great 
volume of detail work incident to carrying on 
this business throughout the district. 

In i860 Mr. Hoy was united in marriage 
to Miss Amanda F. Morris, a daughter of Na- 
thaniel and Eliza ( Fisher) Morris. She died in 
her sixtieth year on the 11th of February, 
1901. Seven children had been born of this 
union : Edward M., who is a druggist of 
Springfield, Illinois ; Mollie, who is the wife 
of Frank J. Hodgins ; Charles D., who is 
bookkeeper for the firm of Linn & Scruggs, of 
Decatur ; Josie E., who is the wife of Harry 
Lathrop ; Ira B. ;"and two who are now de- 
ceased. These are Alice M., the first born, 
and Crala L., the third of the family. 

In reviewing the life history of Mr. Hoy it 
seems that special ])ro^-idence has watched 
over him and guided him. When he was but 
an infant of six months his mother was carry- 
ing him in her arms on horseback, when the 
animal stumbled and fell and the mother and 
babe were thrown to the ground with i;reat 
force, but Mrs. Hoy shielded her child by 
striking upon her own elbows, and though her 
arms were lacerated in a fearful manner the 
babe was iminjured. During his pastorate at 
the Broadwell mission rather than miss an 
appointment for religious service that he had 




THOMAS B. J0NI5S 




MRS. THOMAS B. JONES 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



7u7 



made, Mr. Hoy forded the Sangamon river on 
horseback at great peril of his own life. It 
was in 1861, at the time of high water. The 
fording of the river was a very dangerous 
operation, but he made it in safety, and his 
compensation for that service was but a dol- 
lar and a quarter. On another occasion Mr. 
Hoy was crossing a stream in a buggy with 
his wife and cnild when the bridge cut loose 
from its fastenings and started to float down 
the stream. Quick as a flash he urged his 
horse on and plunging into the stream it 
quickly brought them forth in safety to the 
shore. Otlier proofs of the care which the 
Creator has for his children and which Mr. 
Hoy has specially received might be given. In 
his own work in behalf of the church he has 
greatly promoted moral development. He 
was a strong forceful speaker, energetic and 
zealous and willing to make an effort or sac- 
rifice to keep his appointments. No task was 
too arduous for him, and his labors were at- 
tended with splendid results, many additions 
being made to the church during his various 
pastorates. 



THOMAS B. JONES. 
Thomas B. Jones, a retired farmer resid- 
ing at No. 1259 West \\'ood street in De- 
catur, is a representative of one of the old 
families of Macon county, whose residence 
here dates from 1851. Our subject was 
born in ]\larion county, Illinois, August 6, 
1845, his parents being Joseph E. and Sarah 
(Neel) Jones, the former a native of Ten- 
nessee and the latter of \'irginia. They 
were married very early in life and when 
Mr. Jones was eighteen years of age they 
came to Decatur, where he secured employ- 
ment in the lumber mills as a foreman and 
later he was engineer in what was known 
as the Eastman Mill. Subsequently he was 
made superintendent of the Macon county 
poor farm, of which he had charge for 
eleven years. He then purchased that farm 



and devoted his energies to general agri- 
cultural pursuits until his death, which 
occurred on the 26th of March, 1866. His 
widow afterward sold the farm and re- 
moved to Mount Zion township, where she 
purchased another tract of land, upon 
which she made her home until called to her 
final rest on the 17th of July, 1894. This 
worth}- couple were the parents of five 
children: Yong P.; Thomas; Amanda, 
the wife of Alartin Cooper, of Decatur; 
Ozro, who married Luella Albright and is a 
farmer of Traverse City, Illinois ; and Will- 
iam Columbus, who wedded Sarah Grover 
and now resides on the old home farm in 
Mount Zion township. 

At the usual age Thomas Jones entered 
the public schools and pursued his educa- 
tion here until he had mastered the common 
branches of learning and became well fitted 
to meet the practical duties of life. In his 
youth he was also trained to the work of 
the farm and he assisted his father in its 
operation until his marriage which im- 
portant event in his life occurred December 
8, 1867, the lady of his choice being Miss 
Martha Boardman, a native of Bartholomew 
county, Indiana, born June 17, 1841. Her 
parents were Captain Isaac C. and Margaret 
(Cheddy) Boardman. Her father served as 
a captain in the Mexican war for one year 
and one month and became an early settler 
of Macon county, where his extensive oper- 
ations as a stock-dealer made him known 
as one of the leading stockmen of the state. 
He also engaged in the raising of grain on 
a large scale and his business interests 
brought to him a splendid financial return. 
Elected clerk of Macon count}', he held that 
position for a number of years and was also 
a member of the board of supervisors for 
many years. Both he and his wife spent 
their last days in Decatur and were recog- 
nized as leading and highly respected citi- 
zens of that place. In their family were 
ele\cn children, namelv : Thomas, who 



708 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



died on the old homestead in November, 
1902, at the age of fifty-six years ; Eliza, 
wife of Jacob Sine, of Decatur; Rebecca, 
who is the widow of Joseph Sine and lives 
on a farm in South Wheatland township; 
Malissa, wife of Yong 1'. Jones, of Decatur; 
\\ illiam, who married Elizabeth McDanicl 
and resides in South Wheatland township ; 
Mary, widow of James Walton and 
a resident of South Wheatland township ; 
Charles, who wedded Alary Uallenger and 
lives in South Wheatland township; Ed- 
ward, who married Alary Blassengame, now 
deceasetl, and makes his home in South 
Wheatland township: Martha, the wife of 
our subject; James, who died at the age of 
nine years ; and JJuena \'ista, who died at 
the age of fourteen. 

The marriage of Air. and Airs. Jones has 
been blessed with five children : Margaret, 
who died at the age of eleven months ; 
Alary, the wife of John Lambert, who re- 
sides upon a farm near Ehvin, this county ; 
Thomas Smith, who died at the age of fif- 
teen years ; Charles, who married Abbie 
May and resides on his father's farm in 
South Wheatland township; and Jessie 
May, the wife of Frank Sprague, a resident 
of Oden, Indiana. 

After his marriage Mr. Jones removed to 
Decatur and was variously employed there 
for about a year. He then purchased a 
tract of land in South Wheatland township, 
a mile and a quarter southeast of the vil- 
lage of Elwin, and to the improvement and 
cultivation of his farm devoted his time and 
energies until' the spring of 1903. He had 
placed his fields under a high state of culti- 
vation and annually harvested good crops. 
He also raised high grades of stock and his 
annual sales of cattle and hogs brought 
him very gratifying success. Removing to 
the city of Decatur in the spring of 1903 he 
erected his present home at No. 1259 W'est 
W^ood street and is now living a retired 
life, here enjoying a rest which he has 



truly earned and richly deserves. He still 
owns the farm of eighty acres in South 
Wheatland township and also a building lot 
near his home in Decatur. His political 
allegiance has been given to the Democracy 
and his wife is a member of the Alethodist 
Episcopal church of Elwin. Air. Jones has 
been very successful in his business affairs 
and is a representative of a well known and 
leading family of Alacon county. His in- 
terests were capably managed and sound 
and keen sagacity characterized all of his 
business dealings. 



JOXES AIALONE. 

For seventy-one years Jones Malone has 
been a resident of Illinois, and he has there- 
fore witnessed almost its entire development. 
He has seen its wild lands transformed into 
beautiful homes and farms, its hamlets grow 
into villages and flourishing cities, and all of 
the interests and evidences of an advanced 
civilization introduced. Since 1865 he has 
made his home in Alacon county and has been 
particularly active in promoting its interests. 

Air. Alalone was born in Rutherford county, 
Tennessee, November 10, 182 1, a son of W^il- 
liam and Elizabeth (Hodaway) Malone, who 
were natives of Virginia, but were married in 
Rutherford county, Tennessee, where they 
continued to reside until 1832, when they 
brought their family t(i Illinois and settled in 
I'erry county. There both died when about 
tifty-four years of age. 

After spending the first eleven years of his 
life in his native state Jones Alalone accom- 
panied his parents on their removal to Illinois. 
This state was at that time an almost un- 
broken wilderness, wolves and deer were fre- 
quently seen and all kinds of wild game was 
plentiful. Our subject was the oldest in his 
father's family and received but a limited edu- 
cation in the subscrijition schools, .\fter liv- 
ing for some years in Perry county, he re- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



709 



moved to Washington county, where he was 
engaged in farming for seven years, and about 
the close of the Civil war he came to Macon 
county, locating upon his present farm of sec- 
tion 8, Whitmore township. The unbroken 
prairie stretched for miles around him and 
nuich of the land was under water, it having 
to be thoroughly tiled and drained before fit 
for cultivation. He paid thirty dollars per 
acre for his property, which is to-day worth 
one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre 
owing to the rise in land values and the many 
improvements he has placed thereon. 

In Perry county, 'Sir. Malone was married 
in 1845 to Miss Nancy Huggins, who was 
born in St. Clair county, Illinois, December 
6, 1828. Her parents were Patrick and Eliza- 
beth (Mitchell) Huggins, who were natives 
of Pennsylvania and died of cholera on the 
same day in August, 1833, leaving eight chil- 
dren. After their deaths Mrs. Malone was 
reared by an aunt, Mrs. Mary Walker, who 
was her mother's sister and with whom she 
remained until her sixteenth year. She then 
lived with her second oldest sister, Mrs. Re- 
becca Lard, until her marriage. Her father 
was a prominent and prosperous farmer and 
left to each of his children forty acres of 
land. Seven children, six daughters and one 
son. were born to Mr. and Mrs. Malone, 
namely : Mrs. Addie Cronce, a resident of 
Washington ; Mrs. Jennie Myrl, now de- 
ceased ; Mrs. Margaret F. Bishop, of Maroa ; 
Mrs. Mary Wilson, of Olney. Illinois; 
Ephraim, who is married and living in Hick- 
ory Point township, this county; Emma, at 
home : and Mrs. Eva Belle Harris, who was 
married in September, 1903, and resides in 
Perry county, Illinois. Our subject and his 
wife have eleven grandchildren. 

In religious faith Mr. Malone is a Baptist, 
and in politics he is a stalwart Democrat. He 
is thoroughly familiar with pioneer conditions 
and in common with the other members of his 
father's family he endured all the hardships 
and privations of frontier life. He has used 



the scythe and cradle in the harvest fields 
long before reapers were invented and he has 
plowed with an old wooden mold board. 
While living in Perry county he made the 
first gang plow invented in the state but the 
patent was stolen from him. It was con- 
structed for the purpose of both plowing and 
harrowing. Mr. Malone has broken many an 
acre of prairie with an ox-team and has ma- 
terially aided in the development and improve- 
ment of this state. He has assisted in molding 
tallow candles and also some made out of 
beeswax. The early settlers found many a 
bee tree in the woods and honey was so 
plentiful that it often sold for twenty-five cents 
a gallon. Fires were then lighted by means of 
flint and tow, as the friction matches had not 
come into use. On coming to Illinois Mr. 
Malone made the journey on horseback across 
the prairies, passing few settlements, and he 
was several weeks on the road. He can re- 
late many interesting incidents of those early 
days and he well deserves prominent mention 
on the roll of Illinois' honored pioneers and 
representative citizens. 



JOHN E. NICHOLS. 

There has been a wonderful development 
in life insurance business in recent years and 
its value as an institution is now universally 
recognized and there has certainly been no 
one line of business that has proven of more 
general benefit dian this. John E. Nichols is 
to-day occupying a prominent position in in- 
surance circles as manager for the Manhattan 
Company, his territory covering the entire 
state of Illinois outside of Chicago. 

Mr. Nichols has been one of Decatur's na- 
tive sons and his popularity is well known 
among friends with whom he has beei: ac- 
cjuainted from boyhood. He was born in this 
city, August 23, 1863, and is a son of Charles 
and Alzina (Braden) Nichols. The father 
was a native of Rochester, New York, and in 



71u 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the year 1858, leaving the east, became a resi- 
dent of Decatur. He was employed by the 
government to purchase horses and he also 
engaged in general farming in Decatur town- 
ship. In 1885 he went to Nebraska, locating in 
Box, Butte county, and was there a prominent 
and influential citizen. He served as county 
judge during his residence there and was also 
postmaster under President Cleveland's first 
administration. He belonged to Macon Lodge 
No. 8, A. F. & A. M., while in Decatur, be- 
coming one of the charter members of that 
organization and in his life exemplified its 
beneficent spirit. His death occurred on the 
30th of January, 1898, and his wife passed 
away in 1863. She was a daughter of J. Y. 
and Laura (Hunting) Braden. The mother 
was a native of Vermont and of New England 
ancestry, while the father was born in Ten- 
nessee. Mr. Braden became one of the pioneer 
settlers of Macon county, Illinois, and ably as- 
sisted in the early work of development and 
improvement here. 

John E. Nichols, the only child born mito 
his parents, acquired his early education in 
the public and subscription schools of Rock- 
port, Illinois, and later attended the commer- 
cial college in St. Joseph, Missouri. Subse- 
quently he engaged in teaching school for a 
period of ten years, following the profession 
in Macon and Piatt counties from 1880 until 
1890. As an educator he met with success, for 
he was zealous and interested in his work and 
had the ability to impart with readiness and 
clearness to others the knowledge that he had 
acquired. In 1890, however, he abandoned 
the schoolroom in order to become solicitor 
for the Manhattan Life Insurance Company 
and for nine years following continued to de- 
vote his energies to that branch of the busi- 
ness. His success from the start won him dis- 
tinction and gained him the confidence of the 
company. With the exception of four years 
spent in Chicago his efforts have always been 
confined to Decatur and vicinity. In recogni- 
tion of his capability and the excellent work 



which he had done for the company, he was 
promoted on the 8th of May, 1899, to the posi- 
tion of manager and established his head- 
quarters in his native city, having charge of 
the entire business of the Manhattan Com- 
pany for the state of Illinois outside of Chi- 
cago. He thoroughly understands the multi- 
plicity of duties connected with such an un- 
dertaking and keeps in touch with every de- 
tail of the business as well as its major points. 
Mr. Nichols was married November 28, 
1889, to Bertie E. Sutton, a daughter of T. L. 
and Elizabeth Sutton, of Pike county, Illinois. 
They have four daughters : Ollie Fay, Mae, 
Hazel E. and Vivian. Mr. Nichols is a mem- 
ber of Cisco Lodge No. 599, I. O. O. F. He 
was reared in the faith of the Democracy and 
continued to give his support to the party until 
the nomination of \V. J. Bryan upon a free 
silver platform. As his views were not in 
harmony with the principles of the party or- 
ganization at that time he became an advocate 
of the Republican party and has since voted 
its ticket. In his political views he is inde- 
pendent, voting for the measures which he be- 
lieves to be for the best interest of the city, 
state, and nation. He is a man well liked 
wherever known and most liked where best 
known and the fact that his stanchest friends 
arc numbered among those with whom he has 
been acquainted from boyhood is an indica- 
tion that his career has ever been an honorable 
one. 



ARTHUR D. BREWER. 
Arthur D. Brewer, a photographer of De- 
catur, was born in the neighboring state 
of Wisconsin, the place of his nativity being 
the city of Appleton, and the date July 9, 
1876. He is a son of John and Jemima (In- 
man) Brewer. He obtained his education 
in the public schools, continuing his studies 
until ho had completed the high school 
cour.se. He spent his boy'hood days in 
Baraboo, W^isconsin, and at the age of fif- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



711 



teen years he became interested in photog- 
raphy, securing a situation in the gallery 
of Simon Mould, where he remained for 
seven years, mastering the business both in 
principle and detail, and becoming quite 
expert in the art of taking pictures. At the 
end of that time he went to Chicago, where 
he filled positions in some of the leading 
photographic studios of that city during a 
period of five years. In May, 1900, he ar- 
rived in Decatur and opened his present 
gallery, in which he is now doing a high 
grade of work, being recognized as one of 
the capable and successful photographic 
artists here. 

On August 30, 1902, Mr. Brewer was 
married to Miss Laura E. Wright, of De- 
catur, and they have a large circle of friends 
and acquaintances in this city, where their 
own home is noted for its gracious hospi- 
tality. 



JOSEPH SPANGLER. 
No man was better known in Macon county 
in the period of its early development than 
was Joseph Spangler, who settled here in 
1834. The conditions which prevailed at that 
time are within the memory of few men of the 
present. The Indians were numerous in the 
county at that time, the lands were unclaimed 
and uncultivated and the work of civilization 
and progress seemed scarcely begun. It re- 
mained to such intrepid pioneers as Joseph 
Spangler to reclaim this district for the uses 
of the white race and to plant here the seeds 
of advancement and development that have 
ripened with time and have made Macon coun- 
ty one of the most important in this great 
commonwealth. After residing here for a 
short time he removed to Springfield, Illinois, 
in order that he might afford his sons better 
business opportunities, but after six months he 
returned and settled near the village of Oreana 
in Whitmore township, where he entered land 
from the government at the usual price of a 



dollar and a quarter per acre. From time to 
time he added to his property until he was 
the owner of an extensive farm. 

■Mr. Spangler was a native of Cumberland 
county, Pennsylvania, born January 14, 1788. 
His parents were natives of Germany, and at 
an early day came to America, first settling in 
York county, Pennsylvania, whence they after- 
ward went to Cumberland county, where the 
father carried on agricultural pursuits up to 
the time of his death. His wife also passed 
away there. 

The educational privileges of Joseph Spang- 
ler were extremely limited. He was but thir- 
teen years of age at the time of his father's 
death and soon afterward he began to learn 
the miller's trade, which he followed in his 
native county for several years. He then re- 
moved to York county, Pennsylvania, where 
he entered into partnership with a Mr. Ernst 
in the establishment and conduct of a mill. 
They engaged in grinding flour and meal for 
several years and also carried on a distillery 
there. 

While living in York county Mr. Spangler 
was first married and a number of years after- 
ward he sold his mill and distillery and started 
for the west with the idea of establishing his 
home in Ohio. He was not pleased with that 
state, however, on account of the heavy growth 
of timber there and accordingly returned to 
York county, Pennyslvania, where he con- 
tinued to reside for a year longer. During 
that year he sent his oldest son back to the 
west to look for a location and the son re- 
ported favorably upon Macon county and its 
prospects, writing for the father to join him 
here. Accordingly in the year 1834 Joseph 
Spangler arrived. He entered land from the 
government in different townships and finally 
entered three hundred and twenty acres on the 
Sangamon river in Whitmore township, where 
he built what is still known as the old Spang- 
ler mill. There he engaged in the milling busi- 
ness and also in farming. There was no 
market here for grain at that time and he had 



712 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



to haul his wheat to Chicago. Throughout 
his remaining clays he engaged in general 
farming and milHiig and was one of the early 
and prominent representatives of trade rela- 
tions in Macon county. 

.Vs before stated Joseph Spanglcr was mar- 
ried in York county, Pennsylvania, the lady of 
his choice being Miss Barbara Bentsley, who 
was born in the Keystone state, but died in 
Macon county. They were the parents of nine 
children : Betsey Elizabeth, Polly Mary, 
Jacob. John, Susan, Joseph, Felix, and Daniel, 
all now deceased ; and Eliza, the widow of D. 
Daniels, who now resides on a farm five miles 
east of Decatur. Mr. Spangler's second mar- 
riage was celebrated in Macon county, at 
which time Miss Elizabeth Zerger became his 
wife. She w-as a native of York county, Penn- 
sylvania, born August 27, 1828, and a daugh- 
ter of John and Polly (Ferringer) Zerger, 
both of whom were natives of York county, 
where her father engaged in the distilling 
business and also in the conduct of a farm. 
In 1839 lis made his way westward by the 
river route and settled in Macon county near 
the village of Oreana, where he continued to 
engage in the tilling of the soil until his life's 
labors were ended in death. His wife also 
passed away there. They had seven children, 
five of whom are living: Elizabeth, Andrew, 
Ann, Mary, and John. Caroline and Mary 
Ann are both deceased. Four children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Spangler : Lydia, the 
wife of William Strong, w'ho is engaged in 
the poultry business in Missouri; Hattie, who 
died at the age of seven years ; Caroline, the 
deceased wife of Thomas Daniels; and Frank, 
who is residing with his mother and superin- 
tends the farm. 

Mr. Spanglcr died on the 17th of February, 
1862, and thus passed away one of the valued 
pioneer settlers, whose efforts were very help- 
ful in the early work of the county as it 
emerged from pioneer conditions. On several 
occasions his friends desired him to become a 
candidate for office, but he always refused. 



His vote was usually given to the Democratic 
party, but lie took no active part in political 
affairs. He and his wife were at one time 
members of the Universalist church of De- 
catur, but Mrs. Spangler now attends the 
Christian church. ^Ir. Spangler was a very 
successful business man and became well-to- 
do. I^rior to his death he told his wife to 
select her future home and she decided upon 
her present location in Decatur, which he pur- 
chased for her. She resides at the east edge 
of the city where she has a good residence on 
\\'oo(l street, standing on a high hill and com- 
manding an excellent view of the surrounding 
country. She tlicre owns fifty acres of valua- 
ble land and she and her son Frank are carry- 
ing on farming. Mr. Spangler was a man of 
strong character and marked individuality and 
firm purpose and such qualities arc valuable 
in ilie pioneer who braves the hardships and 
dangers of life on the frontier in order to es- 
tablish a home in a new country. 



FRANK P. LKHM.\N. 
Frank P. Lehman, who for many years was 
an active re])resentative of business interests 
in Decatur, but is now living retired, was born 
in Clark county, Ohio, on the 31st of Decem- 
ber, 1853, the third in order of l)irth in the 
family of Peter F. and Mary Jane (Alvin) 
Lehman. The father was born .\ugust 19, 
1826, and was of German descent, while his 
wife was born September 14, 1828, and came 
of an old American family. His death oc- 
curred .-\pril 19, 1883, when ho was but fifty- 
seven years of age. In the family were eight 
children, all of whom reached mature years, 
while seven are yet living. The eldest, George 
\V., is married and now lives in Decatur; 
J. H. is married and resides in Hickory Point 
townsliip. Alacon county ; Mary Elizabeth has 
passed away ; Ida L. is the wife of James B. 
Good, now general manager for the Decatur 
Lumlier Company; Emma is the wife of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



713 



Samuel Cussins ; Katie is at home ; and ]\Iin- 
nie is the wife of Charles Andrews. 

The other member of the Lehman family is 
Frank P. Lehman of this review, who in the 
district schools acquired his preliminary edu- 
cation, which was supplemented by study in 
Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, 
New York, in which he was a graduate in the 
class of 1878. After his return home he be- 
came connected with his father in general 
farming pursuits in Hickory Point township, 
the family having removed to Macon county 
in the spring of 1865. Mr. Lehman, Sr., con- 
tinued to engage in farming until about 1881, 
when on account of ill health he removed to 
the city of Decatur and there passed away two 
years later. Frank P. Lehman had come to 
this city on the 3d of December. 1878, and he 
accepted a position as bookkeeper and general 
clerk with Read Spencer, agent, with whom 
he remained for about two years in those ca- 
pacities. The co-operative company then sold 
out to the Deere & Mansur Company of Mo- 
line, with whom Mr. Lehman remained two 
years. At the end of that time he was ad- 
mitted to a partnership in an implement and 
farm machinery business under the firm style 
of Spencer, Lehman & Company, and later 
the business was incorporated under the name 
of the Spencer & Lehman Company. After- 
ward Mr. Spencer and Mr. Lehman purchased 
the interest of the other stockholders and the 
firm style of Spencer & Lehman was then as- 
sumed and was continued until June, 1901, 
when our subject sold his interest and retired 
from business. When he left the farm he ex- 
pected to remain with Mr. Spencer for only a 
brief period, merely to assist him with his 
accounts, but the connection was continued for 
twenty-three consecutive years, the relation 
being mutually pleasant and profitable. They 
worked together in most harmonious connec- 
tion, the labors and eflforts of the one supple- 
menting the energy and activity of the other 
so that the firm was a strong combination, 
taking an active and important place in busi- 



ness circles. For years they enjoyed an ex- 
tensive patronage wdiich continually added to 
their income and with a handsome competence 
Air. Lehman retired to private life. He had 
invested his earnings in lands and he now en- 
joys the financial return from eleven hundred 
and sixty-five acres of choice farming and rice 
land, a part of which is yet uncultivated. His 
farming lands are distributed in Pocahontas 
county, Iowa, near the village of Rolfe, and in 
Hamilton county, Iowa, near Webster City, 
while his rice lands are located in Louisiana. 
He has lived a life of industry, thrift and en- 
terprise and well deserves the rest which is 
now vouchsafed to him. He resides on the 
old family home which was deeded to his 
mother as long as she lives and which is a 
comfortable residence at No. 557 West Wood 
street. His business record is commendable 
and in the city where he has so long resided 
and where his history is familiar to his fellow- 
townsmen he is held in the highest regard and 
esteem, a fact which indicates that his has 
been an upright and honorable career. 



JOSHUA GREEN. 

For almost forty years this gentleman has 
been a resident of Macon county, his home 
being on section 31, Whitmore township, and 
he has therefore witnessed much of the growth 
and improvement of this section of the state, 
seeing the wild lands transformed into fine 
farms, villages and cities spring up, and all of 
the conveniences of the twentieth century in- 
troduced. 

Mr. Green was born in Yorkshire, England, 
on the 3d of October, 1826, a son of Thomas 
and Sally (Wilson) Green, prominent farm- 
ing people who lived and died in England. 
In their family were eight children, four of 
whom are now deceased, namely : Mary, Wil- 
liam, Charles and George. Those still living 
are Mrs. Sarah Hughes, now eighty-five years 
of age, whose home is between Chester and 



714 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Liverpool, England; Joshua, of this review; 
Ann, wife of John C. Dodson, of Christian 
county, Illinois; and Mrs. Emma Bailey, who 
lives in the state of Washington. On the 8th 
of May, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. John C. Dodson 
celebrated their golden wedding and among 
those present our subject and his wife were 
the only ones who had attended their wed- 
ding. Mr. Dodson is a brother of our sub- 
ject's wife. 

Joshua Green was reared upon a farm and 
was educated in the parish of Roystone. He 
continued to make his home in his native land 
until about twenty-four years of age, when he 
decided to try his fortune in America. Ac- 
cordingly on the 5th of May, 1850, he took 
passage on the Isaac Wright, a sailing vessel 
in command of Captain Peabody, and landed 
in New York on the ist of July after about 
two months spent upon the water. From that 
city he went to Philadelphia and shortly after- 
ward came west to Illinois, locating first in 
Greene county, where he worked for two years 
at ten dollars per month. In the meantime he 
had purchased about three hundred acres of 
land, and to the improvement and cultivation 
of that place he devoted his time and energies 
until 1854. He then removed to Christian 
county and bought three hundred acres of 
land at the government price of one dollar 
and a quarter per acre. This was all wild 
prairie and he broke the land with five yoke 
of oxen and made many improvements there- 
on. He rented a house in the edge of the 
timber and continued a resident of Christian 
county for ten years, Springfield being his 
trading point. 

Selling his farm in 1864, at twenty-six dol- 
lars per acre, Mr. Green came to Macon coun- 
ty and purchased two hundred acres of land 
on section 31, Whitmore township, at thirty 
dollars per acre. He has since tiled and 
drained the tract and placed it under a high 
state of cultivation. Upon the place is a good 
brick residence, substantial barns and out- 



Ijuildings, and its neat and thrifty appearance 
indicates the owner to be a man of progressive 
ideas and good business ability, as well as a 
good practical farmer. His front yard is 
shaded by beautiful soft maple trees, which 
were raised from seed which he brought in his 
pocket from Christian county. He now rents 
his land and is living retired upon his farm, 
enjoying a well earned rest. 

On the loth of October, 1854, Mr. Green 
was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Dod- 
son, who was born near CarroUton in Greene 
county, Illinois, June 19, 1837, and is a daugh- 
ter of Thomas and Prudence (Robins) Dod- 
son, natives of England and North Carolina, 
respectively. Her paternal grandparents were 
John and Elizabeth Dodson, the former of 
whom lived to be eighty-five years of age and 
the latter ninety-two. They had six sons : 
Thomas, John, Qiarlcs, Peter, Christopher, 
and William, all of whom emigrated from 
England and settled in Greene county, Illinois, 
before the admission of the state to the Union. 
Mrs. Cireen's father died in 1846 and her 
mother, who survived him for some years, 
passed away at the home of our subject in 
1864. She was a great weaver and her skill 
in that direction is shown in a number of 
coverlets now in the possession of her daugh- 
ter. Of the six children constituting the Dod- 
son family only two are now living, these 
being John C, previously mentioned, and Mrs. 
Green. Our subject and his wife have two 
sons : Edward, who married Mrs. Mary 
CEckert) Hiser; and Charles W., who mar- 
rictl Carrie Renshaw and has one son, Wal- 
ter J. Both are residents of Whitmore town- 
ship. 

Mr. and Mrs. Green are familiar with many 
pioneer experiences and can relate many in- 
teresting incidents of frontier life. During 
her girlhood Mrs. Green often assisted in 
molding the tallow candle used in lighting the 
house and performed other duties which are 
entirely unfamiliar to the girls of the present 




MARTIN p. MURPHEY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



m 



<lay, such as spinning and weaving. She is 
a strong Prohibitionist and was the first 
woman in her township to cast a vote. Mr. 
Green is independent in politics and has been 
called upon to till a number of positions of 
honor and trust. He was made enrolling of- 
ficer at the time of the draft during the Civil 
war; has served as county supervisor four 
terms ; assessor many years ; and highway 
commissioner. He was also justice of the 
peace in Christian county one term and has 
filled the offices of school trustee and school 
treasurer, serving in the latter capacity for 
thirty consecutive years. He was one of the 
charter members of the Farmers' Mutual In- 
surance Company and is now secretary of the 
same. His official duties have been most 
faithfully and conscientiously discharged and 
no trust reposed in him was ever misplaced. 
He helped to district Whitmore township and 
has been prominently identified with its devel- 
opment and prosperity, doing all in his power 
to advance its interests along material, social 
and moral lines. In early days he assisted in 
locating several roads in this part of the state 
and in improving the same. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Green are people of literary tastes and 
have a complete library, of which they make 
good use. They are members of the Old Set- 
tlers' Association and the Patrons of Hus- 
bandry and it is safe to say that no couple 
in their community is held in higher regard 
or has more warm friends. In their home they 
have a number of interesting relics which they 
prize very highly, including a candlestick, 
which belonged to Mr. Green's grandfather 
and dates back to 1730, and a decanter which 
is about as old. Besides these Mrs. Green has 
a splendid collection of valuable relics which 
belonged to her ancestors. She recently re- 
ceived two solid gold spoons intended as pres- 
ents for their golden wedding to be celebrated 
October 10, 1904. One of these, which was 
sent by her sister, Mrs. Hughes, is of- the car- 
nation pattern and a facsimile of the spoon 
used in anointing King Edward VII. 



MARTIN P. MURPHEY. 

Decatur has been the home and scene of 
labor of many men who have not only 
led lives that should serve as an example to 
those who come after them, but have also 
been of important service to their city and 
county through various avenues of useful- 
ness. Among them must be named Martin 
P. Murphey, who passed away on the 24th 
of June, 1896, after a life of industry, and 
rich in those rare possessions which only a 
high character can give. 

Air. ]N.Iurphey was born in Warren county, 
Indiana, March 3, 1832, a son of John J. and 
Ursilla (Mauzy) Murphey, who were both 
natives of Kentucky and removed thence to 
the Hoosier state. During his boyhood and 
youth Mr. Murphey of this review received 
a ver}' good education in the schools of New 
Paris, Ohio. Coming to Illinois in 1858, he 
located in Decatur, where he continued to 
make his home until called to the world 
beyond. He began business here as a clock 
agent, selling clocks throughout the sur- 
rounding country, and later he was with a 
lightning rod firm for a few years. He gave 
up his position as agent on being appointed 
deputy under Sherifl: Wheeler, and besides 
filling that office he also served as constable 
for a few years. He served as deputy under 
four dift'erent sheriffs. During the Civil 
war he enrolled the county for the draft, 
performing that difficult undertaking very 
satisfactorily. On his retirement from of- 
fice he began speculating in land and also 
in loaning money. This business he car- 
ried on for several years with excellent suc- 
cess, but finally on account of ill health he 
retired, his remaining days being spent in 
ease and. quiet. 

OrTThe 9th of April, 1863, Mr. Murphey 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary P. 
Wykel, a native of Macon county and a 
daughter of Joseph D. and Margaret Wykel, 
who came to this county at a very early 
dav and settled on a farm in Decatur town- 



718 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



sliip, where llic father engaged in tanning 
for several years, lie then retired from 
active labor and removed to the city of 
Decatnr, purchasing a residence on South 
Main street, where he and his wife resided 
until their deaths. Air. and .Mrs. AIur|)liey 
became the parents of Umr children, namely: 
Minnie 1.., wife of J. J. McDonald, a resi- 
dent of New York city; John L., a traveling 
salesman who resides with his mother in 
Decatur; Joseph Al., also a traveling sales- 
man, who married Ella Pike and lives in 
Decatur; and Alargaret Elizabeth, deceased 
wife of Charles B. Ogle, who is now tra\el- 
ing passenger agent for the Chicago. I'.ur- 
lington & Ouincy Railroad. 

Mr. .Murpiiex' alwaxs look a \erv active 
part in politics and was formerly a Repub- 
lican, but when the temperance movement 
became an important issue in .\mcrican poli- 
tics he joined the Prohibition party, though 
he afterward sup])orted the Republican 
ticket again at presidential elections. Both 
he and his wife were earnest and faithful 
members of the Central Church of Christ 
of Decatnr. and there was no one in the city 
who took more interest in cluu'ch and tem- 
jjcrance work than he. He assisted in build- 
ing all the churches of Decatur and gave 
liberally to any enterprise which he believed 
would prove of public lienefit. l""or many 
years he labored with all the strength of a 
great nature and all the earnestness of a 
true heart for the bettering of the world 
about him ; and when he was called to the 
rest and reward of the higher world his best 
monument was found in the love and re- 
spect of the community in which he lived 
for so many years. Throughout his career 
of continued and far-reaching usefulness, 
his duties were performed with the greatest 
care and his personal honor and integrity 
were without blemish. 

Mrs. Murphey has a beautiful residence 
at No. 459 South Main street and also owns 
other \aluable ])roperty in the city. She is 



a lad}' of many excelKiit traits of character 
which have endeared her to all with whom 
she has been brought in contact, and she 
and her family occupy a prominent position 
in social circles where true worth is received 
as the passport into good society. 



JolIX K. .MILLER. 
Since 1856 this gentleman has been a resi- 
dent of Decatur, and for many years he was 
actively identified with its business interests, 
but is now living a retired life in a beautiful 
home at Xo. 303 West Alain street. He was 
Ijorn on the 9th of September, 1831, in Bour- 
bon county, Kentucky, of which state his par- 
ents, John and Jane (Levesque) Aliller, were 
also natives. The father was a soldier of the 
war of 1812, and both he and his wife are now 
deceased. In their family were six children, 
three sons and three daughters, and our sub- 
ject has two sisters still living, namely : Sarah 
K. Proctor, who makes her home with him, 
and Mary J. Worshan, a resident of Coving- 
ton. Kentucky. 

Air. Miller began his education in an old 
log school house in Kentucky, and during his 
1)oyhood assisted his father on the home farm, 
but after completing his education he began 
learning the tailor's trade, which he followed 
for seven years. Before coming to Decatur 
he spent most of his time in Bourbon county, 
Kentucky, and as before stated arrived in this 
county i:i 1856. For many years he conducted 
a boarding liouse where the American Express 
Company's office in Decatur now stands, at 
the corner of Prairie and North Main streets, 
and for some time worked in the grocery 
store of Dr. Hughes, which occupied the pres- 
ent site of the Arcade. As the years passed 
he prospered, and has become the owner of 
some good business property in this county be- 
sides his city home. He has now laid aside all 
business cares and is enjoying a well earned 
rest. 




FELIX B. TAIT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



721 



On the 1st of September, 1856, Mr. Miller 
was married in Paris, Kentucky, to Miss Mary 
E. Galloway, who was to him a faithful com- 
panion and helpmate on life's journey. She, 
too, was a native of Kentucky, as were her 
parents. After a long and happy married life 
she passed away On the 21st of March, 1901. 
Their only child, a son, died in infancy. For 
a number of years Mr. Miller owned a cottage 
at Alackinaw Falls, near Peoria, Illinois, 
where every year he and his wife used to 
spend considerable time during the fishing sea- 
son, and in that sport he took his chief delight 
and recreation. He is widely known through- 
out this section of the state and is held in the 
highest esteem by his fellow citizens. Since 
1886 he has been president of the board of 
trustees of Greenwood cemetery. 



F. B. TAIT. 
F. B. Tait is one of the most prominent 
business men of Decatur, being president 
and treasurer of the F. B. Tait Manufac- 
turing Company (incorporated), manufac- 
turers of agricultural implements, gasoline 
engines, buggies and wagons. The other 
officers of the company are D. W. Tait, 
vice-president, and E. C. Bassey, secretary. 
This is one of the largest and most im- 
portant industrial enterprises of the city 
and its fame is as widespread as the use of 
agricultural implements in the western 
country, nor is it even confined to this im- 
mense territory. Their immense plant, 
which is located on East Cerro Gordo 
street, is four stories in height and covers 
a city block. It is equipped with every 
labor-saving device possible to be utilized 
and gives emploj^ment to a force of one 
hundred and twenty-five skilled workmen. 
Six men are on the road in the states of 
Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, 
South Dakota, Ohio and Indiana. The 
brand of this company is a mark of superior 



excellence and their products once used 
are never replaced by others. 

Mr. Tait is a native of Macon county, 
born on a farm within two miles of Deca- 
tur, November 29, 1850, his parents being 
James D. and Susanah Tait. At the usual 
age he entered the public schools of this 
county, where he continued his studies un- 
til he was nineteen, and then became a stu- 
dent in the State Normal University at 
Normal, Illinois, graduating in the class of 
1873. He then taught for one year in the 
Woodstock Seminary at Woodstock, Il- 
linois, and following this read law and was 
admitted to the bar m 1876, after which he 
was engaged in the practice of his chosen 
profession in Decatur until 1880, when his 
health failed and he embarked in the manu- 
facturing business under the firm name of 
Tait Brothers & Company, check rollers. 
Since that time he has devoted his attention 
entirely to this line of work and has met 
with most excellent success in his under- 
takings. 

On the 13th of October, 1893, Mr. Tait 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. 
Boyer. He stands high in both business 
and social circles, and is now serving as 
president of the Chamber of Commerce, the 
Citizens' Alliance of Decatur, and the Man- 
ufacturers' and Jobbers' Association of 
Decatur. 



DANIEL STOOKEY. 
No history of Macon county would be 
complete without the life record of Daniel 
Stookey. He has now passed the eighty- 
third mile-stone of life's journey and has 
witnessed much of the remarkable advance- 
ment which the country made through the 
nineteenth century. He has lived to see the 
dawning of a new century of prosperity and 
progress, and yet takes a deep interest in 
all that pertains to the national welfare 
and to local improvement. 



722 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Mr. Stookey was born in St. Clair county, 
Illinois, on the 6th of March, 1820, and is a 
worthy representative of a prominent old 
family of this state, his paternal grand- 
father, Danie! Stookey, having come to 
Illinois as early as 1802. He was a native 
of Maryland and was one of the hardy 
pioneers who aided in opening up this 
region for settlement and assisted in lay- 
ing broad and deep the foundation for its 
future prosperity. Our subject has often 
heard him say he went as far west as he 
could and stay in the United States. By 
occupation he was a farmer and stock- 
raiser. The Stookey family originated on 
the Rhine in Germany. In 1902 they held 
a large re-union in St. Clair county, this 
state, to celebrate the coming of the grand- 
father to Illinois in 1802, and our subject 
had the pleasure of attending the same. 

His father, Simon Stookey, was born in 
Pennsylvania and accompanied his parents 
on their removal to this state. He married 
;\liss Hannah Gooding, a native of Ken- 
tucky, whose father removed from Vir- 
ginia to that state and in 1816 came to 
Illinois, taking up his residence in St. Clair 
county, where he followed his chosen oc- 
cupation — that of farming. 

Our subject is one of a family of ten 
children, and he and his sister Angle are 
the only ones now living, the latter being 
the wife of M. W. Weir, a prominent at- 
torney of Belleville, Illinois. Three of the 
number died in infancy. Two sons were 
soldiers of the Civil war, both being mem- 
bers of the Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry. They enlisted at Belleville and 
James M. held the rank of major, while 
Simon J. was quartermaster of his regi- 
ment. Both died in Dade county, Missouri, 
where thej' were engaged in farming for 
some years. James M. left a daughter who 
is living in Carthage, Missouri, while his 
wife and another daughter. Huddle, who 
was married to Will Sherman Heller, Octo- 



ber 14, 1903, make their home in Alton, 
Illinois. The wife of Simon J. died leav- 
ing two daughters in infancy. She was a 
native of London, England. Simon J. be- 
came acquainted with her while in the 
army and they were married in New Or- 
leans. Their children were Tina, now Mrs. 
Dorsey, of Gillespie, Illinois; and Jane, who 
died in young womanhood. 

Daniel Stookey was educated in a country 
school near his home, it being conducted on 
the subscription plan and held in a build- 
ing erected for both church and school pur- 
poses. His education was somewhat lim- 
ited, as there were very few school books 
at that time, and he learned to read from a 
speller. One of his teachers, an Irish- 
man, taught him to read by reading a sen- 
tence which the pupil would then re- 
peat, this being the method employed in 
those days. During his boyhood and youth 
he assisted his father on the home farm, 
giving him the benefit of his labors until 
twenty-one years of age, when he com- 
menced farming on his own account upon 
land which his father assisted him in buy- 
ing. Later our subject worked in a saw- 
mill for about ten years, during which time 
he was able to save some money, and he 
then embarked in the manufacture of a 
grain "drill at Bloomington, Illinois, in 
1856, carrying on business at that place for 
seven years, but during the panic which fol- 
lowed he lost everything. 

In 1864 Mr. Stookey came to Macon 
county and purchased forty acres of land in 
Ilarristown township. Here he steadily 
j)rospered. adding to his property by de- 
grees until he is now the owner of one of 
the finest stock farms in Illinois, and his ac- 
cumulations have been the result of his own 
well directed and energetic efTorts. During 
his early residence in this county he was 
quite extensively engaged in the stock busi- 
ness, which he found very profitable. WHiile 
his eyesight is at present much impaired he 



PAST AND PRESENT OF My\CON COUNTY. 



723 



still attends to his financial affairs, but his 
son Lewis, who li\-es with him, manages 
the farm. His home is an elegant mansion 
just east of the village of Harristown, and 
here, surrounded by all the comforts of 
life, he is spending his declining years in 
ease and quiet. 

Mr. Stookey was married in St. Clair 
county in 1845 to Miss Caroline Goodner, 
a native of that county and a daughter of 
Benjamin and Nancy (Jackson) Goodner, 
who were born in Tennessee and became 
residents of St. Clair county at an early 
da\'. Six children blessed this union and 
four of the number are still living. 

Lewis Stookey, the oldest of the children, 
attended the public schools of St. Clair 
county for some years, and later was a 
student at the public and normal schools of 
Bloomington, and Shurtleff College in LIp- 
per Alton, Illinois. After completing his 
education he returned home and began farm- 
ing for himself and later took an interest 
in the home place, now having entire 
charge of the farm. In connection with 
general farming he is engaged in the raising 
of shorthorn cattle for market and is doing 
an extensive business in that line. He mar- 
ried Miss Leona Childs, a daughter of John 
.S. Childs, now living in Decatur, and to. 
them were born three children, but one is 
now deceased. The others are Marshall 
and Helen, who are graduates of the De- 
catur high school, as was also their mother, 
and are now attending the University of 
Illinois, at Champaign. Lewis Stookey is 
a stanch supporter of the Republican party 
and a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, to which his wife also belongs. 
The family is one of prominence in tihe 
community where they reside. 

Daniel Wesley Stookey, the second son 
of our subject, began his education in the 
schools of Bloomington, later attended 
school in this county and was afterward a 
student at the LTniversitv of Illinois, where 



he was graduated in 1876. For a short 
time he was engaged in the manufacture of 
tile, at Buffalo, Illinois, and from there re- 
moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he is 
engaged in the same business. He and his 
family are active and prominent members 
of the Methodist Episcopal church and he 
is now serving as superintendent of the 
Sunday school. At one time he was also 
president of the Young Men's Christian As- 
sociation of Cedar Rapids. His political 
support is given the Republican party. He 
married Miss Angle Dunnock, of Mechan- 
icsburg, Illinois, and they have five chil- 
dren, four sons and one daughter, namely: 
Margaret, Daniel D., Carl, Lewis and 
Keith. 

Mary, a daughter of our subject, is the 
wife of E, B. Randle, now living in Muncie, 
Indiana. He is a Methodist minister and 
is pastor of the largest church at that place. 
At one time he was presiding elder in De- 
catur, Illinois. Fraternally he is a Knight 
Templar Mason and a member of the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and politi- 
cally is a Republican. He and his wife 
have three children: Lalah, Foster and 
Hubert. 

Florence, the youngest of the Stookey 
family, is the wife of S. M. Lutz, of Decatur, 
who is proprietor of the largest music house 
in central Illinois, and they are the parents 
of three children: Caroline, Robert and 
Eloise. Mr. Lutz is also a Republican in 
politics and he and his family hold mem- 
bership in the Methodist Episcopal church. 

On attaining his majority Mr. Stookey 
became a Democrat and continued to sup- 
port that party until the second election of 
Abraham Lincoln, when he voted for the 
martyr president and has since affiliated 
with the Republican party. He is a man 
of broad general information and has always 
kept well informed on political questions. 
.■\lthough he has met with reverses in life he 
has usually prospered, being a man of sound 



724 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



judgment and good business and executive 
ability, so that he is to-day one of the sub- 
stantial men as well as one of the most 
honored and highly esteemed citizens of 
the countv in which he lives. 



ADAM KREHER. 

Adam Kreher, one of the most prominent 
German citizens of Decatur, has here re- 
sided through twenty-nine years and 
throughout this period his record has been 
so credital^le that he enjoys in an unlimiicd 
degree the confidence and good will of those 
with whom he has been associated. His 
birth place was Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, 
and his parents were Emerich and Cathe- 
rine 1-Crcher, in whose family were five chil- 
dren, three sons and two daughters. Of 
this number two have passed away. It 
was in the year 1856 that the parents 
crossed the .Atlantic to .America, making 
their way to Chicago. The father was a 
veterinary surgeon and practiced his pro- 
fession for about si.K months in that city, 
after, which he removed to St. Clair county, 
Illinois, where he continued in practice up 
to the time of his death. His wife has also 
passed away. 

Adam Kreher began his education in the 
schools of the fatherland and after arriving 
in the new world he went to .'^t. I.miis in 
order to learn the butcher's trade, being at 
that lime but fourteen years of age. For 
thirteen years he remained in St. Eouis. and 
then removed to DuOuoin, Illinois, where 
he embarked in business on his own ac- 
count, conducting a market for over two 
years. He then returned to St. Clair coun- 
ty, Illinois, and after two years there he 
went to (^rand Tower. Illinois, where he 
was engaged in business for seven years. 
In 1875 he arrived in Decatur and entered 
the employ of Blenz & Danzcisen, with 
which firm he remained for two years. He 
was afterward in the service of Blenz 



Brothers, for a short time and later was 
connected with the firm of Imboden Broth- 
ers for two years. Resolving to once more 
engage in business on his own account he 
then opened a market near the depot, where 
he remained for several years, after which 
he sold out and again worked for Adam 
Blenz for a short time. Subsequently he 
entered the employ of G. J. Danzeisen, with 
whom he remained for seven years, after 
which he engaged in business for himself at 
his present location — No. 879 North Mon- 
roe street. Here he has remained for ten 
years and has been very successful in the 
conduct of his market, accumulating a com- 
fortable competence. He is recognized as 
one of the most experienced and capable 
men in his line of business in Decatur, and 
in his business career has instituted 
methods that have won for him the pub- 
lic confidence and therefore a generous 
share of the public snppurt. 

In 1863 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Kreher and Miss Catherine Berg. Of the 
ten children born of their union nine are 
yet living, as follows ; Lena, the wife of 
John \'an Ende, of Decatur; Kate, the wife 
of Charles Lewis, Jr.. who is living upon 
a farm in this state: John, of Quincy, Illi- 
nois; Anna, the wife of Gus Meyers, of 
Odanah, Wisconsin : .\ntone, who is now 
li\ing in Moweaqua : Clara, the wife of 
Thomas Olson, of Odanah. Wisconsin ; 
Mary, of this city: and Frank and Leo, who 
are living in Decatur, .Mr. Kreher votes in- 
ile]K'ndcntly. but takes an active interest 
in politics and in matters of citizenship he 
is also deeply interested, advocating the 
improvement and material advancement of 
Decatur and aiding in many ways for the 
])roniotion of its interests. 



T. X. LEAVTTT. 
r. X. Lcaxitt, of Maroa, needs no special 
introduction to the readers of this volume 
but the work would be incomplete without 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



725 



the record of his Hfe. There is hardly a 
man in Macon county who has been more 
prominently identified with the commercial 
or political history of the community or has 
taken ,a more active part in its upbuilding 
and progress. He has ever cheerfully given 
his support to those enterprises that tend 
to public development and has been con- 
nected with many interests which have 
promoted the general welfare. 

Mr. Leavitt was born in Rockingham 
county, New Hampshire, in 1838, and is a 
son of A. B. and Fannie (Fogg) Leavitt. 
The father, who was a carpenter by trade, 
brought his family to Illinois in 1844 and 
for five years they made their home in 
Peoria county. On the 15th of April, 1849, 
he crossed the plains to California and 
landed in Sacramento on the, 15th of Sep- 
tember. Although he reached his destina- 
tion in safety he died in the Golden state 
the following year. His wife long survived 
him and died in Marshall county, Illinois. 
in 1896. 

For two years after the father went west 
the family lived on a farm in Marshall 
county, and then removed to Henry. Illi- 
nois, where our subject was principally edu- 
cated, though for two 3'ears he was also a 
student in the Northern Illinois Institute, 
now discontinued. After entering upon his 
business career he drove cattle to Minne- 
sota for two years, and for the same length 
of time was engaged in farming in ^Marshall 
county, Illinois. 

It was on the 13th of .Vpril. 1861, that 
Mr. Leavitt removed to ]\laroa and his first 
employment there was in breaking prairie 
for \\'. H. Ennis. In the spring of 1862 
he put in a crop but did not remain to see 
it develop, for feeling that his country need- 
ed his services in putting down the rebellion 
in the south, he enlisted the same year in 
Company C, Sixty-sixth Volunteer Infantry 
under Colonel Patrick Burke. He partici- 
pated in the battle of Corinth, was ull 



through the Atlanta campaign, and accom- 
panied General Sherman on his celebrated 
march to the sea. Mr. Leavitt was with the 
Army of the Tennessee and saw much hard 
fighting. At one time he was wounded in 
the head by a ten-pound shell, which has 
made him slightly deaf, and he also had the 
sole of his shoe shot of¥ at another time. 
At the close of the war he was mustered 
out at Rome, Georgia. 

On his return home he engaged in hand- 
ling grain, shelling corn, etc., for a time, 
and later was engaged in the grocery bus- 
iness until 1879. He next turned his atten- 
tion to the lumber, implement and coal bus- 
iness, which he carried on quite success- 
fully until January, 1902, when he sold out 
and has since been connected with Reeves 
& Company, of Springfield, in the threshing 
machine business. As the years have passed 
he has steadily prospered and is to-day one 
of the wealthy citizens of the county. He 
is a director in the State Bank of Clinton, 
Illinois; is interested in a five thousand 
acre rice plantation near Bay City, Texas; 
and owns five or six store buildings in 
Maroa. which he rents, besides several 
dwellings. 

In 1858 Mr. Leavitt was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Catharine Ann Crowell, a 
daughter of Moses and Salina Crowell, and 
to them was born one child, Clara F., now 
the wife of James F. Harris, of Maroa. The 
family have a beautiful home which Mr. 
Leavitt built originally for Dr. Alorgan, and 
when the Doctor left Maroa he purchased 
the place. The house was erected at a cost 
of five thousand dollars, is w^ell and taste- 
fully furnished, and is supplied with a De- 
troit gas machine, which furnishes the gas 
for lighting and cooking. The grounds 
around the residence are very beautiful, 
in fact it is one of the nicest homes of the 
place. 

Mr. and Mrs. Leavitt are both members 
of the Christian church and he also belongs 



r26 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



to the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of 
Pythias and the Grand Army of the Re- 
pubhc. Since casting his first presidential 
vote for Abraham Lincohi he has affihated 
with the RepubHcan party and has taken 
a very active and influential part in local 
politics. For seventeen years he filled the 
office of postmaster of RIaroa, was chairman 
of the board of supervisors one year and 
was a member of the lower house in the 
thirty-eighth general assembly. He was 
also a member of the state board of equali- 
zation for four years and was nominated 
for another term Init was defeated by a 
small majority in a district which was 
strongly Democratic. His public life has 
been most exemplary and he has left office 
as he entered it. with the confidence and 
high regard of liis fellow citizens. 

As a self-made man, Mr. Leavitt enjoys 
the reward of his painstaking and consci- 
entious work. liy his energy, perseverance 
and fine business ability he has been en- 
abled to secure an ample fortune. Social, 
educational and moral interests have been 
promoted by him and anything that tends 
to uplift and benefit humanity secures his 
heart}- co-operation. 



WILLIAM HENRY CARMEAN. 
^\"illiam Henry Carmean, a retired farmer 
and a representative of one of the early 
families of Macon county connected with 
this section of the state since 1849, was 
born in Pickaway count3% Ohio, August 24, 
1829. He was therefore a young man of 
twenty years when he came to the west and 
here he has grown to advanced age, li\ ing a 
life of usefulness, activity and honor. His 
parents were James and Mary (Miller) Car- 
mean, the former a native of Maryland and 
the latter of Virginia, .\fter their marriage 
they took up their abode on a farm in Pick- 
away county, Ohio, where they lived for 



several years and then they removed to 
Marion county in the same state, where 
the father was engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits until 1849, when he brought his fam- 
ily to the .Mississippi valley, settling in Ma- 
con county, Illinois. He purchased an ex- 
tensive farm in Long Creek township, 
known as the old Smaly farm, and thereon 
tlie family resided, his attention being given 
to the cultivation of the fields and the im- 
provement of his property until his death. 
His wife has also passed away and only 
three of the children are now living, the 
sisters of our subject being married and 
residing upon farms in Long Creek town- 
ship. 

The educational privileges which William 
Henry Carmean received were limited to 
those afforded by the jniblic school system 
of Ohio at an earl)- period. Schools were 
not \-ery good at that time as compared 
with those of the present day, but from 
experience and observation Mr. Carmean 
gained many valuable lessons. After put- 
ting aside his text books he assisted his 
father on the home farm, being thus en- 
gaged until ho had attained his majority. 

In early manhood, desiring a companion 
and helpmate for the journey of life, he 
wedded Rliss Mary Scott, a daughter of 
John Scott, who came to the west at an 
early day, settling in Christian county, 
Illinois, where both he and his wife died 
during the early girlhood of their daugh- 
ter, .Mrs. Carmean. She was thus left an 
orphan and was reared by a family in the 
neighborhood. Her death occurred in .\pril, 
1864. Slie had become the mother of three 
children: Martha, who died in childhood; 
Cieorge and James, who have also passed 
away. Tlie elder son married Eliza Gott 
and they resided upon a farm in Long Creek 
township. They had five children : Maude, , 
Melvin. Gustin, George Leslie and John 
Henry. For his second wife Mr. Carmean 
chose Mrs. Mary (Davis) Spalding, who 




7A^ZvL^5fc 




PAST AND PRESENT OF :\JACON COUNTY. 



729 



was born in i\Iacon county, June 14, 1842, 
a daughter uf James and Eliza (Campbell) 
Davis. She also came of an early family 
of Macon county, the Davises having lo- 
cated here in 1832, at which time the family 
homestead was established in Long Creek 
township. There the father devoted his 
energies to agricultural pursuits until his 
death. His wife also died there at the very 
advanced age of ninety-one years. By the 
second marriage of Mr. Carmcan there has 
been one child born : Grace, now the wife 
of H. B. Clark, who resides on a farm in 
Long Creek township. They Jiave three 
children : Annie Grace, Mary L. and Earl 
Lee. 

After his first marriage ]\lr. Carmean 
purchased a tract of land on section 30, 
Long Creek township, and with character- 
istic energy began its development and im- 
provement, transforming it into a valuable 
property. He placed the fields under a high 
state of cultivation and in connection with 
the production of the crops best adapted 
to the soil and climate he also engaged in 
stock-raising; in fact, he made the latter 
pursuit the principal department of his 
business and carried it on until 1891, when 
he removed to Decatur, built his present 
residence and has since lived a retired life. 
His home is at No. 850 South Webster street 
and is one of the best in that section of the 
cit}'. 

Mr. Carmean held several minor offices in 
his township, such as school director and 
township trustee. In politics he was a Re- 
publican until 1888, since which time he 
has endorsed the Prohibition principles, but 
usually votes for the best men regardless 
of party affiliations. Both he and his wife 
are members of the Grace Methodist. Epis- 
copal church of Decatur. He now owns two 
hundred and forty acres of the best farm- 
ing land in Long Creek township and the 
rental brings to him a good income. His 
life of activity has been crowned with splen- 



did financial results and shows the force 
of industry and enterprise in the affairs of 
life. During his long residence in the county 
he has witnessed its many changes and has 
also borne a part in the work which has 
transformed it from a frontier region to a 
highly developed section of this great state. 
Whatever has been for its benefit has re- 
ceived his endorsement and many times 
he has given his co-operation to improve- 
ments for the general good. 



WILLL\M T. :\IOFFETT. 

The ancestral history of our subject, so 
far as known, dates from the birth of Wil- 
liam Moffat (such was his spelling of the 
surname) in Scotland, in the year 1685. 
Early in the eighteenth century he moved 
with his Scotch wife to the north of Ire- 
land and there raised a number of children, 
among them James, born in 1720. James 
married in. Ireland and from his marriage, 
\\'illiam, the grandfather of our subject, 
was born, at Legagowan, Ireland, in 1763. 
Religious and political oppression drove 
William out of Ireland to America, he land- 
ing at Philadelphia in the spring of 1784. 
About two years later he moved to Ken- 
tucky and there founded the '' Old Ken- 
tucky stock of Moffetts." His son John 
B. Moffett was the father of William 
Thomas Mofifett of whom we now speak. 

W'ilHam T. Moffett, the youngest child 
of John B. and Patsy (Morgan) Mofifett, 
was born in a log hut upon the sparsely 
settled prairie of Illinois, seven miles south- 
west of Springfield, on the 19th of Febru- 
ary. 1826. \\Mien six weeks old his mother 
died leaving him largely to the care of his 
most faithful father. In those days and at 
such places there was dearth of medical as- 
sistance, conveniences were meager and 
neighbors far apart. Cnder these circum- 
stances his \-oung life became fraught with 



730 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



perils, and at times was despaired of. For- 
tunately possessed of vigorous physical 
powers and a strong vitality, he was ena- 
bled to baffle the untoward dangers and 
develop into a strong, active and ambitious 
boy. At the age of ten years he moved to 
Springfield, Illinois, where he attended 
school for some two years and thence to 
Rushville, Schuyler county, Illinois, where 
he lived for about three years attending 
school and assisting his father, who was a 
carpenter and wheelwright. 

In 1841 he moved with his father to 
Macon county, Illinois, and settled on lands 
in the edge of the timber along the south 
bank of the .Sangamon river in what years 
afterward became Blue ^lound township. 
The building site selected was a hill situ- 
ated across the river and a half mile to the 
west of where Abraham Lincoln lived ten 
years before. Here the well known " Mof- 
fett Settlement " was made, and here Wil- 
liam T. Moffett made his home until his 
marriage, when he moved upon a portion 
of the same lands, which he afterward be- 
came seized of, and upon which he resided 
until his death, which occurred on October 
II, 1901. Thus, for sixty years his home 
was in Macon county, which time covers a 
period nearly contemporaneous with the 
corporate existence of the county, and dur- 
ing which period most of the political sub- 
divisions of the county have been created. 
The boyhood days of Mr. Moflfett were not 
eventful. He attended the common schools, 
some of them subscription schools, was an 
apt scholar, at least in mathematics, and 
at the age of seventeen he taught one term 
of school. His education, while not exten- 
sive, was of a very practical sort. Broad in 
his conceptions and generally logical in his 
reasoning, he was recognized among his 
fellows as possessing a large fund of what 
we call " common sense." To a very con- 
siderable extent nature marked him as a 
leader, and his opinions were therefore 



both sought and trusted. His political 
preferences were early manifested. In the 
notable campaign of 1840, when but four- 
teen years of age, he took a lively interest 
in the election of General Harrison for pres- 
ident. He attended political gatherings for 
miles around and his voice was often heard 
shouting the slogan " Tippecanoe and Ty- 
ler, too." As a boy upon the farm, in the 
workshop or at his father's mill, he was 
always industrious, obedient and true to 
every undertaking. He rather invited dif- 
ficult tasks and enjoyed the labor of their 
accomplishment. 

As a representative of the pioneers of 
this country his history becomes interest- 
ing and likewise instructive. Early in life 
he became inured to the regime of manual 
toil. The wild, unbroken fields lay before 
him and he desired to make them respond 
to the touch of labor. Appliances for this 
work were rude, but those at hand he util- 
ized. He would yoke the oxen, fasten them 
to what we would now call an ill designed 
sod plow, and then in slow, uneven tread 
he would cross and re-cross the fields while 
the sod would turn leisurely over in irregu- 
lar laps as if flouting the skill of the hus- 
bandman. Upon this overturning of the 
sod the seed was sown, not in the almost 
exact mathematical order the labor-saving 
machinery of to-day does it but in the hap- 
hazard manner incident to the swinging of 
the arm. When the small grain ripened he 
used the scythe and cradle to garner it in 
and the flail to thresh it out. There were 
no markets of importance nearer than Chi- 
cago or St. Louis. It required weeks to 
transport grain and stock to these markets, 
for there were no railroads then in this 
country. But the products of the farm had 
a bartering value and two bushels of wheat 
were often exchanged for one yard of cal- 
ico. Money was scarce and of uncertain 
value ; gold hardly obtainable in sufficient 
quantities to meet the deferred payments 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



731 



due the government upon lands entered. 
Economy — rigid economy — was necessar- 
ily practiced. To make ends meet required 
not only this, but often denials of the very 
necessaries of life. The sacrifices of these 
forerunners of our civilization deserve an 
encomium far more sublime than any that 
has yet been spoken. Mr. Moffett wore 
clothing that was carded, spun, wove and 
made in his own home; he would hunt 
wolves, carry corn to the grist-mill, fight 
prairie fires, attend corn huskings and 
house raisings, and experienced in all its 
rigors, what no pioneer escaped, the old- 
time " ague." Upon attaining manhood's 
estate Mr. Moifett became imbued with a 
spirit of adventure. Colonel Sutter's dis- 
covery of gold in California presented new 
and glaring opportunities for acquiring 
riches in that far-off west. So, in 1849, ^^^ 
crossed the plains in charge of a division 
of the wagon train and landed at Sacra- 
mento. There for a short time he engaged 
in placer mining and then turned his atten- 
tion to freighting. His adventure was 
proving highly remunerative and he was 
loath to abandon it; but, after an absence 
of eighteen months, at the earnest and re- 
peated solicitations of his father, he sailed 
for home, making the return journey by 
way of the Isthmus of Panama, Havana 
and New Orleans. 

Upon reaching home he found his fath- 
er's business affairs in an unsatisfactory 
condition. The large estate was encum- 
bered, family expenses were enhanced, and 
a general financial crisis was approaching. 
The return of the son was to his father an 
omen of security ; loyalty to his father's 
interests was of first importance with Air. 
Moffett. So, turning the money earned in 
California, which was considerable, to meet 
pressing demands, he then set about wil- 
lingly and by unremitting toil to make the 
forest and the prairie yield up their fruits 
"to meet the exigencies of the future. Many 



of the best A'ears of his life were devoted to 
this purpose, and the estate was saved. 

On October 14, 1856, he was united in 
marriage to Miss Helen L. Barrows, at 
Bridport, Vermont. Eight children were 
born to them, six of whom are now living, 
three sons and three daughters. During 
the forty-five years of his married life he 
was a devoted husband and to his children 
he was ever kind and indulgent. 

In politics Mr. Moft'ett was first an 
ardent Whig and supported that party so 
long as it had a candidate in the field. In 
1856 he cast his vote for Millard Fillmore 
for president, not because Fillmore was a 
" Know Nothing," but because he was a 
Whig. Henry Clay was his political ideal 
and the " American system of protection " 
his shibboleth. These opinions came in 
part by inheritance from his father, who 
as a native born and reared citizen of Ken- 
tucky, \yas a devotee of the '' Great Com- 
moner " ; and, in part, from independent 
thought, ^^'ith him it was a short step 
from the Whig to the Republican party, 
for he had no especial interest in the main- 
tenance of slavery and his ideas of tariff' 
were adopted by the latter party ; but per- 
haps his greatest reason for uniting with 
the Republican party was for the preserva- 
tion of the Union. He had a personal ac- 
quaintance with Lincoln as a man and a 
lawyer, and had formed a good opinion of 
his ability and character, and admired him 
as the standard bearer of the party in i860. 
While ]Mr. INIoft'ett never became a soldier 
in active service during the Civil war, yet 
he volunteered and went to Camp Butler to 
engage in the service, when on account of 
the serious illness and subsequent death of 
his father, he returned home, but for which 
occurrence he would undoubtedly have 
been activelv engaged in the conflict. Later 
in the war he was commissioned by Gov- 
ernor Yates as captain of a company of 
volunteer home guards and in that capac- 



r32 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



it)' rendered valiant service to the Union 
cause. He smote treason wherever he 
found it kirking in the rear of the Union 
army. Despising disloyalty to his govern- 
ment, he would tear the masks from the 
faces of those who sought to hide their 
treason and hold them up to public scorn 
and contempt. 

In 1861 he represented Blue Mound 
township on the board of supervisors of 
INIacon county. He filled this position 
again in 1864 and for the five succeeding 
years, also in 1876 and 1894, making nine 
years he served in that capacity. He served 
as a mcmljcr of the Twenty-seventh and 
Twenty-eighth General Assemblies of the 
state of Illinois. In 1876 he was elected a 
member of the state board of equalization 
and, serving two years as such, he resigned 
to take his scat in the state senate of Il- 
linois, which he accupied for four years. 
During all the years of his public life he 
performed his duties fearlessly, meritori- 
ously and honestly. He left a clean record 
and an untarnished reputation. 

In his private walks of life and in his 
homo we find his true character and worth 
revealed. As a member of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church he gave liberally to 
its sup])ort for upwards of forty years. He 
frequently attended its synod and general 
assembly meetings and felt deeply inter- 
ested in whatever promoted the interests 
of the church. His religious ways were not 
spasmodic and impetuous, but even, regu- 
lar, firm. He taught correct thinking and 
living by example rather than precept. Of 
a hospital)le nature, the society of his fam- 
ily, his neighbors and friends was pfeasing 
to him. Without ostentation himself, he 
recognized no distinction between men on 
account of material aflluence. AfTectation 
in any of its forms was distasteful to him. 
Canting hypocrisy and sycophancy were 
entirely foreign to his make-up. Thorough- 
ly democratic in his thoughts, manners and 



living, he bowed respectfully only to that 
nobility born of the heart and mind. The 
many private offices of trust he filled as 
executor and administrator of estates be- 
speak the general confidence reposed in 
his integrity. He was popular because eas- 
ily approached and generous in his treat- 
ment. If it can be said that he possessed a 
distinguishing trait in his business and so- 
cial life, it was his disposition to help those 
unfortunate or in distress. 

-Mr. ;\loffett was a successful farmer and 
business man. His commodious home and 
large farm attest his thrift and enterprise. 
In all that jjcrtained to his business he kept 
abreast of the times. The promotion of 
agricultural matters at all times received 
his active interest and support. When the 
"Farmers' Institute" of the county was or- 
ganized he became its first president. Edu- 
cational matters received a large share of 
his attention, h'or years a director in his 
school district, and as a member of the 
board of trustees of Lincoln University, 
Lincoln, Illinois, and as a member of the 
state legislature he became interested in our 
state university at Urbana, Illinois : and 
during his last years as a member of the 
board of directors of the James Millikin 
University, Decatur, Illinois, he discharged 
his duty in these several positions with 
pleasure to himself and satisfaction to the 
l)ublic. 

F.arly in 1901 a fatal disease had seized 
him, but with an abiding patience and 
splendid fortitude, he was able to wave 
back for a time the approach of dissolu- 
tion ; and, lingering througli the summer 
months of that year and far into the fall 
to where nature was changing her garb 
for a new season, then he, too, nature's 
child as he had always been, changed his 
garb to enter the new life. He left as his 
richest legacy to his widow and children 
an honored name; his worldly affairs were 
placed in the hands of his three boys to 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



733 



control, manage and administer for the 
benefit of his ever devoted and loving wife. 

Mrs. Helen L. iMoffett, his widow, still 
survives him. In years she is now beyond 
the allotted three score and ten, but still 
enjoying a fair measure of good health. 
She is the eldest daughter of Josiah and 
Susan (Walker) Barrows, and was born 
near the inland town of Bridport, in Addison 
county, Vermont, on the ist day of Feb- 
ruary, 1832. The only near relative now 
living is a sister, Mrs. A. C Allinson, of 
Table Rock, Nebraska. General Artemus 
Ward, whom Washington succeeded as 
commander-in-chief of the American army, 
was her great uncle. 

The site of her Vermont home is a beau- 
tiful and picturesque place. It is upon 
the summit of a hill where looking east- 
ward the Green mountains present a view 
of perennial verdure, and on the west are 
the massive and towering Adirondacks. 
There the first beams of morning break 
upon the mountain tops of the east and the 
latest beams of evening fall behind the 
mountain peaks of the west. Some foiu' 
miles distant, and between these mountain 
scenes, are the clear, silvery waters of Lake 
Champlain. All about are the hillside and 
valley farms upon which quaint but sub- 
stantial buildings rest ; and everywhere are 
to be seen evidences of thrift, enterprise 
and frtigality, which are permeated by a 
moral stamina, altogether worthy the de- 
scendants of the Pilgrim Fathers. In the 
early days of the American Revolution this 
very soil was consecrated to civil liberty. 
Over and across it the colonial bands 
marched to strike here and there a blow for 
independence. Just across the lake on its 
west bank were Crown Point and Fort Ti- 
conderoga, and these places, then important 
commanding positions of the British, were 
assaulted and captured by the intrepid 
Green Mountain boys under the command 
■of the gallant Ethan Allen "in the name 



of the Great Jehovah and the Continental 
Congress." 

These natural features and historical 
facts always inspired in Mrs. MofTett a just 
pride in her New England home, but from 
a more personal standpoint its memories 
have become hallowed. There were her 
playmates of youth with whom ties of af- 
fection bound her for life ; there, as a girl, 
she went tripping down the hill and over 
the narrow highway to the little red school- 
house ; there she was awakened to a realiza- 
tion that life is earnest and full of possi- 
bilities ; there her marriage vows were 
spoken ; and there lies the sacred dust of 
her father and sister. 

Very early in life Mrs. MoiYett began to 
prepare herself carefully to become a school 
teacher. \\ ith diligence and close applica- 
tion she became qualified for this work 
upon completing the course of studies in 
the public schools. She thereupon engaged 
a school and for two terms taught with en- 
tire satisfaction to her patrons. Not yet 
satisfied with her preparations for the work, 
she entered Castleton Seminary, at Castle- 
ton, Vermont, an-i there completing the 
course of studies, was graduated in 1852 
with high honors. Thus qualified, she be- 
gan what she assumed was her life work in 
real earnest. Her services were in demand 
and the question of better wages was un- 
der consideration. An unexpected oppor- 
tunity was offered. It seems almost in- 
credible that the teachers of New England 
came west for better wages in that early 
day, but such was the fact. In 1854 Mrs. 
MofTett was invited by her cousin, Erastus 
Wright, a noted abolitionist of Springfield, 
Illinois, to visit him with a view of pur- 
suing her work in the west. This invita- 
tion was accepted, and, in company with 
her sister, Susan, who was on her way to 
Mississippi to teach school, she started for 
Springfield, and when forty miles south of 
Chicago her train became snow bound for 



734 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



two weeks. Finally reaching lier destina- 
tion she was delighted to find a school 
awaiting lier and for nearly two years there- 
after, and until her marriage, she taught in 
Sangamon and Macon counties. 

The marital relations of Mr. and Mrs. 
MofTett were in many respects ideal. She 
was a mo.^t capable helpmate. Her educa- 
tional attainments and affable manner made 
her services indispensable to the promotion 
of her husband's interests and ambition. 
Ever sharing his joys and pleasures, she 
likewise shared his sorrows and trials. In 
the best and truest sense of the term she 
was a kind, affectionate and beloved wife. 

At an early age she united with the Con- 
gregational church, but after her marriage 
her membership was changed to the Madi- 
son Cumberland Presbyterian church of 
Blue Mound township, where she has ever 
since continued to worship. Her bounties 
to the cause of her church, in labor and 
means and devotion, were always to the full 
measure of her abilities. 

In her home, with her family, she dis- 
played much ability and tact. Giving edu- 
cation a large place in the circle, she di- 
rected it along those lines that make better, 
truer and nobler lives. Many of the typical 
traits of the New England people were 
strikingly manifested in her ways and work. 
Economical, systematic, neat, a model cook 
and housekeeper, were among her distin- 
guishing characteristics and accomplish- 
ments. For years her home was a social 
mecca where country life was enjoyed by 
friends far and near; and now, in the even- 
tide of her life, it is not too much to say 
that all who know her respect her. For 
nearly a half century she has mingled with 
the people of Macon county, and, at every 
step, her true, upright, Christian life has 
sent sunshine and happiness unto some 
heart and home, in a quiet, unobtrusive way. 
As a wife she was adored ; as a mother she 



is loved. Jt may well be said that the world 
is better for her living. 

"And on that cheek, and o"er that brow, 
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent. 

The smiles that win, the tints that glow, 
But tell of days in goodness spent, 

A mind at peace with all below, 
A heart whose love is innocent !" 



CHARLES C. PFISTER. 

Decatur is pre-eminently a city of gen- 
erals — generals of commerce, of manufac- 
tures, of construction and what-not. The 
small salesman has a modest occupation, 
looked upon as comparatively humble until 
he becomes a manager and employer of 
men on a large scale. Then he proves his 
ability as a general and then it is that his 
occupation is no longer iiumblc but abreast 
of those of the leaders of all countries. In 
the lines of manufacture and construction 
he becomes a general, marshalling his forces 
with precision and utilizing all the means 
at hand to the best ends and accomplishing 
results that are creditable alike to himself 
and his city. Such has been the career 
of Charles C. Pfister, who is now largely 
and prohtably engaged in the manufacture 
of carpets and rugs and who is also a re- 
tail dealer in such commodities. 

.\ native of Weissenberg, Bayaria, 
Charles C. Pfister was born on the nth of 
March, 1852, and is a son of Cjeorge and 
W'ilhelmina Pfister. His father was a shoe- 
maker by trade and died when the son was 
a little lad of four years, leaving a widow 
and seven children. Charles C. and his sis- 
ter, Amelia, however, are the only ones 
of the family that ever came to the new 
world. The subject of this review spent the 
days of his boyhood and youth in his native 
country, acquiring his education there and 
entering upon his business career within its 
borders. At length, however, he determined 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



735 



to sever the business ties that bound him to 
the fatherland and to come to America with 
its broader opportunities and its great ad- 
vantages. He crossed the Atlantic in the 
year 1881 and, locating in Pittsburg, Penn- 
sylvania, spent nine months in that city. 
He next went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 
where he worked at his trade, that of weav- 
ing, for three years. He had learned the 
business in Bavaria and he put it to much 
use in seeking a living in the new world. 
In September, 1885, he arrived in Decatur 
and purchased the carpet-weaving business 
of C. A. Westhaver. Since that time he has 
increased the plant and enlarged the scope 
of the enterprise until his establishment 
represents one of the leading industries of 
Decatur, which is a city of manufactories 
and industrial concerns. He now manufac- 
tures not only carpets, but also a choice 
grade of rugs and in 1899 he added a re- 
tail department to his establishment, in 
which he carries a large line of ingrain car- 
pets, mattings, linoleums, oilcloths and 
other floor coverings. He began business 
with a cash capital of two hundred and forty 
dollars, but has gradually developed his in- 
dustry and has made it a paying and pros- 
perous concern. Two before him who were 
owners of the plant had met with failure 
and disappointment, but he brought to his 
work marked energy, good experience and 
strong determination. 

In 1876 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Pfister and Miss Annastiena Loeffler, a na- 
tive of Saxony, Germany, and they now 
have two children, Richard and Otto. Mr. 
Pfister has built a comfortable home for 
his family in Decatur and he is a member 
of the German Ai4 Society here and a loyal 
citizen devoted to the welfare and progress 
of the locality. Probably no person in De- 
catur is a better representative of a purely 
self-made man than he. He has not a dollar 
that has not been honestly acquired through 
his own labors and his great success should 



furnish both lessons and incentive, his life 
being an example of honest worth and un- 
swerving integrity. Success in any line of 
occupation or in any avenue of business is 
not a matter of spontaneity, but is the "le- 
gitimate result of strong determination and 
consecutive effort and it is in this way that 
Mr. Pfister has advanced from a humble 
position in the lousiness world to a place 
among the leading manufacturers of De- 
catur. 



WILLIAM J. CHENOWETH, M. D. 

Dr. William J. Chenoweth is the veteran 
medical practitioner of Decatur, and also 
stands at the head of his profession in skill 
and ability. He reached this city on the 
24th of May, 1854, and has since been con- 
nected with its interests, professionally and. 
otherwise. Few men are more widely 
known in Macon county than the Doctor, 
who well deserves representation in the his- 
tory of his adopted county. 

Dr. Chenoweth was born in Greensburg, 
Kentucky, and comes of one of the old 
and prominent families of that state. His 
paternal great-grandfather, Captain Richard 
Chenoweth, went to that state and settled 
on an island in the Ohio river, later called 
Corn island, for it was there that the first 
corn was raised for the colonies. He was 
a carpenter by trade and contracted to build 
the fort at Louisville for three thousand 
dollars. He performed his part of the con- 
tract but never received the money. He cul- 
tivated a farm near Middletown and ex- 
perienced all the hardships and difficulties 
of pioneer life. On one occasion he and his 
family were attacked in the night by Indi- 
ans and narrowly escaped death. On hear- 
ing the red men he ran to his gun rack and 
while taking down the gun was struck on 
the arm and so disabled as not to get it. 
Seeking safety by rushing out of the open 



73f) 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



dour, he escaped and made his \va)' to the 
fort. One or two of the cliildren were killed. 
Mrs. Chenoweth was attacked and stabbed 
seven times and the scalp torn off her head, 
which fortunately was not tomahawked. 
The Indians left her for dead but she sur- 
vi\eil the awful treatment. James Cheno- 
weth was aslee]) in a chair when the Indi- 
ans broke down the door at his side and 
buried a tomahawk in his skull as they 
rushed past him. .Slipping out of the house, 
he hid under a pile of wood until the sav- 
ages left, when he attempted to find the fort 
at i\li<I(lKt()\\n. but. becoming confusefl, he 
crouched between the roots of a large peach 
tree until daylight. John Chenoweth. the 
first ancestor of the family in this country, 
came from ^^'ales in 1720. accompanied by 
his two sons. The family made their home 
in r.crkeley county, Virginia, until 1778. 
when a j^art of the family, Richard, the 
great-grandfather of our subject among 
them, went to Kentucky, as above stated. 

The grandfather, James Chenoweth, was 
a native of that state, and our subject's 
father, John S. Chenoweth, was born in 
Shelby county. In Lexington, Kentucky, 
the latter married Eliza Ross, and when 
their son William was about nine months 
old they removed to Harrisburg, where the 
father engaged in merchandising. He was 
a prominent citizen of his native state. 
His wife died in 183''). In the family were 
five children, namely: William J., Martha 
A., Elizabeth. Margaret and Thomas J. The 
sisters are all now deceased. Thomas is a 
druggist in Maj^sville, Kentucky. 

The Doctor, whose birth occurred Decem- 
ber I, 1823. ac<|uired his education in pri- 
vate schools in Louisville and Harrodsburg. 
Kentucky. When he was about twel\-e 
years old his father had removed to the 
former city, where he did 1>usines.s as a 
produce commission merchant and whole- 
sale cotton dealer. Young William worked 
in his father's office luitil after his mother's 



death, which occurred when he was thirteen 
years of age. He then, in 1836, entered 
Augusta College, of that state, from which 
he was graduated in 1841, at the age of 
seventeen, the youngest member in a class 
of thirteen. After his graduation he as- 
sisted his father in the commission business 
in Cincinnati, Ohio, but in the meantime 
studied medicine with Dr. Nick Marshall, 
of that city. Subsequently he entered the 
Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, and 
remained there one term, after which he 
engaged in the practice of medicine at Hills- 
boro, Kentucky, where he remained for 
three years. In 1853 he was graduated 
from the Kentucky University, of Louis- 
\ille, and soon after went to Texas, where 
he commenced to build up a good practice, 
but he remained there for only a few 
months. He was in favor of colonization, 
and on expressing his opinions freely his 
neighbors disagreeing with him made 
known their desire thai he should lca\e that 
comnuuiity, and so he returned to the north. 
At the urgent request of William Martin, 
one of Decatur's well-known pioneers, he 
came to this place and opened an office. 

In Fleming county, Kentucky, Dr. Chen- 
oweth married Miss America Leforgce, a 
granddaughter of the celebrated Mike Cas- 
sidy, of Kentucky, who was a companion 
of Daniel Boone. Two children have been 
born unto our subject and his wife, Cassid)'^ 
and Eliza R. The latter is the widow of 
Richard Piper, and with her daughter, Alice 
S., makes her home in Decatur with her 
father. Cassidy is a graduate of Rush Med- 
ical College of Chicago, and is the junior 
partner of the firm of Drs. W. J. & C. Chen- 
oweth. He has a high reputation as a 
])hysician and enjoys a very large city 
practice. 

During the war Dr. Chenoweth served as 
a soldier of the Thirty-fifth Illinois Infantry 
for fifteen months, and is now a member 
of the Crand .\rmy Post. He is also a mem- 




J. Ci TMBODEN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



739 



ber of the Illinois Army and Xavy Aledical 
Association and is treasurer of that organ- 
ization. He and his wife hold membership 
with the First Alethodist Episcopal church 
of this city. The Doctor is well and favor- 
ably known in Decatur and for a radius of 
twenty miles around the city. He has ever 
been a close student of his profession and 
his application and natural ability have 
gained for him the enviable position which 
he occupies in professional circles. 



JOHN G. IMBODEN. 

Success in any undertaking comes 
through a thorough mastery of the business 
and by following the most approved btisi- 
ness methods. It is in this wa\' that John 
G. Imboden has attained a prominent place 
among the substantial citizens of South 
Wheatland township, where he now makes 
his home. He is entitled to distinction as 
one of the most progressive and enterpris- 
ing men of the county. 

He was born in Decatur on the 25th of 
March, 1856, and is the seventh in order of 
birth in a family of nine children, all bovs, 
whose parents were John and Sarah (Mark) 
Imboden. His father was a native of Penn- 
sylvania, born in 1818, and spent his early 
life in the east. In 1855 he came to Deca- 
tur, Illinois, and embarked in the meat busi- 
ness, opening a market at the corner of 
Main and Wood streets, which is now con- 
ducted by his son, C. M. Imboden. He 
was also quite extensively engaged in the 
packing and slaughtering business until 
1880, when he sold out to his two sons, C. 
M. and J. G. Imboden. After a useful and 
well spent life the father died on the 31st 
of December. 1899. 

John G. Imboden was also identified with 
the packing business in connection with 
his father during his minority and after he 
reached man's estate, but in 1900 he dis- 



posed of his interests in Decatur and re- 
moved to his farm south of the city in 
South Wheatland township. Here he has 
established a model home, known as Way- 
side Place, where he can enjoy not onh^ all 
the beauties of country life but also has all 
the modern conveniences of a city residence. 
Mr. Imboden now devotes the greater part 
of his time and attention to the raising of 
stock. . He deals in all of the choice grades 
and fattens considerable stock for market 
each year. Being an expert in his line, he 
has for several years been called upon to 
act as judge of live stock at various fairs 
and expositions throughout the United 
States, serving in that capacity in the north- 
west, the states of Iowa, Illinois and New 
York, in fact all the leading shows within 
the last quarter of a century, including 
the World's Fair at Chicago in 1893. He 
has often been a judge at the Fat Stock 
Shows in that city and there he exhibited 
in 1888 the Angus steer Dot, the first Angus 
steer that ever won grand championship 
at the American Fat Stock Show. At pres- 
ent he is engaged specially in buying, feed- 
ing and shipping choice stock to various 
markets. While associated with his father 
and brother in the butchering business at 
Decatur he met with success and in all his 
undertakings he has steadily prospered. He 
did all the buying for the firm for twenty 
years. Mr. Imboden is operating an ex- 
tensive feed plant built on an economical 
plan and was the first in Macon county to 
construct a concrete tank for the use of his 
stock, now having one in his barn and two 
in his feed lot. In addition to his other 
stock he now has twenty-five head of Texas 
calves, which he is fattening for market. 

Mr. Imboden was married in 1882 to Miss 
Zelma U. Shaw, a daughter of Dr. Shaw, of 
Macon, Illinois, and to them have been born 
three children, namely: Nina B., now Mrs. 
J. A. .\nderson, of Ravenswood, Chicago ; 
Edward P. and Zada Z. The parents and 



740 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



children are members of the First Metho- 
dist I'.piscopal church of Decatur and are 
held in the highest regard by all who know 
them. In his political views Wr. Imboden 
is a Republican, but at local elections he 
usually votes for whom he considers the 
best man regardless of party ties. He has 
contributed many articles to agricultural 
and stock papers, especially the Breeders' 
Gazette, and has done much to promote 
the interests of the farmer in this section 
of the state. He is justly regarded as one 
of the leading and representative citizens 
of his community and has the confidence 
and respect of all with whom he comes in 
contact either in business or social life. 



WILLIAM R. SCIIROEDER. 

William R. Schroeder is a well known 
business man of Warrensburg, dealing in 
harness, saddlery and sewing machines, and 
is a worthy representative of an honored 
family of this place, his parents being Max 
R. and iMarie E. (Hagely) Schroeder, whose 
sketch apjjears on another page of this 
volume. His father was the first post- 
master of Warrensburg and was long and 
honorably identified with the business inter- 
ests and pu1)lic affairs of the village. 

The subject of this sketch was born in 
Monroe, ^^'isconsin, February 28, 1871, but 
was reared and educated in Warrensburg, 
Illinois, whither the family removed when 
he was quite young. Under the able direc- 
tion of his father he learned the harness- 
maker's trade and commenced work at four 
dollars per week, being employed as a jour- 
neyman in northern Illinois for three years. 
At the father's death he was succeeded in 
business by his son Rudolph, in 1885, and 
the latter afterward formed a partnership 
with our subject under the firm name of 
Schroeder Brothers, this connection contin- 



uing imtil the Sth of December, 1892, since 
which lime \\'illiani R. has been alone in 
business. The stock which lie carries is 
mostly home-made and he is able to furnish 
anything needed in his line. He makes a 
specialty of manufacturing harness to order 
and devotes considerable attention to pony 
harness. He keeps in stock whips and all 
kinds of horse goods and he built up an 
extensive trade, which extends for many 
miles throughout the surrounding country. 
Mr. Schroeder also acts as local agent for 
the Wheeler & Wilson and New Home 
sewing machines, and has prospered in this 
branch of his business. He is an expert 
mechanic as well as a good and reliable 
business man, and the success that has come 
to him is certainl}^ well deserved. He now 
owns liis place of business and also a nice 
home in the southwestern part of the vil- 
lage. 

Mr. Schroeder was married Februar)- 28, 
1893, on the anniversary of his birth, to 
Miss Eva Raymond, a native of Henry, 
Marshall county, Illinois, and a daughter 
of F. A. and Frances (Tabor) Raymond. 
Her paternal grandmother is still living at 
the age of eighty-six years and makes her 
home with her daughter, Mrs. Ed. White, in 
Warrensburg. Mrs. Schroeder is the only 
surviving child of her father's family, and 
she was educated in the public schools of 
her native place. She is now receiving 
part ])ayments of French spoilations claims, 
her great-grandfather. Captain Benjamin 
Tabor, having been part owner of the ship 
Fox, which was confiscated by the French 
in 1798. Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder have two 
children, namely : Lucy Ellen, born De- 
cember 17. 1894; and William Raymond, 
born December 2, 1898. The wife and 
mother is a member of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church and is a most estimable lady. 
Mr. Schroeder is a member of the same 
church and is a prominent Odd Fellow, 
serving as deputy grand master in his lodge 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



74-1 



at Warrensburg. He also belongs to the 
encampment and canton at Decatur, and to 
the Modern Woodmen of America, in which 
he has served as clerk for seven years. By 
his ballot he supports the men and measures 
of the Republican party, is now serving his 
second term as clerk of Illini township, and 
has also been a member of the board of 
village trustees. He has witnessed almost 
the entire development of Warrensburg and 
has done all in his power to advance its 
interests, supporting every measure which 
he believed calculated to promote the moral, 
educational or social welfare of the com- 
munitv. 



PHILIP P. HAMMAN. 

Philip P. Hamman, a member of the firm 
of Hamman Brothers, has gained for him- 
self a creditable position in business circles 
in Decatur and associated with his brother 
is conducting an enterprise which is prov- 
ing profitable. He was born in Pike coun- 
ty, Ohio, in the year 1869, and came to Ma- 
con county with his parents, William and 
Mary Hamman, who are also natives of the 
Buckeye state, whence they removed to 
Illinois in 1879. The father became identi- 
fied with farming interests west of War- 
rensburg and there remained until his death, 
which occurred in July, 1899, when he was 
sixty years of age. 

The subject of this review was a youth 
of ten summers when he arrived in Macon 
county and upon the home farm he was 
reared and in public schools of the neigh- 
borhood he acquired his education. To his 
father he gave the benefit of his services 
in the work of field and meadow until he 
was twenty-three years of age. He left 
home with a twenty dollar gold piece in 
his pocket and from that time on has made 
his way unaided, being one of the success- 
ful business men of Decatur. Forming: a 



partnership with his brother, John W., they 
established a transfer line and storage ware- 
house and have since conducted business 
under the firm style of Hamman Brothers. 

Philip Hamman has given his undivided 
attention to the business and his constant 
care has been an important element in its 
success. Pie regards no details as too unim- 
portant to claim his attention and his unre- 
mitting diligence and well directed labors 
have won for him creditable and desirable 
success. 

In August, 1895, Mr. Hamman was united 
in marriage to Miss Cora B. McGorray, a 
daughter of Benedict McGorray, of De- 
catur. They now have two children : Arden 
and Phillis. Mr. Hamman is a member of 
Coeur de Lion Lodge, No. 17, K. P.; also 
of Easterly Camp, No. 1626, M. W. A. 
In politics he votes for the man rather than 
party and has never taken an active part in 
political work, preferring to devote all of 
his energies to his business affairs. The 
firm of Hamman Brothers occupies a high 
place in public regard by reason of the 
straightforward methods the}' have ever fol- 
lowed. 



CASPER C. ELWOOD. 

For many years Casper C. Elwood was con- 
nected with business interests in Decatur as a 
clothing merchant and manufacturer and his 
enterprise, added to the commercial and in- 
dustrial activity of the city, make him a valued 
factor in trade circles. His business career 
was at all times characterized by straightfor- 
ward dealing and by unfaltering allegiance to 
the ethics of commercial life and thus he 
gained the respect and confidence of his fellow- 
men. He became a resident of Decatur on the 
loth of March, 1857, and was therefore 
among the first representatives of its business 
affairs. 

A native of Herkimer county. New York, 
Mr. Elwood was born May 26, 1827, his par- 



142 



TAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



cuts being Jonas and Margaret (Lipe) El- 
wood, bodi of whom were natives of the Em- 
pire state and there they remained until called 
to their final rest. The father was a farmer 
by occupation and both he and his wife died in 
Herkimer county, New \'ork. 

It was in that county that Casper C. Elwood 
was educated, attending the public schools. 
He spent his boyhood days upon his father's 
farm and the work of plowing, planting and 
harvesting became familiar to him. He con- 
tinued to reside with his parents up to the 
time of his marriage, which occurred in Her- 
kimer county in 1854, the lady of his choice 
being Miss Charlotte Suits, who was born in 
that county a daughter of David and Emma 
(Hazen) Suits, also of Herkimer county. Mr. 
Suits was a tailor by trade and always fol- 
lowed that occupation in order to provide for 
the needs of himself and family. 

Mr. Elwood was the only representative of 
his father's family who came to the west. In 
the fall of 1855 he bade adieu to the Empire 
state and with his family came to Illinois, set- 
tling first in Sycamore, where he engaged in 
business for fifteen months. On the loth of 
March, 1857, he arrived in Decatur and here 
began working for Janies \V'illiam Race in 
the clothing business. After a short time he 
was admitted to a partnership by his em- 
ployer uiuliT the firm style of the Race Cloth- 
ing Manufacturing Company, doing business 
at No. 135 North Water street. This is now 
one of the largest clothing manufacturing 
plants in this part of the state. They manu- 
facture all kinds of men's clothing and neck- 
wear. In connection with this they own and 
conduct a retail store. Air. Elwood continued 
in the business until his death and the success 
of the concern was largely attributable to his 
labors, his keen business sagacity, his enter- 
prise and sound judgment. He applied him- 
self diligently to the work of building up a 
lirofitable business and his labors were re- 
warded as the years passed by with a hand- 
some competence. He made for himself a 



business record that any might envy. He 
never incurred an obligation that he did not 
meet or made an engagement that he did not 
fill and his word became a synonym for in- 
tegrity in all trade transactions. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Elwood were born four 
children: Cora M. and Lula R., who reside 
with their mother; Clifford, at home; and 
I'Vank. who is now secretary of the Race 
Clothing Manufacturing Company of De- 
catur. He, too, is living with his mother so 
tliat the family are all still together. 

It was in 1892 that they were called upon 
to mourn the loss of the husband and father, 
who on the 21st of January of that year passed 
away. In his political views he was a Repub- 
lican, always exercising his right of franchise 
in support of the men and measures of that 
party, yet never seeking nor desiring office. 
He held membership in the Masoil'c fraternity 
and both he and his wife were members of the 
Universalist church. Long he was recognized 
as one of the leading business men of the city 
and his name was honored in commercial and 
in social circles. His life record is indeed 
commendable and he left to his family an un- 
tarnished name as well as a handsome com- 
petence. Mrs. Elwood owns a beautiful brick 
residence at No. 270 West Nortli street, where 
she and her children reside and she also has 
an interest in the Race Clothing Manufactur- 
ing Company. The family is very prominent 
in Decatur society and no history of the city 
■would be complete without mention of Mr. 
Elwood, so long an active factor here in manu- 
facturing and mercantile circles. 



SAMUEL R. GEPFORD. 
.Samuel R. Gepford, who is now successfully 
engaged in farming and stock-raising on sec- 
tion 36, lUini township, was horn in that town- 
ship on the loth of November. 1870, a son of 
George and Letitia (Shepard) Gepford, the 
former of whom was born in Pennsylvania in 




MRS. FANNIE KEPLER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



745 



1825 and the latter in Illinois in 1834. The 
father, who was a farmer by occupation, came 
to Macon county at an early day and pur- 
chased land in Decatur township now owned 
by Mrs. Baker, of Decatur. He afterward 
disposed of that property and in the early '60s 
bought the farm where our subject now lives 
and where he died in 1885. He had one 
brother who died in California during the gold 
excitement in that state. The mother is now 
living with our subject on tlie old homestead 
in mini township. 

Sanuiel R. Gepford passed his boyhood and 
youth in much the usual manner of farmer 
lads, aiding in the labors of field and meadow 
during the summer months and attending 
Childs district school in Illini township 
through the winter until fifteen years of age. 
He then worked on a farm until he attained 
his majority, when he went to Phelps county, 
Nebraska, where he spent three months during 
the winter. On his return to Macon county 
he worked for one year in the Wabash Rail- 
road car shops at Decatur and for six months 
in Doake's livery stable. He was then mar- 
ried and engaged in the draying business for 
one year. The following year was spent upon 
his present farm and for two years he was em- 
ployed on a farm in Piatt county, Illinois. He 
then resumed draying in Decatur, and at the 
end of a year again accepted a position in the 
Wabash Railroad shops, where he was em- 
ployed two years. Since that he has resided 
on the old home farm, being one of the heirs 
to the place as well as to some land in Decatur 
township. He is now successfully operating 
eighty acres and is also interested in stock- 
raising. 

On the 6th of September, 1892, Mr. Gep- 
ford was united in marriage to Miss Arietta 
Crow, a daughter of A. J. and Margaret 
(Dobbs) Crow, who were born in Wheeling, 
West Virginia, and are now living in Decatur, 
where the father works at the carpenter's 
trade. Mrs. Gepford obtained her education 
in the schools of Elmwood. Peoria countv, Il- 



linois. Unto our subject and his wife have 
been born five children but two died at birth. 
The others were Ethel May, who was born 
August 6, 1893, and died July 16, 1894, being 
buried in Boiling Springs cemetery; Sylvan 
Ray, born April 30, 1895 ; and Maude Agnes, 
born July 20, 1897. In his political views Mr. 
Gepford is a Republican and he takes consid-' 
erable interest in public affairs. 



:\1RS. FANNIE KEPLER. 
Mrs. Fannie Kepler, a well known and 
highly esteemed resident of Maroa, is a na- 
tive of Franklin county, Ohio, and a daugh- 
ter of Hamilton and Carolina Williams: 
By occupation her father was a school 
teacher. She received a good practical edu- 
cation m the schools of her native county 
and remained under the parental roof until 
twcnty.-four years of age, when she gave 
her liand in marriage to Gideon Brintlinger, 
who made farming his life work. \Mien 
the Civil war broke out he enlisted for three 
years in an Ohio regiment and was stationed 
at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, for some 
time. While he was in the army his wife 
was left with the care of five small chil- 
dren and most capably did she perform her 
duties to her family. By that union seven 
children were born, namely: Daniel Brint- 
linger, the only^ son, is a resident of De- 
catur. 1 le had four children, Elmer, 
Mahlon, Austa and Abner, who died at 
twenty-one years of age. Mrs. Mina Diller 
lives in Jacksonville, Texas, and has two 
children : Mrs. Fannie Ross and Charles 
Braden, both of Decatur. Mrs. Mary Bra- 
den lives in Crowley, Louisiana, and has 
five children: Mrs. Stella Wyckoff, Dessie, 
Irene. Bernice and Eddie. Mrs. Anna Ben- 
nett makes her home in Maroa, this county, 
and has three children : Florence, Arthur 
and Roy. Mrs. Lizzie Trowbridge, also a 
resident of Maroa, had six children: Chase, 



746 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Seward, Vera, Fay, Russell and one who 
died in infancy. Mrs. Bessie Kepler lives 
in Decatur and lias four children : Earl, 
Homer, Ralph and Florence. Mrs. Belle 
Jones, a widow living in Decatur, had one 
son, Preston, who died at the age of seven 
years. One daughter married a son of our 
subject's second husband and another mar- 
ried a son of her third husband. 

After the death of her first husband Mrs. 
Brintlinger married Peter Bennett, who 
was born in .Mansfield, Ohio, and came to 
Illinois with his family in early life, being 
one of the early settlers of Austin township, 
Macon coimty, where he owned and oper- 
ated one thousand acres of land. About 
twenty-eight years ago he removed to the 
village of Maroa, which then contained but 
two houses, and was engaged in the drug 
business there for fifteen years. The fol- 
lowing three years were spent in Kenney, 
where he did a baid<ing business iij part- 
nership with Dr. Axton, but at the end of 
that time he returned to Maroa and re- 
sunu-d business with .Mr. Smolz. This con- 
nection continued up to the time of his 
death, which occurred September 20, 1886. 
He was a very successful and reliable busi- 
ness man who did not confine his attention 
wholly to one line, but was interested in a 
numl)er of enterprises. I'pon his farm he 
raised a large number of cattle anil hogs, 
besides great quantities of grain, and in 
this as in other undertakings he prospered. 
The Democratic ])arly found in Mr. Ben- 
nett a stanch supporter of its principles and 
he efficiently served as supervisor, tax col- 
lector and road commissioner in his town- 
ship, lie belonged to the Independent Or- 
der of Odd Fellows, and was a consistent 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church. 
to which our subject also belongs. There 
were seven children born to them, as fol- 
lows: Katherine is now the wife of Charles 
Smith, of Crowley, Louisiana, and has two 
children by a former marriage, Limi and 



Dale. Jennie is the wife of C. W. Wyckoff, 
of Decatur, and has three children: Forrest, 
Preston and Savarre. Jessie married J. 
Bradley and lives in Decatur. Thomas 
Edwin and Grovie are at home with their 
mother. The former completed his educa- 
tion at Bloomington, Illinois, and is now 
bookkeeper for Hitt & Company of Maroa. 
Susie and Jessie died in infancy. 

^irs. Bennett was again married Octo- 
ber 3, 1889, her third union being with 
Samuel Kepler, who was born in Warren 
county, Ohio, and received his education 
in the public schools of Dayton, that state, 
in which city he was reared. He had also 
been married twice before and has four 
children living: George and Horace, both 
residents of Decatur ; Elza D., who makes 
his home in Columbus, Ohio ; and Tentie, 
who lives in Colorado. 

Mrs. Kepler is the owner of a fine farm 
of three hundred and twenty acres in this 
county, which she rents, besides consid- 
eralsle rice land in Louisiana. Several years 
ago she took an active interest in real estate 
and did a good business in that line, getting 
up several excursions into Louisiana for 
the i)urchase and sale of lands in that state. 
In addition to her other property she owns 
a beautiful home in Maroa, which was 
erected by her two years ago. She is a 
woman of exceptional business ability and 
keen discrimination and has met with suc- 
cess in the conduct of her business affairs. 
Pleasant and ladylike in manner, she makes 
friends where\-er she goes and is held in 
high regard by all who know her. 



J. B. CLARK. 
J. 11. Clark, an honored veteran of the 
Civil war and a well known farmer residing 
on section k). Blue Mound township, was 
born on the loih of May, 1837, in the state 
of Tennessee, a son of Tames and Sarah 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



747 



(Gaines) Clark, both natives of Tennessee. 
By occupation the father was a blacksmith. 
In the family were nine children, as follows : 
Thomas, who married and lived in Tennes- 
see ; Martha, wife of James Hoover, a miller 
of Kentucky; Joseph, who married Eliza- 
beth Smith, and follows farming in Ran- 
dolph county, Missouri: Jane, who died 
when a young lady; J. B., of this review; 
Martin, a machinist, who wedded Millie 
Morgan and died in August, 1901 ; George, 
who is married and engaged in blacksmith- 
ing in Missouri. 

J. B. Clark received his education in the 
common schools of Kentucky and Illinois. 
It was in the latter '50s that he came to this 
state and took up his residence in Sangamon 
county, where he worked for James An- 
thony for two years, and was then with 
Charles Sage four years. Still later he was 
in the employ of Coby Smith, in Sangamon 
county. 

In 1861 Mr. Clark came to Macon county 
and here he enlisted on the Sth of August, 
that year, in Company E, Forty-first Illi- 
nois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain 
Armstrong and Colonel Pugh. The regi- 
ment, which was assigned to the Seven- 
teenth Army Corps, was under the com- 
mand of General Tupper. The first engage- 
ment in which our subject participated was 
at Fort Highman, followed by the battles 
■of Fort Donelson, Corinth, Shiloh and 
Vicksburg. After the battle of Corinth he 
was in the hospital at Keokuk, Iowa, for 
seven months, and then went to St. Louis, 
where he re-enlisted. For some time his 
command guarded the river from that city 
to Natchez, Tennessee. At length ]Mr. 
Clark received an honorable discharge at 
Vicksburg in February, 1865, and returned 
north. At Shiloh he was struck by a ball 
in the finger, and after his re-enlistment he 
was crippled by a horse falling upon him in 
a skirmish. His leg was badly bruised and 
broke out in sores, which were over a year 



in healing. He now draws a pension of 
eight dollars per month as a compensation 
for the injuries he received in the service. 
After his return to Macon county he re- 
sumed farming and is to-day the owner of 
one hundred and thirty-four acres of land 
on sections 18 and 19, Blue Mound town- 
ship, which he has placed under a high state 
of cultivation. 

On the i8th of March, 1866, Mr. Clark 
was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. 
Hall, a daughter of Alfred and Jane (Smith) 
Hall, of Macon county. Her father came 
from Tennessee to Illinois at an early day 
and entered land in this county. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Clark have been born eleven 
children, namely: Charles, born February 
13, 1867, married Clara Pearson and is en- 
gaged in farming in Macon county. Cora 
Alice, born January 26, 1869, was married 
in March, 1898, to Charles Johnson, also 
a farmer of this county. Jennie Frances, 
born June 18, 1871, married Homer Ping, 
who died January 14, 1897, and she is now 
living at home with her parents. Frank 
Leslie, born February 28, 1874, married 
Li Hie Portwood, and is engaged in farming 
in Sullivan county, Illinois. Nora Agnes, 
born June 18, 1876, is the wife of John 
Crouch, who lives on a farm in this county. 
Eugene, born January 18, 1879, married 
Charlotte Kissle and is in the employ of the 
A\^abash Railroad, making his home in 
Boody. Liddia Stella, born June 27, 1881, 
is the wife of Thomas Harbarger, a sales- 
man living near Blue Mound. Chester 
Luther, born December 12, 1883, is at home. 
Anna May, born August 3, 1886, is the wife 
of Archie Vermillion, a farmer of ^Macon 
county. Oscar Bruce, born November 13, 
1888, and Alfred Aferlin, born June 27, 1891, 
are both at home with their parents. 

In his social relations Mr. Clark is a 
member of Blue Mound Post, G. A. R., 
and both he and his wife hold membership 
in the Baptist church. Their lives have 



748 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ever been in harmon\ with iheir professions 
and they are held in Uu- highest regard by 
all who know them. Mr. Clark has always 
been found a patriotic and loyal citizen, as 
true to his country's interests in days of 
peace as in time of war, and he well merits 
the high regard in which he is held. 



FRANK D. TDRREN'CE. 
J- rank I). Torrencc, who has charge of Fair- 
view Park in Decatur as its custodian, was 
born in Sharpsville, fiercer county, Pennsyl- 
vania, on the 1st of Jul\-, 1853. The family 
is of Scotch-Irish descent and the physical 
characteristic of the family is large stature. 
Patriotism is also one of the salient features 
in the Torrence history and at the time of the 
Civil war a number of representatives of the 
name were loyal defenders of the Union cause. 
Oscar Tdrrencc. a hmthcr of our subject, 
was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. 
John Torrence, the grandfather on the pa- 
ternal side, was a colonel of the war of 1812. 
James Torrence, the father of Frank D. Tor- 
rence. was born in Pennsylvania and was a 
blacksniilb by trade. In the year 1S58 he re- 
moved to Ohio, where he spent his remaining 
days, his death occurring in 1872, when he 
was sixt\-si,x years of age. In his boyhood 
days he had been a playmate of Governor 
Tod, of Ohio, and they had early espoused the 
cause of the Whig i)arty. James Torrence was 
united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Thatcher, 
a daughter of John Thatcher, who was a na- 
tive of Philadelphia and belonged to the So- 
ciety of Friends. Uis wife bore the maiden 
name of Betsey Inr.ian and was a relative of 
the Inmans who own the steamship line. John 
Thatcher became a man of great wealth and 
distinction. His daughter, Mrs. Torrence, 
pas.sed away at Bement, Illinois, in 1884, when 
seventy-six years of age. Unto the parents of 
our subject were born eight children, includ- 
ing General Joseph Thatcher Torrence, who 



died on the 4th of November, 1896. He was 
a close personal friend of the late President 
McKinley. 

Frank D. Torrence, whose name introduces 
this review, had but limited school privileges, 
for at the early age of nine years he began 
to work in a blast furnace in his native town 
in connection with the operation of an engine. 
His father and other members of the family 
were at that time at the front, engaged in pro- 
tecling the Union during the Civil war. Thus 
it was necessar_\ that the boy should earn his 
own living. He followed engineering in dif- 
ferent capacities until 1901. At the age of 
seventeen he became a fireman on the Atlantic 
& (jreat W'estern Railroad, but was soon pro- 
moted to the rank of engineer and in 1888 he 
became engineer on the Jacksonville & South- 
western Railroad. He at one time was engi- 
neer of a dredging boat engaged in the ditch- 
ing of Nigger Wool Swamp in Ogle county, 
Illinois, also did similar work in Latham, 
Logan county, Illinois, and Daviess county, 
Indiana. For three years prior to accepting 
his present position he had charge of the water 
works at Bement, Piatt county, Illinois, and 
also served as city marshal for two years of 
that time. 

On the I2th of June. lyoi, he took charge 
of Fairview Park in l^ecatur as custodian. It 
was then a tncre field. Nature had done nnich 
for the place, but man had done little and 
much of the beauty of this park to-day is due 
to the ingenuity, efforts and artistic sense of 
Mr. Torrence. He has been very industrious 
and unremitting in his work and has accom- 
plished much during the two years spent here. 
He established the greenhouse in which are 
started all of the plants that are used in the 
decoration of the park. Through his instru- 
mentality the road was built over the hill and 
through the grove. Bridges have been built, 
cobble and brick gutters have been construct- 
ed, rope and pole swings have been put up 
and much rustic work has been done, adding 
largely to the natural beauty of the place. The 




J. H. BLACK 




MRS J. H. BLACK 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



753 



pavilion has been painted, cannon has been 
planted and the park has been cleared of 
weeds, over one hundred trees have been set 
out and the old historic log courthouse once 
used by Abraham Lincoln has been repaired. 
It stands near the south border of the park 
and is a landmark of the old times which 
should be greatly cherished by the people of 
Decatur and the country. 

In 1873 Mr. Torrence was united in mar- 
riage to !Miss Emma Phillips, of Cleveland, 
Ohio,' and they have one daughter, Rebecca 
Thatcher Torrence. Socially he is connected 
with the Improved Order of Red Men and he 
exercises his right of franchise in support of 
the men and measures of the Republican 
party. His understanding of rnechanical prin- 
ciples together with his eye for beauty and his 
recognition of possibilities in this direction 
have made him splendidly qualified for the 
position which he is now filling. As cus- 
todian of the park he has certainly added 
greatly to the beauty of the park system of 
Decatur and deserves high commendation for 
what he has accomplished. 



JOHN I-I. BLACK. 
Among the highly esteemed citizens of 
Decatur who are now living a retired life 
after many years of active identification 
with the business interests of the city 
should be numbered John H. Black, who 
resides at No. 171 West Wood street, that 
being his home continuously for the past 
forty years. He w^as born in Alishawaka, 
St. Joseph county, Indiana, on the 7th of 
February, 1842, a son of Samuel and Cath- 
erine (McGrath) Black, who were horn 
near Belfast in County Down, Ireland. It 
was in 1820 that the father left his native 
land and came to the new world in com- 
pany with his father, John Black, and sev- 
eral brothers, among them being Hugh, 
who was a sailor on Lake Michigan, with 



lieadquarters in Chicago, and was drowned 
during a storm t)n that lake ; John, who 
died in Canada ; and Frank, who was the 
youngest in the family and was about fif- 
teen 3'ears of age when he came to this 
country. The family took passage on a sail- 
ing vessel which weighed anchor at Belfast 
and alter a voyage of seven weeks they' 
landed in Quebec, whence they made their 
way by boat up the St. Lawrence river to 
Lake Ontario and located at Port Del- 
housie, Canada. In 1833 they made their 
way westward to Chicago and from there 
removed to St. Joseph, Michigan, and later 
to Mishawaka, Indiana. Our subject's 
grandfather died there in 1861. The only 
one of his children now living is Frank 
Black. During ,the war with Mexico he en- 
tered the United States army from Wiscon- 
sin and for valiant service was promoted 
to lieutenant of his company. He served 
under General Shields and General Win- 
field Scott. At the close of the war he re- 
turned to Mishawaka, Indiana, where he 
learned the carpenter's trade, but during 
the gold excitement in California, he crossed 
the plains with ox teams in the spring of 
1S49, '1^ requiring six months to make the 
trip, and he remained five years on the Pa- 
cific slope. At the end of that time he again 
returned to Mishawaka, where he married 
Hannah Buck and after her death he was 
married again. When the gold fever broke 
out at Pike's Peak he again went west but 
this time remained only one year in the 
gold fields of Colorado, returning to his 
home in Indiana at the end of that time. 
When the Civil war was inaugurated he 
once more entered the army and for four 
years fought for the preservation of the 
Union, taking part in many important bat- 
tles. He was promoted from private to 
captain and when hostilities ceased was 
honorably discharged. Returning to Mish- 
awaka, he worked at the carpenter's trade 
for some vears and later followed farming, 



754 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



l)iit is now living a retired life in Mish- 
awaka. 

( )n coming to America Samuel I'.lack, the 
father of our subject, first located at Port 
Delhousie, Canada, where he was employed 
as a mechanic on the Welland canal, which 
was then in course of construction. About 
1834 he went to Chicago, but as he found 
business verj- dull in the embrj'o city and 
being unable to secure work, he shortly 
afterward went to Mishawaka, Indiana, 
where he obtained the position of foreman 
of the blast furnaces of a large iron foundry. 
He remained there until his death, which 
occurred on the loth of August, 1849. H*^ 
had been converted from the church of 
England to the Catholic faith, and he gave 
his political support to the WHiig party. 
His wife, who survix'ed him for some years, 
made her home with her children in 
Misliawaka after his death until 1862, when 
she came to iJecatur to live witli our sub- 
ject and died here in April, 1865. In the 
family of this worthy couple were six chil- 
dren, namely: Eliza, who died in infancy; 
I'dlen, now the widow of Andrew Mullegan 
and a resident of South Bend, Indiana ; 
John 11., of this review: James Joseph, who 
died in infancy: Belle, wife of John Feiten. 
of Mishawaka, Indiana; and Mary, widow 
of Peter Haubert, of the same city. 

John II. I'dack received his early educa- 
tion in the subscri])tion schools of Mish- 
awaka and later attended what was then 
termed the high grade school. His first 
work was on a farm, driving an o.\ team to 
a plow, for which he received fifty cents 
yier day and his board. Later he was em- 
ployed in a lumberyard and at the age of 
seventeen years commenced learning the 
shoemaker's lra<le. at which he worked in 
Mishawaka until the fall of 1860, when he 
went to Chicago and was similarly em- 
ployed there tmtil the <)th of July. 1862. 
■which date witnessed his arrival in Deca- 
tur. Here he worked for W. F. Busher 



until 1870. wlien he became a member of 
the firm, a partnership that continued until 
1885. They enjoyed a wide reputation 
throughout the county and as a result built 
up a good trade. On his retirement from 
that business Mr. Black opened a shoe store 
in partnership witb his son, Frank P., and 
they carried on the same until 1887, since 
which lime our subject has jiractically 
lived retired. 

On the loth of .-Xugust, 1803, at St. Pat- 
rick's Catholic church, Mr. Black was mar- 
ried by Rev. Father Vogt to Miss Eliza- 
beth McDonald. She was born December 
28, 1842, in County Kildare, Ireland, about 
nine miles from the city of Dublin, and is a 
daughter of Patrick and Bridget McDonald, 
also natives of the lunerald Isle. It was 
about 1850 that her father brought his fam- 
ily to -Vmerica and shortly after his arrival 
in this country located at Decatur, Illinois, 
where he and his wife made their home un- 
til their deaths, both living to a remarkably 
old age. They were consistent members of 
the Catholic church and most estimable 
people. In their family were four sons and 
two daughters but only Mrs. Black and her 
brother. Peter McDonald, are now living. 
The later is also a resident of Decatur. 
Mrs. Black was the youngest of the chil- 
dren that came to America with the parents 
and she distinctly remembers the ocean 
voyage, made on a sailing vessel. 

Unto our subject and his wife were born 
se\'en children, six sons and one daughter, 
as follows: Frank P., born August 30, 
1864, is now with the S. J. Clarke Publish- 
ing Company, of Chicago, the compilers of 
this volume. He first married Louisa M. 
Dillev, of Shelbyville. Illinois, who died 
November 28, 1898, and on the 2()th of 
November, 1901, he w'edded .Minnie J. 
,'^chaefer, of Geneseo. Illinois. Of the five 
children born of the first union two died 
in infancy, those living being Fthal M., 
(]race E. and Ruth F. There is one child 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



755 



b}- the second marriage. Lenora Catherine. 
Wilham H.. our subject's second son, was 
born July 29, 1866, and died in infancy. 
Edward J., born December 29, 1868, is also 
connected with the S. J. Clarke Publishing 
company and resides with his parents in 
Decatur. John S., born February 22, 1872, 
is an engineer on the Terminal Railroad at 
St. Louis. He married Mollie Koepples, of 
that city, and the}- have two children, 
Thompson and Jerome. Louis W., born 
November 2, 1874, resides in Decatur and 
is bookkeeper for the Model Laundry Com- 
pany. Haubert B., born January 24, 1882, 
is also a resident of Decatur and is drafts- 
man for the H. Mueller Manufacturing Com- 
pany. Mary E., born Jaiiuar}^ 26, 1876, is 
at home with her parents. 

Religiously both ]Mr. and Airs. Black are 
devout members of St. Patrick's Catholic 
church of Decatur. The former was bap- 
tized in the little log school church, which 
was erected b}' the Missionary Fathers, it 
being the first building to occupy the site 
of the now famous Notre Dame University, 
and when a boy he served Rev. Father Gen- 
eral Sorin, the founder of the university, 
at the altar as acolyte during the celebra- 
tion of mass. His father was buried in the 
Notre Dame cemetery. In politics Mr. Black 
is independent, voting for the men and 
measures which he believes are for the best 
interests of the people. Fraternallv he is 
a member of the Decatur Council, Knights 
of Columbus. He deserves classification 
among the self-made men of this locality, 
for he came to ]\Iacon county in 1862 with- 
out a dollar and when a young man sup- 
ported his mother and sisters until the lat- 
ter were married. After that his mother 
lived with him until her death. He deserves 
great credit for what he has accomplished 
in life and justly merits the confidence and 
trust so freely accorded him by his fellow 
citizens. He has ever been a kind, indul- 
gent, loving husband and father and a 



friendsliip that he once gained has always 
been retained. He is widely and favorably 
known throughout his adopted county and 
is accounted one of Decatur's most re- 
spected citizens. 



L. E. ROGERS. 

This well known and energetic farmer re- 
siding on section 24, Maroa township, has 
spent his entire life in Macon county, his birth 
occurring here on the 8th of May, 1867. His 
father. R. H. Rogers, was also born in this 
county in 1837 and was a representative of one 
of its honored pioneer families. Amid fron- 
tier scenes he grew to manhood and he took 
an active part in the early development and 
upbuilding of this section of the state. He 
made farming his life work and after a useful 
and well spent life died in 1901, his remains 
being interred in Ridge cemetery. The mother 
of our subject, who bore the maiden name of 
Rachel A. Demsey, is still living in Macqn 
county, which is also the home of three broth- 
ers and one sister of our subject. 

L. E. Rogers passed his boyhood and youth 
upon the home farm and early became fa- 
miliar with the work of field and meadow, 
while in the district schools of the neighbor- 
hood he gained a good knowledge of the 
branches of learning therein taught. At the 
age of twenty-one he began farming on his 
own account, and after operating rented land 
for five years he was able to purchase one 
hundred and twenty acres, which he afterward 
sold and then purchased his present farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres on section 24, 
Alaroa township. Industrious, enterprising 
and progressive, he has carried on his work 
in a creditable manner and the prosperity that 
has come to him is certainly well merited. He 
raises grain mostly but gives some attention 
to the raising of cattle and hogs for market. 
His farm is well improved and its neat and 
thrifty appearance indicates to the passerby 



75t) 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



that the owner thoroughly understands the 
vocation he has chosen as a life work. 

In 1892 Mr. Rogers was united in marriage 
to Miss Anna Rau, also a native of Macon 
county, and to them have been born two chil- 
dren : Clayton R. and one who died in in- 
fancy. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are both mem- 
bers of the United Brethren church and he is 
also connected with the Modern Woodmen of 
America. His political support is given the 
Republican party. 



G. FRED GIL:\IAN. 
Among the sturdy, energetic and reliable 
citizens of Macon county whose lives have 
been devoted to agricultural pursuits is G. 
Fred Gilman, who now owns and operates a 
good farm of one hundred and sixty acres on 
section 29, Illini township. A native of 
Illinois, he was born at Long Ridge, Marshall 
county, August 14. 1857, his parents being 
George and Sarah H. (Coding) Gilman. His 
father was born on the 4th of January, 1831, 
in Parsonsfield, Maine, of English ancestry, 
and his mother was also a native of the Pine 
Tree state, her birth having occurred in York 
county, Maine. April 15, 1830. She was of 
Welsh descent. Our subject's paternal grand- 
father spent his last days in Macon county 
and died at the home of his son George on 
section 29, Illini township. May 17. 1887, his 
remains being interred in the Illini cemetery. 
He was born May 9, 1802. In 1846 the 
father left his old home in the east and came 
to Illinois, locating first in Marshall county, 
where he purchased one hundred and sixty 
acres of land. In 1865 he removed to Bureau 
county and bought an eighty-acre farm, mak- 
ing his home thereon until coming to Macon 
county in 1868. Here he purchased the north 
half of section 29, Illini township, where our 
subject now resides, and afterward added to 
his farm an eighty-acre tract on section 20. 
Throughout his active business life he engaged 



in farming and met with fair success in his 
work. He died October 3, 1899, and his wife 
August 24, 1892, honored and respected by 
all who knew them, and they were laid to rest 
in the Illini cemetery. 

This worthy couple were the parents of 
four children, of wl.om G. Fred is the oldest. 
Bessie A., the second in order of birth, suc- 
cessfully engaged in teaching school in Macon 
county for a time and is now living on the 
old home farm in Illini township. Richard 
E. married Addie D.^ Mills, and is now en- 
gaged in farming in Modesto, California. 
Sadie G. is the w'ife of B. F. Tucker, a grain 
merchant of Morton, Tazewell county, Illinois. 

G. Fred Gilman is indebted to the district 
schools of Illini township for the early edu- 
cational privileges he enjoyed and for one year 
he was a student at the University of Illinois. 
Leaving school at the age of twenty years, he 
gave his father the benefit of his labors on 
the home farm imtil he attained his majority 
and then started out in life for himself, operat- 
ing the farm where he still lives. Here he has 
made his home since 1879, and he is now the 
owner of a rich and arable tract of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres on section 29. Illini town- 
ship, on which he has made many useful and 
valuable improvements. 

On the 23d of December, 1885, at Osceola, 
Clarke county, Iowa, was celebrated the mar- 
riage of Mr. Gilman and Miss Caroline A. 
Young, who was born in Trivoli, Peoria coun- 
ty, Illinois, December 5, 1861, and was edu- 
cated in the grammar and high schools of 
Osceola, Iowa. Her father was born in Scitu- 
ate, Massachusetts. August 11, 1827. and is 
still living. He traces his ancestry on both 
sides back to the Pilgrims who came to this 
country. in the ^Tayflowcr and the entire fam- 
ily history appears in the book of Hanover, 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Gilman's paternal great- 
grandfather. Levi Young, was captain of a 
colonial privateer preying on English com- 
merce in American waters during the Revolu- 
tionary war, and her great-uncle, George 




T. C STONER 




MRS. T. C STONER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



759 



Pratt, served as a private soldier in the Con- 
tinental army during the entire war, never 
■coming home until peace was restored. Mrs. 
LHlman's maternal grandmother, who was a 
Bailey, belonged to an old and prominent fam- 
ily, whose coat of arms were Az., nine estoiles, 
three, three, two and one, ar., and crest, a 
morning star ppr. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gilman have been born 
five children : George A., born November 29, 
1886; Harold B., born December 6, 1888; 
Gladys E., born July 28, i8gi ; Adelaide B., 
born June 15, 1893; and Carol D., who was 
born Alarch 28, 1898, and died July 31, 1898. 
her remains being interred in the Illini cem- 
etery. 

Politicall}' Mr. Gilman affiliates with the Re- 
publican party, and socially he is identified 
with the Modern Woodmen of America. Both 
he and his wife are members of the Ilhni Con- 
gregational church and are widely and favora- 
bly known in the community where they re- 
side, having a host of warm friends through- 
out the county. Mrs. Gilman belongs to the 
Royal Neighbors of America at Warrensburg, 
Illinois. 



THOMAS C. STONER. 
Thomas C. Stoner, one of the old and 
honored residents of Mount Zion township, 
was born on the 24th of March, 1829, in 
Bath county, Kentucky, and is a represen- 
tative of one of the earliest families of that 
state. His paternal grandfather, Michael 
Stoner, was a native of Germany and on 
coming to America first located in Virginia 
but went to Kentucky with Daniel Boone, 
the 'noted Indian fighter and pioneer. There 
.Michael Stoner died at the age of fifty years. 
He Was once wounded in battle with the 
Indians. He married a Miss Sarah Tribble, 
who lived to the advanced age of ninety 
years, and to them were born the following 



children: Leonard, Washington, Michael, 
Peter, Andrew, Nancy and Sallie. Sarah 
Tribble was the sister of Peter Tribble, who 
married a Miss Boone, the daughter of 
George Boone, who was a brother of Daniel 
Boone. 

G. \\'ashington Stoner, of this family, 
was the father of our subject. He spent 
his entire life in Kentucky and made farm- 
ing his principal occupation, though he 
filled the office of sheriflf of Madison county 
for a time when a young man. He married 
Nancy Tribble, a daughter of Peter Tribble, 
who was a Baptist minister of Kentucky 
and died near Richmond, ^Madison county, 
that state. Mr. and Mrs. Stoner spent their 
last days in Mount Sterling, Montgomery 
county, Kentucky, where he died at the age 
of eighty-four years and she at the age of 
seventy-seven. They were the parents of 
twelve children, namely : Clinton, Sarah, 
Michael, Mary Ann, Peter and Fannie, all 
deceased ; Alinerva, who first married John 
Grubbs and second Richard L. Williams, 
and died in New Orleans ; Washington, who 
is now living at Lake Charles, Louisiana ; 
Thomas C, of this review ; and Nannie, 
Maria and Robert G., all three deceased. 

Thomas C. Stoner was educated in the 
public schools of his native state and Mount 
Sterling Academy. At the age of twenty- 
three years he began farming on his own 
account in Bath county, Kentucky, remain- 
ing there three years, and at the end of 
that time came to I\Iacon county, Illinois, 
where he has since made his home. In 1857 
he purchased three hundred and twenty- 
four acres of land on section 29, Mount 
Zion township, and to the improvement and 
cultivation of that place he continued to 
devote his time and energies until his re- 
tirement from active labor. He has added 
fifty acres to the original tract and now has 
a place one mile long and a half mile wide. 
The fields are well tilled, the fences are in 
good repair and the buildings are substan- 



760 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



tial. the residence liaviiif^- been erected in 

1873- 

r.orn and reared in the south, Mr. Stoner's 
syinpatliies were with the Confederacy dur- 
ing the dark days of the Civil war. and on 
the 12th of October, 1861, he joined a cav- 
alry company at Cumberland Ford, about 
twelve miles from Cunibcrlnnd Gap. This 
company was under the command of his 
brother and the regiment to which it was 
assigned was under Cencral Zollie Coffer. 
Our subject participated in the engagements 
at Rock Castle river and Princeton, Vir- 
ginia, and Middle Creek, Kentucky, besides 
numerous skirmishes, and after the battle of 
Middle Creek was discharged at .\bingdon, 
Virgina. December 12, 1862, but he subse- 
quently went on the IMorgan raid with Col- 
onel Roy Clarke. At that time his brother. 
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stoner, and Colo- 
nel Breckenridge were at McMinnville, Ten- 
nessee. He left Morgan at Licking, near 
Zanesville, Ohio, with two comrades, Pen- 
dleton Ewing and John Fessler, who went 
from Cincinnati to Maysvillc, Kentucky, and 
then on foot over the Maysville and Mount 
Sterling pike to his father's farm, reaching 
home on the ist of March, 1864. 

On the 3d of September, 1851, Mr. Stoner 
was united in marriage to Miss Nannie J. 
Hathaway, a daughter of Philip Hathaway, 
of Montgomery county. Kentucky. .She 
died April 28, 1900, at the age of sixty-nine 
years. By this union were born eight chil- 
dren as follows : William Clinton, who died 
in Texas, had three children : Hope A., 
Royal and Clinton, the last now deceased. 
Andrew was scalded to death at the age of 
two 3^ears. Millard is also deceased. Mary 
P. is the wife of W. W. Burt, principal of 
the McLeonard school of Springfield, Illi- 
nois, and they have seven children: Price, 
Clinton Miriam, Margaret, Robert, James 
and Hathaway. Thomas C. is a resident of 
Mount Zion township, this conuty. Robert 
L., who married a Miss Glenn, is a resident 



of Macon township. Nannie H. is the wife 
of Walter S. Bromley, who lives on our sub- 
ject's farm, and they had three children: 
Elva, W'allace, and \'era, deceased. Mattie 
.\. is the wife of Thomas Smith, of South 
Wheatland township. They have three chil- 
dren : T. Weaver, Nannie Hathaway and 
Daniel Boone Michael Stoner Peter Tribble. 
?\ir. Stoner is spending his declining years 
on his farm, looking after his interests, but 
he leaves the operation of the land to younger 
hands, while he practically lives retired. 
Since casting his first vote he has affiliated 
with the Democratic party and has always 
taken a deep interest in public afl'airs. He 
is widely and favorably known in the coun- 
ty where he has now made his home for 
almost a half century and he has the respect 
and confidence of his fellow citizens. 



THORL\S T. ROBERTS. 
Thomas T. Roberts was born on a farm 
near Charleston, Coles county, Illinois, of 
.Scotch-Irish Presbyterian parents, who emi- 
grated from East Tennessee about 1830. 
He is the ninth child of a family of three 
sisters and seven brothers. His early life 
was spent cm the farm, working during the 
summer and in winter attending the school 
which was then held in a log schoolhouse 
near the farm. The Charleston Academy 
was afterward establi.shed and he took ad- 
vantage of this better opportunity for an 
education. He enlisted in Company A, One 
Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Volun- 
teers in 1862 and continued in active ser- 
vice with his regiment until the close of 
the war, being mustered out in July, 1865. 
He was once wounded in a battle at Selma, 
-Alabama, April 2, 1865. Immediately upon 
his return from the war he came to Decatur 
and associated with his brother. Dr. J. E. 
Roberts, in the drug business and continued 
in the same until 1872. He then entered in- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



761 



to co-partnersliip with Captain R. P. Lytle 
and O. Z. Green and built up what was 
afterwards known as the Decatur Coffin 
Company, where he has continued ever 
since. 

;\lr. Roberts was married in 1870 to Miss 
Rachel T. Musgrave, of Cincinnati, who 
died in 1882. In 1886 he was again married 
to Miss Anna H. Jack of Decatur. Mr. 
Roberts has been prominently associated 
with many of the business interests of De- 
catur, among others the raising of the one 
hundred thousand dollars by the citizens, 
which secured the location of the James 
Millikin University. Since its establish- 
ment, he has been a member of the board of 
directors of this imiversity. 

Politically Mr. Roberts is a Prohibiti\-e 
Republican, and was one of the six alder- 
men, who. in 1883, voted the city anti- 
license. He is a man who believes and 
trusts men, and thinks success is always 
within the reach of all who are willing to 
pay the penalty in honest effort. He does 
not think success is always measured by the 
money standard, but that to be honest, in- 
dustrious and true is to be successful. 



FRANK J. AHTTAN, M. D. 

One of the recent additions to the citizen- 
ship of Decatur is Dr. Frank J. Alittan, who 
removed from Colfax, McLean county, Il- 
linois. He has already won favorable atten- 
tion here and is building up a good practice, 
for he is recognized as a thorough student of 
his profession who keeps abreast of the times 
and the improvement that is continually being 
made in the practice of medicine and surgery. 
He was born in DeWitt county, Illinois, April 
13, 1865, and obtained his literary education 
in the district schools and in the high school 
of Farmer City. 

His father, George H. Mittan, was born in 
Scranton, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1837, 



and when twelve years of age accompanied his 
parents on their removal to Lee county, Il- 
linois, where after completing a course in the 
common schools he learned the blacksmith's 
trade and later conducted a shop of his own. 
Subsequently he became the owner of a farm 
which he operated for a time or until turning 
his attention into mercantile affairs. He is 
now engaged in the ice business in Farmer 
City, Illinois. He has been twice married, 
having on the 24th of December, 1862, wedded 
Miss Eliza Margaret Erwin, of Farmer City, 
by whom he had seven children, five sons and 
two daughters, namely : Clara B., Frank J., 
Wesley C, Effie J., Ira C, Elmer, and Ora C. 
The eldest daughter became the wife of John 
S. Brandon of Bellflower, Illinois, and they 
have two daughters, Alyrtle and Pearl. They 
now reside in IMarshalltown, Iowa. Effie J. 
is the wife of Frederick D. Rhea, who form- 
erly lived in Bellflower, but is now a railroad 
agent, living at Marion, Illinois. They have 
three living children. Mrs. Eliza Mittan died 
August 31, 1888, and the father of our sub- 
ject was again married March 3, 1897, his 
second union being with Mrs. Fannie 
( Knight) Wharton. 

After completing his literary education Dr. 
INIittan engaged in teaching school for four 
years, being for two years a teacher in the 
country schools and for a similar period in the 
high school at Bellflower, Illinois. During 
the vacation months of 1883-4-5 he studied 
medicine with Dr. Godfrey of Bellflower and 
in the fall of 1887 he entered the Miami Medi- 
cal College of Cincinnati. Ohio, where he re- 
mained for one year. He then taught school 
as principal of the high school of Bellflower 
and in 1888 he entered the Rush Medical Col- 
lege of Chicago, in which he was graduated 
with the class of 1891. 

Immediately after receiving his diploma the 
Doctor located in Colfax and entered upon the 
practice of his profession, in which he has 
since met with enviable success. He was a 
member of the McLean County Medical So- 



r()2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



cict)- and also Ijelongs to the State Alcdica! 
Society, taking an active interest in each or- 
ganization. On leaving Colfax he came to 
Decatur and has already won prominence as a 
medical practitioner here. 

On the 24th of November, 1896, Dr. Mittan 
was united in marriage to Miss Emma L. 
Rutchcr, of Bellflower, Illinois. Her father, 
James C. Butcher, was born near Crawfords- 
ville, Indiana, October 7, 1829, and was edu- 
cated in the schools of his native state. He 
always followed the occupation of farming. 
In 1852 he wedded Jane C. Emmett, of Craw- 
fordsville, Indiana, and they became the par- 
ents of three sons and three daughters, but 
two of the sons died in infancy. Those now 
living are: Flora E., Emma L., John. A. and 
Ida A. The family removed to McLean coun- 
ty, Illinois, in 1850, locating in Oldtown, 
where Mr. Butcher resumed farming opera- 
tions. His first wife died November 3, 1870, 
and he afterward wedded Mrs. Susan Harris, 
nee Fordyce, this marriage being solemnized 
October 2, 1871. Three children have been 
])orn of this union : Jay A., Myron H. and 
Jessie H. Mr. Butcher is now living a retired 
life. Flora E. Butcher, a sister of Mrs. Mit- 
tan, is now the wife of Lincoln P. Goodhart, 
of Chicago. They have a daughter, Ina L. 
Tiic paternal grandfather of Mrs. Mittan was 
John Butcher, who was born in 1799, the eld- 
est member of his father's family. He mar- 
ried Abigail Monahan. The great-grand- 
father, James Butcher, was born in 1777 and 
he, too, was the oldcf' nember of the family 
to which he belonged. His wife bore the 
maiden name of Mary Patterson. The ma- 
ternal grandparents of Mrs. Mittan were Peter 
and Silence (Shobe) Monahan. 

Fraternally Dr. Mittan is a member of Col- 
fax Lodge, No. 799, -A.. F. & A. M. ; of Bloom- 
ington Chapter, -No. 26, R. A. M. ; Blooming- 
ton Council, No. 43, R. & S. M. ; and DeMo- 
lay Commandery, No. 24, K. T., of Blooming- 
ton. While in Colfax he took an active part 
in everything pertaining to the welfare of the 



village. He was especially interested in edu- 
cational matters, his experience as a teacher 
enabling him to know what was for the best 
interests of the schools. He acted as a mem- 
ber of the board of education for eight years 
and for five years was its president. He was 
also a member of the board of aldermen and 
acted as its president for one year. He like- 
wise served as chairman of the board of health 
in Colfax and in all his official positions dis- 
charged his duties with marked fairness, capa- 
bility and for the best interests of the general 
public. His political support has ever been 
given to the Republican party and he is a 
stanch advocate of its principles. He con- 
tinued an active worker in behalf of the schools 
in Colfa.x until 1902, when he left for Europe 
in order to pursue a post-graduate course in 
medicine and surgery. 

-Accompanie 1 by his wife he went direct to 
London, England, where ho studied in llu- 
Associated Medical Colleges of London for 
four months, pursuing the study of surgery 
under Sir \''ictor Horsley, Dr. Barter, Dr. 
Watson Cheyne and Dr. Corless. He also at- 
tended a polyclinic held at night in the hospi- 
tal for the diseases of women, his instructor 
there being Dr. Fenwick. He also did special 
work in .St. Mark's Hospital in connection 
with the treatment of rectal diseases. While 
abroad Dr. Mittan and his wife traveled ex- 
tensively over the continent, visiting France, 
Holland, Germany and other European coun- 
tries and thus broadening their general knowl- 
edge and gaining that culture and experience 
which only travel can bring. In the spring of 
the present year (1903) Dr. Mittan returned 
to America and spent several months in the 
hospitals of Chicago. He then came to De- 
catur, where he fitted up elegant rooms on the 
fifth floor of the Powers building, where he 
has all the latest and modern appliances such 
as the X-ray machine and other devices for 
the treatment of disease. He is making a spe- 
cialty of surgery and of the diseases of women 
and his thorough preparation has made him a 




CHARLES LAUX 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



765 



practitioner of marked ability. He has gained 
a place of distinctive precedence in the ranks 
of the medical fraternity in this part of the 
state and is building up a practice commen- 
surate with his skill and learning. 



J. B. STOUTENBOROUGH. 

The expression "the dignity of labor " is 
exemplified in the life record of this gentle- 
man, who without reserve attributes his suc- 
cess to earnest work as he has never engaged 
in speculations of any kind. He is a man of 
strong force of character, purposeful and 
energetic, and his keen discrimination and 
sound judgment are shown in his capable 
management of business affairs. He resides 
on section 4, Maroa township, where he 
owns and operates a good farm of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres. 

Mr. Stoutenborough was born in Butler 
county, Ohio, July 28, 1855, and in 1863 was 
brought to Illinois by his parents, John and 
Elizabeth Stoutenborough, the family locating 
in Macon county, where the father engaged 
in farming for many years, but he and his 
wife are now living retired in Maroa. Our 
subject attended the public schools of this 
county during his boyhood and youth and re- 
mained at home with his parents until he at- 
tained his majority. For ten years thereafter 
he was engaged in farming on rented land, 
and then purchased one hundred and sixty 
acres of land east of Maroa, where he' lived 
for four years. At the end of that time he 
bought a one hundred and sixty acre tract 
from his father and has since engaged in its 
cultivation. There is a fine house and barn 
upon the place, besides a good set of farm 
buildings of all kinds, and the farm is one of 
the most attractive and desirable in that sec- 
tion of the county. Mr. Stoutenborough is 
engaged in both general farming and stock- 
raising. 

In 1881 was celebrated his marriage to Miss 



Laura Baird, a native of De Witt county, 
Illinois, and a daughter of Peter Baird. They 
have two children, Norman, the older, com- 
pleted the proscribed course in the schools of 
Maroa and later attended Brown's Business 
College at Decatur. Two years ago he ac- 
cepted the position of bookkeeper in the 
Crocker & Company's Bank of Maroa, where 
he is still employed. Ernest, the younger 
son, is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenbor- 
ough are members of the Presbyterian church 
and occupy a prominent position in social cir- 
cles of the community. By his ballot Mr. 
Stoutenborough supports the Republican 
party and its principles. 



CHARLES LAUX. 

Charles Laux, proprietor of the St. Nich- 
olas, has had as strenuous a life perhaps 
as any of the older citizens of Decatur and 
his career is a striking example of hard 
work rewarded. He came to Decatur when 
it was a village and the hotel he established 
here has kept pace with the progress of the 
city. Three times when the growing city 
demanded it, Mr. Laux built a new St. 
Nicholas and the present one is in every 
respect all that a larger city than Decatur 
could expect. 

Born in the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, 
November 17, 1842, Mr. Laux came to 
America in 1854 with his parents and fam- 
ily. He came direct to Decatur, where his 
mother died in July of the same year and 
his father died in 1859. Mr. Laux was but 
eleven years old when he arrived with his 
parents in this countrj'. When eighteen he 
crossed the continent to California. He was 
attracted to the west by the great gold 
craze and while there he worked at various 
hotels on the Pacific coast. After four 
vears of California he returned to Decatur 
and the firm of Laux Brothers was estab- 
lished. Mr. Laux and his brothers pur- 



76(; 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



chased the old Harrell House, which was 
then called the Cloudas House. The hostel- 
ry was re-named the St. Nicholas, in 1880 
the partnership was dissolved and Mr. 
Laux's brothers went west, leaving him the 
sole proprietor of the hotel. Since that 
lime, he has niaile his lioU-l \er_\- p()])ular 
with the traveling public and has gained 
the apijrobation of the Decatur citizens. In 
1892 the present -St. .Nicholas was built and 
ranks today as one of the handsomest 
Ijuildings in the city, it has one hundred 
and fifty guest rooms, a home-like office, a 
beautiful dining room and parlor. The 
house was built at an outlay of one hun- 
dred and five thousand dollars. 

Many bits of central Illinois and even 
national history have taken place in the 
St. Nicholas hotel. Since the days of .\bra- 
ham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, the 
St. Nicholas has been a ptdilical headquar- 
ters. The framers of the Grand .\rmy of 
the Republic drew up liie original code of 
the army in the parlors of the St. Nicholas 
and this act will make Decatur famous after 
the last veteran of the Civil war has gone 
to join his fallen comrades. Mr, Lau.x held 
the ofTfice of city treasurer for a term of two 
years. 



JAMES A. WILSON. 
James A. Wilson, a retired farmer and 
stock-raiser, now residing at No, 1067 West 
Main street, in Decatur, belongs to one of the 
oldest families of the county, the Wilson home 
being first establisheil here in 1830. The par- 
ents of our sul)ject were Robert and Sarah 
(Lindsey) Wilson, both natives of North Car- 
olina. The father was born in .Mecklenburg 
and resided there until twenty years of age, 
when he removed with his parents to Wilson 
county, Tennessee. There he engaged in 
farming until 1829, when he brought his fam- 
ily to Sangamon county, Illinois, settling on 



a farm about fifteen miles from Springfield. 
I-'or a year he resided on what was called the 
old Bone place, and in December, 1830, he re- 
moved to Macon county. This was the win- 
ter of the famous "deep snov/," so memor- 
able in the early history of the state. Mr. 
Wilson jjurchased a tract of land on section 
6, .Mount Zion township, the deed for which 
was made on a piece of sheepskin. There he 
began raising stock, for which there was a 
great demand, and as there were no railroads 
to provide shipping facilities his sons, includ- 
ing our subject, drove many a herd of cattle 
and of horses across the country to the markets 
of Wisconsin. Mr. Wilson was actively con- 
nected with general farming and stock-raising 
interests in Mount Zion township until his 
death. He was twice married, his first union 
lieing with Miss Jane Donnell, of Tennessee, 
who died in that state in 1828. He tlien 
wedded Sarah ( Lindsey) Hodge, widow of 
Joseph Hodge. P>y the first union there were 
seven children, but all arc now deceased. The 
three children born of the second marriage 
are : Robert D., now deceased ; Sarah .A,, 
the widow of John H. Davidson and a resi- 
dent of Mount Zion; and James A., of this 
review. 

Our subject was born on the old family 
homestead in Mount Zion township, Septem- 
ber 5, 1835, and like the other children of the 
household he was educated in the public 
schools of the locality, while later he entered 
a college at Sullivan, Illinois. On account of 
his eyesight, however, he had to return home 
and again he attended the common schools 
near the farm. In his early youth he began 
herding stock for his father and also per- 
formed all kinds of work incident to the culti- 
vation and improvement of land, -\fter his 
education was completed he returned to the 
old homestead and there continued to engage 
in general farming and stock-raising until 
after the outljreak of the Civil war, when on 
the 5th of .\ugust, 1861, he enlisted, becom- 
ing a member of Company E, Forty-first II- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



767 



linois Regiment under Captain J. L. Arm- 
strong and Colonel I. C. Pugh. He partici- 
pated in a number of important engagements, 
including the battles of Fort Donelson, Pitts- 
burg Landing, Jackson, V'icksburg and Cor- 
inth and was in numerous skirmishes in con- 
nection with the Red river expedition under 
General Banks. In the battle of Tupelo he 
was in command of his regiment for two days, 
these being the last days of his service, and 
on the 20th of August, 1864, he was honor- 
ably discharged at Springfield. He was first 
lieutenant at that time, being promoted imme- 
diately- after the battle of Pittsblirg Landing, 
being commissioned by Governor Yates. 

Returning to his farm he resumed agricul- 
tural pusuits and October 29, 1867, he won a 
companion and helpmate for the journey of 
life, being united in marriage to Miss Sarah 
E. Jones, also a native of this county, born in 
1849, ^"d a daughter of Claybourn and Ma- 
tilda (Davis) Jones. Her mother, born Sep- 
tember I, 1820, is now deceased. The father, 
born August 10, 181 1, was one of the early 
settlers of Macon county. He settled in Oak- 
ley township and later removed to Mount 
Zion township, where he engaged in farm- 
ing and stock-raising until, well advanced in 
years, he retired from business life and is now 
living with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, at the ripe 
old age of ninety-two years. Six children 
were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Wilson : Charles 
C, who went to Colgate University, Hamil- 
ton, New York, to attend school, was there 
taken ill and returned home, dying here Feb- 
ruary 26, 1894, at the age of twenty-six years ; 
Mabel E. is now a teacher in the Wood street 
school and resides with her parents ; Sadie 
is the wife of Clarence C. Mills, a veterinary 
surgeon of Decatur; Robert Roy, who mar- 
ried Fannie Davenport, is employed by the 
Morehouse & Wells Hardware Company of 
Decatur; Bessie B. and James Victor are at 
home. 

Mr. AVilson continued to engage in agri- 
cultural pursuits until 1887, when he removed 



to Decatur. He first bought property at No. 
721 W'est Wood street and resided there until 
December, 1901, when he purchased his pres- 
ent residence at No. 1067 West Main street, 
near the Millikin University. This is in one 
of the best residence portions of the city and 
the ^Vilson household is a most hospitable 
one. He yet owns eighty acres of fine farm- 
ing land in Mount Zion township. In his 
politics he gives a stalwart support to the Re- 
publican party. He belongs to Dunham Post, 
(i. A. R,, of Decatur, and for four years he 
was the treasurer of the Old Settlers' Associa- 
tion of Macon county. His wife is a member 
of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of De- 
catur. In all his dealings Mr. Wilson has 
been successful and well deserves the rest 
which he is now enjoying among all the com- 
forts of an attractive home. 



AVILLIAM J. MAGEE. 

Among the residents of Decatur who at 
one time were identified with agricultural 
pursuits and therein won a competence suf- 
ficient to enable them to live retired surrounded 
by all the comforts of life is William J. Magee, 
who now occupies a beautiful residence at 
No. 1595 North Water street. He has made 
his home in Macon county since five years 
of age and is a native son of Illinois, his 
birth having occurred in Sangamon county, 
May 31, 1844. His parents were John and 
Elizabeth (Norris) Magee, the former born 
in Delaware, September 18, 1808. and the 
latter in Ohio on the 12th of December, 
1 816. The paternal grandparents of our 
subject were James T. and Sarah (Adams) 
Magee, both of whom were born in the east 
and there spent their entire lives, the former 
dying January 20, 1845, and the latter on 
the 17th of September, 185 1. 

\\'hen eighteen years of age John Magee 
left his home in Delaware and made his 
way to Ohio, settling in Pickaway county. 



768 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



where lie became acquainted with the lady 
whose hand he sought in marriage. He 
there engaged in buying and shipping cattle 
and also followed farming until about 1841, 
when he again started westward, this time 
taking up his abode in Moultrie county, 
Illinois, wlicre he carried on farming for a 
y'ear. In 1842 he removed to Sangamon 
county, settling nine miles northeast of 
Springfield, where he engaged in general 
agricultural pursuits for about seven years. 
In 1849 he came to Macon county and first 
rented a farm in Decatur township, but 
after living thereon for two years he pur- 
chased a tract of land on section 29, Whit- 
more township. To its development and 
cultivation he devoted his energies through- 
out his remaining days. He served as 
constable and deputy sheriff in Macon 
county for about thirty-six years and at his 
death he was the oldest constable in the 
county. He passed away September 11, 
1890, and his wife died October 31, 1895, 
and they were held in high regard because 
of their allegiance to upright principles and 
as a public official Mr. Magee made a most 
creditable record. The family included six 
children: Sarah Jane, the wife of Samuel 
H. Carver, now of Jennings, Louisiana; 
Samuel, who died in 1861 ; Samantha, the 
wife of George M. Barnett, of Long Creek 
township; William J.; Angeline, the de- 
ceased wife of Benjamin Musselman ; and 
Marietta, who died at the age of seventeen 
years. 

Like the other members of the family, 
William J. Magee received but a common- 
school education and then had the oppor- 
tunity of attending for only about two 
months in the year, as his services were 
needed on his father's farm in the cultiva- 
tion and development of the fields. He con- 
tinued to follow the plow until twenty 
years of age, when he enlisted in the army, 
being enrolled on the 4th of February, 1865, 
as a member of Company K, One Hundred 



and Fift^'-second Illinois \^olunteer In- 
fantry, under Captain Mattocks and Colonel 
Stephenson. From Springfield the regiment 
went to Tennessee and after the close of the 
war Mr. Magee was discharged at Memphis 
on the i8th of September, 1865. Returning 
to his home he again lived with his parents 
and assisted in the operation of the home 
farm for a year, on the expiration of which 
period he was married. 

It was in 1866 that Mr. Magee was joined 
in wedlock to Miss Fannie IMusselman, a 
native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, 
and a daughter of Jacob and Annie Mus- 
selman, who removed with his family to 
.Macon coimty, Illinois, at an early day, and 
it was here that Mrs. .Magee was reared. 
The young couple began their domestic 
life upon a farm whicli Mr. Magee pur- 
chased on section 29, Whitmore township, 
and there he engaged in the work of plow- 
ing, planting and harvesting until 1879, 
when he took charge of the Macon county 
poor farm, of which he was made superin- 
tendent for fourteen years. On retiring from 
that office in 1893 he removed to Decatur 
and has since been engaged in no active 
business pursuits. He is still, however, 
the owner of two hundred and thirty acres 
of fine farming land in W'hitmore town- 
ship, seventy acres in Pleasant View town- 
ship and one hundred and sixty acres in Moul- 
trie county, Illinois, and from this enter- 
prise he derives an excellent income, for the 
land is valuable and brings a good rental. 

Unto ^Ir. and Mrs. Magee have been born 
five children: John J., who married Ella 
Waterman, and is a graduated pharmacist, 
was formerly engaged in the drug business 
in Chicago, but is now retired; A. Mary, a 
graduate of the high school of Decatur and 
the Normal University at Normal. Illinois, 
has taught school in this cit}' for three 
years ; Samuel is a resident of Iowa Falls, 
Iowa, in the drug business; Marcus D. died 
at the age of three months ; Ada Estelle is 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



reo' 



a dressmaker and travels most of the time, 
but makes her home with her parents. 

In the fall of 1899 Mr. Magee built, his 
present fine residence at No. 1595 North Water 
street, where he and his family are now liv- 
ing. He has been honored with a number of 
public positions, having served as deputy 
sheriff for two years, as assistant supervisor 
for six years and as tax collector for one 
year. He has always taken an active interest 
in politics as every true American citizen 
should do and he votes with the Republican 
party as its platform embodies his ideas con- 
cerning the best forms of government. His 
social relations connect him with the Grand 
Army Post of Decatur and the Masonic fra- 
ternity in which he has attained the Knight 
Templar degree. Both he and his wife are 
members of the United Brethren church of 
Whitmore township. While recognized as 
one of the well-to-do and leading citizens of 
Decatur he is also a self-made man for with- 
out special pecuniary or family advantages 
in his youth he started out in early manhood 
to make his own way in the world and over- 
coming all obstacles and difficulties by per- 
sistence of purpose and indomitable industry 
he has steadily worked his way upward to 
success. 



JAMES H. ALEXANDER. 
One of Whitmore township's most promi- 
nent and honored citizens is James H. Alex- 
ander, who for almost half a century has been 
identified with the agricultural interests of 
Macon county and has borne his part in the 
upbuilding and development of this section 
of the state. He was born on the 2gth of 
October, 1831, near Franklin, Johnson county, 
Indiana, a son of James R. and Rebecca (Gay) 
Alexander. The father was a native of North 
Carolina, born in 1797, and was of Irish de- 
scent, while the mother's birth occurred in 
Virginia in 1794. ^Vhen quite young the 
father removed witli his parents to Tennessee 



and from there to Indiana in 1828, making- 
the journey by team. He secured a tract of 
government land and engaged in farming 
there until 1842, when he removed to St. 
Clair county, Illinois, with his family and 
household goods in a prairie schooner. He 
died near Belleville, that county, in May, 1847, 
honored and respected by all who knew him. 
He was a Presbyterian in religious faith and 
a Democrat in politics. A quite promi- 
nent and influential man of his community, 
he was called upon to serve as county judge 
during his early residence in Indiana. His 
estimable wife, who was also a member of 
the Presbyterian church, died in Decatur in 
1868. In their family were ten children, of 
whom nine reached years of maturity. 

Our subject is the seventh in order of birth 
in this family and the only one now living. 
He was educated in an old log school house 
but was only able to attend school for about 
three months during the year until fifteen. 
The school was conducted on the subscription 
plan and only the common branches were 
taught. During his minority he remained at 
home with his mother, giving her the benefit 
of his labors, and in April, 1854, accompan- 
ied her on her removal to Macon county, Illi- 
nois. He and his brother took charge of the 
farm which she purchased on section 31, 
Whitmore township, and operated it together 
until 1856, when our subject purchased his 
brother's interest. Here he continued to re- 
side and is now the owner of one hundred and 
seventy-two acres, which he cultivated for 
many years but now leaves the operation of 
the land to younger hands, while he practi- 
cally lives retired in the enjoyment of a well 
earned rest. 

On the 17th of October, i860, Mr. Alex- 
ander married Miss Sarah A. Griffen, who 
was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, March 
17, 1836, and was a daughter of Joseph and 
Mary (Foulkes Shepherd) Griffen, natives 
of New York and pioneers of St. Clair 
countv, Illinois. Three children blessed this 



no 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



union, namel)- : Joseph, a musician, who is 
now with the Andrews Opera Company; Ed- 
gar, a resident of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ; 
and Ottie, wife of William Hays, who now 
operates her father's farm. They have three 
children. Mrs. Alexander, who was a most 
estiniahle la4y, beloved by all who knew her, 
departed this life on the 15th of January, 
1893, and was laid to rest in the Decatur 
cemetery. 

The Republican party linds in Mr. Alex- 
ander a stanch supporter of its principles but 
he has never cared for the honors or emolu- 
ments of public office, though he has served 
as commissioner of highways. He is a mem- 
ber of the C)ld Settlers -Association and has 
many interesting reminiscences of pioneer 
days. The first winter after coming to 
Illinois the Alexander family, consisting of 
parents and ten children, lived in a one room 
log cabin with .-1 loft above, and they under- 
went all of the hardships and trials incident to 
life on the frontier. In the work of public 
improvement our subject has taken an active 
part and has contributed liberally of his means- 
to the building of churches and school houses 
in his locality. .Success has attended his ef- 
forts toward securing a competence and be- 
sides his home farm of one hundred and 
seventy-two acres in \Vhitmore township, he 
has a half section just across the way in Hick- 
ory Point township. In the improvement of 
these places he has materially aided in tlie ad- 
vancement of the county, and is accounted 
one of the most useful and valuctl citizens of 
his community, as well as a man honored and 
resi)ecteil by all who know him. 



REX". XATIIAX M. IIAKER. 
Rev. Nathan M. i'.aker. a retired minister 
ot Decattu- and one whose influence lias been 
of no restricted order in his efforts to Ijenefit 
mankind, w-as born in Macon county on the 
22d of October, 1837. His jiarents were 



William D. and Marilla Baker, both natives 
of North Carolina, and the paternal grand- 
])arents of our subject were also natives of 
that state. The maternal grandfather was a 
soldier of the Revolutionary war and uncles 
of our sulijcct were defenders of their country 
in the war of 1812. Rev. Baker comes of 
Scotch and Irish ancestry and back of him is 
a family record creditable and honorable. It 
was in the year 1828 that his parents came to 
Macon county, Illinois, first settling in what 
is now South Wheatland township, while later 
they took up their abode in Long Creek town- 
ship, where in 1829 the father and an uncle 
built the first two houses within its borders. 
The former was a member of the first grand 
jury organized in Macon county and was 
closely associated with other early events of 
importance that left their impress upon the 
development and improvement of this section 
of the state. In the family of William D. 
Baker were six children, four sons and two 
daughters, but two of the number have now 
passed away. One brother of our subject re- 
sides at Hillsboro, Illinois, and the sisters 
are Mrs. Dennis and Mrs. Smith, of Decatur. 
The former is the widow of Andrew Dennis 
and resides at 820 North L'nion street, while 
the latter is the widow of William C. Smith 
and is living at No. 810 North Union street. 
Rev. Nathan M. Baker first attended school 
near Nortli T'ork church and later was a 
student in the academy at Mount Zion. In 
his boyhood days he assisted his father on the 
home farm, early becoming familiar with the 
work of the fields and when yet a young man 
he entered the ministry of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, becoming one of the cir- 
cuit riders in this county. He traveled over 
a radius of two hundred miles in two weeks 
and thus covered about five thousand miles 
a year. Wben the Civil war broke out he 
was engaged in teaching and preaching and 
when the second call came for volunteers he 
was one of the first to enlist, becoming a mem- 
ber of ComiKuiy C of the One Hundred and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



771 



Sixteenth Illinois Infantry. He went into 
camp with his company and regiment on the 
15th of August, 1862, and while still in camp 
he was promoted to the position of chaplain. 
After a short time the command proceeded to 
Memphis, Tennessee, and thence to Vicks- 
burg. Rev. Baker served through the Vicks- 
burg campaign and was with General Sher- 
. man in the Arm)' of the Tennessee. He heard 
the booming of cannons and the rattle of 
musketry at the battle of Lookout Mount- 
ain and was present at the battle of Mission- 
ary Ridge. On account of illness he resigned 
his position as chaplain and received his final 
discharge in 1864, having served for two 
years. 

Rev. Baker then came to Macon county and 
after a number of years he, in 1894, removed 
to Lincoln, Illinois, where he served as in- 
structor in astronomy and physics in the Lin- 
coln L'niversity for three years. He then, in 
1899, returned to Decatur, where he has since 
lived, now occupying a beautiful home at No. 
1019 North L^nion street. He has retired 
from active church work as a minister, but 
is yet a devout member of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, to which his family also 
belong. 

It was in the fall of 1864 that Rev. Baker 
was united in the holy bonds of matrimony 
to Miss Sarah E. Price, of South Wheat- 
land township and of the six children born 
unto them four are now living, namely : Flor- 
ence F., the wife of W. T. Burrill. a contract- 
ing engineer for the Minneapolis Steel Com- 
pany at Seattle, Washington : Mary Ellen, 
who is living at Marshall, Missouri, and is a 
teacher and librarian in the Missouri \'allev 
College at that place ; Emma L. and Clara M., 
at home. 

Rev. Baker is a member of the Veteran's 
Association and also of Tom White Post, G. 
A. R., at Mount Zion. He has ever been a 
firm believer in Republican principles, but has 
never been active in political work. He is one 
of Macon county's native sons and can remem- 



ber many interesting incidents concerning the 
early clays here. His memory goes back to 
the time when there were two stores in De- 
catur and many of the now thriving towns 
and villages of the county had not then sprung 
into existence. In those pioneer days he lis- 
tened to Abraham Lincoln as he argued sev- 
eral law cases in the old brick courthouse that 
stood in what is now the business district of 
the city. Judge Treat and Judge Davis being 
then the circuit judges. He also remembers 
hearing Stephen A. Douglas speak in an ol*^ 
warehouse on the Illinois Central Railroad, 
the building being filled with sacks of wheat 
on which sat the audience. Wolves were 
numerous in the coimty and Rev. Baker's 
father had some exciting adventures with 
those animals. Deer were also plentiful and 
often went across the prairies in droves. 
Pioneer conditions existed on every hand and 
the work of improvement and progress has 
resulted from the efforts of such worthy pio- 
neer families as that of which our subject is 
a representative. In control of his business 
affairs and investments Rev. Baker has ac- 
cumulated considerable property and now has 
an elegant home and other real estate in this 
city and also a hne farm in Long Creek town- 
ship. 



ISAAC F. PHARO. 

Isaac ¥. Pharo, who is general foreman of 
the Wabash telegraph construction depart- 
ment, was born in the city of Philadelphia, 
March 27, 1846, and is a son of Joel H. and 
Eunice (Bishop) Pharo, both of whom were 
natives of New Jersey. In his parent's fam- 
ilv were four children, of whom he is the 
eldest. The others are Joseph A., of Oak- 
land, California ; Mrs. Annie E. Hyde, of 
San Francisco, California; and James E., who 
is also a resident of San Francisco. The 
mother died on the nth of June, 1902. 

The educational privileges which Isaac F. 
Pharo received were verv limited for he left 



772 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COLNTY. 



the schools at the age of seven years and went 
to sea, entering the merchants' service. He 
continued as a sailor until 1861, when the war 
having begun he enlisted as a musician in 
Company F, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania In- 
fantry, with which he served for three years, 
participating in numerous engagements. On 
the expiration of liis first term he re-enlisted, 
becoming a member of Company C, Third 
Regiment of the United States Veteran Volun- 
teers for one year and about 1866 he was 
honorably discharged at Camp Butler, Illinois. 
Mr. Pharo then again went to sea and later 
turned his attention to mining in California. 
Subse(|ucntly he engaged in telegraph con- 
struction work and in this capacity he has 
been employed by various corporations and in 
many parts of the Union. He has practically 
worked from coast to coast, having stretched 
wires almost across the continent. He is an 
expert mechanic in this line, thoroughly un- 
derstanding the work in every department 
and his service is valuable because so faith- 
fully executed. During his travels he has 
met with many experiences which if written 
in detail wouhl forni a must interesting vol- 
ume. Possessing an observing e_\e and reten- 
tive memor)' he has stored his mind with 
many interesting incidents as he has visited 
various parts of the country and he has also 
gathered many interesting relics, including 
beautiful shells and a line collection of miner- 
als, and he also possesses relics from the 
South Sea Islands and various parts of the 
globe, which he has x'isited on his ditYerent 
voyages. He has now one of the best private 
collections of minerals from the copper, silver 
and gold regions to Ix; seen, many of the uni- 
versities lieing unable to show such a display. 
He also has a magnificent collection of Indian 
arrows, some of which are of rare design. He 
also has an Indian totem, wliich was plowed 
up on West Main street in Decatur just east 
of bis home, and is a charm or a signet of 
authority to those carrying messages. He 
also possesses a number of relics of the Span- 



ish-American war and likewise from other 
wars of this countrv. ^Ir. Pharo is a natur- 
alist and although his school privileges were 
limited he has by reading, study and inves- 
tigation constantly broadened his knowledge 
initil he is to-day a man of scientific attain- 
ments. A great lover of beauty, this element is 
very noticeable in his finest collections and in 
the arrangement and care of his curios. In 
1 881 he ceased traveling in various parts of the 
country, confining his attention to the line of 
the Wabash Railroad. In that year he ac- 
cepted the position of general foreman of the 
telegraph construction for this road and in 
1885 he took up his abode permanently in 
Macon county. 

Mr. Pharo nas been twice married. He 
first wedded Annie Cisco Schrivers, of Phila- 
delphia, the wedding taking place in that city 
in 1865. By this union there were born three 
children : Annie, Florence and Joseph, but all 
are now deceased. In Decatur on the i8th of 
February, 1895, Mr. Pharo was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Mrs. Han- 
naretta Perry, the widow of Robert L. 
Perry, late general roadniaster of the \\'abash 
Kailroad. Her maiden name was Dunham 
and she is a daughler of Dayton Dunham, 
whose birth occiu'rod in Essex county. New 
jersey, November u, 1814. He was a son 
of Henry Dunham, a tailor, and removed to 
the Empire state and afterwar<l to Richmond, 
Indiana, where he died at the age of sixty 
years. His wile bore the maiden name of 
Sarah Ellison and by their marriage she be- 
came the mother of eleven children, Dayton 
Dunham being the last survivor of the fam- 
ily. In 1S36 be emigrated to Macon county, 
Illinois, at which time all was wild and un- 
improved, '.nost of the towns which are now 
thriving, enterprising cities having not then 
been established, and Decatur was but a small 
hamlet. \Miilc a young man he learned the 
batter's trade in Indiana, and followed that in 
Decatur at the same time carrying on farm- 
ing. On the 9th of July, 1837, he married 




CHARLES COUNAGHAN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



777 



^liss Marilla Robinson, a daughter of Amos 
and Elizabeth (Hughes) Robinson, both of 
whom were natives of Vermont. Unto this 
union were born six sons and four daughters, 
as follows: Harry D., who is married and 
lives in Decatur; Sarah E., the widow of 
William Dailey ; Amos, who was killed at tlie 
battle of Fort Donelson in the Civil war; 
Orvis and Orrin, twins, both deceased ; Car- 
oline E., the wife of James Bullard, of De- 
catur; Hannaretta, who is now Mrs. Pharo; 
Charles E. ; Marietta, who resides on the old 
home where she was born ; and Hartwell. 
Mr. and Mrs. Dunham have passed away 
and to their heirs they left a valuable estate. 
He was one of the honored pioneer settlers 
of the county and became one of the distin- 
guished and influential citizens. At the time 
of the Civil war he enlisted in Company B, 
Eighth Illinois Infantry under Governor 
Oglesby and served until after the battle of 
Fort Donelson, in which he was seriously 
wounded. For three years thereafter it was 
necessary for him to walk on crutches. His 
health improving, he began gardening and 
followed that pursuit for a number of years, 
while for eleven years his wife conducted a 
greenhouse. In May, 1886, he sustained a 
paralytic stroke and September 5, 1894, he 
was called to his final rest. His wife died 
November 10. 1897, and both were buried in 
Greenwood cemetery, Decatur. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Dunham were devoted members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. Their lives were 
in consistent harmony with their professions. 
True nobility of character was manifested 
throughout their entire careers and the world 
. is better for their having lived. Dunham 
Post, No. 141, G. A. R., of which the father 
was a member, was named in honor and mem- 
ory of his son, Amos Dunham, who was one 
of the first soldiers from this neighborhood 
killed in battle. 

In his political views Mr. Pharo is a stal- 
wart Republican and is a member of George 
Newell Post, G. A. R. He likewise belongs 



to the Masonic fraternity, holding member- 
ship in the lodge in Harrisburg, Illinois, and 
in Beaumanoir Commandery of Decatur. His 
wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and he affiliates with the Christian 
Science church, being a strong believer in its 
faith, having had clear demonstration in his 
own experience, for Christian Science restored 
to him his eyesight. Mr. and Mrs. Pharo 
now reside on the old family homestead of the 
Dunhams that has been transferred to her 
sister ^Marietta Dunham. This land was pur- 
chased from the government by her grand- 
father, afterward it fell to his daughter, the 
mother of Mrs. Pharo. It was originally in 
a farming district, but to-day the home stands 
in one of the most beautiful locations in De- 
catur, facing the Millikin University. Around 
the house are magnificent shade trees and the 
residence is a most attractive one, its very 
appearance indicating its comfort and hos- 
pitalit}-. It is within the memory of the old , 
settlers, however, when deer and other wild 
game were killed in this district and were 
often seen upon the old Dunham estate. Mr. 
and Mrs. Pharo have many warm friends in 
the city and have the happy faculty of drawing 
them closer to them as the years passed by. 



CHARLES CONNAGHAN. 

For many years Charles Connaghan was 
one of the leading business men of Niantic, 
Illinois, and was widely and favorably known 
throughout Macon county. His early home 
was on the other side of the Atlantic; he 
was born in Altadish, County Donegal, Ire- 
land, September 20, 1846, and was a son of 
Charles and Sarah Connaghan. During the 
childhood of our subject, the family removed 
to Scotland, where the father died ; the mother 
subsequently came to America to make her 
home with her son Charles, but died in about 
a month after her arrival in this country. 

In the family were eight children, namely : 



36 



778 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Kugh, who is still living in Scotland, his 
lionic being in Glasgow ; John, deceased : 
Charles, of this review ; James, a resident of 
Niantic, Illinois; Cornelius, who is now en- 
gaged in farming in Colorado ; Rose, the 
widow of Thomas Burns, who lives four miles 
northwest of Harristown, this county; Pat- 
rick, also a resident of Colorado: and Joseph, 
of Bement, Illinois. 

Charles Connaghan acquired his early edu- 
cation in Scotland. He was seventeen years 
of age when he first came to the United 
States. On landing in New York he re- 
maiiu'd in the luiipire state, where he worked 
for a few years. Managing to save five 
hundred dollars, he returned to Scotland, 
and after a short visit again came to America, 
acconijjanied by his brother James. They 
traveled about considerably together, going 
southwest to .\rkansas. They finally returned 
to Illinois and first worked on a farm in Illini 
townshi]), this county. Later they rented 
land, which they operated together. After 
renting a few years, Charles purchased the 
Blackford farm in Niantic township in 1874. 

At St. Patrick's Catholic church in De- 
catur Mr. Connaghan was married. March 
5, 1878, to Miss Catharine Phehm. who is a 
daughter of Michael Phelan, of this city. Un- 
to Mr. and Mrs. Connaghan six children 
were born, namely : Robert, who now has 
charge of the general store at Niantic, formerly 
conducted by his father ; Lucile, who is 
attending the James Millikin University, of 
Decatui". Illinois : Jeannette. who is teaching 
school : Mary, at home : Leo, who died at the 
age of nearly five years: and one who died in 
infancy. 

Mr. Connaghan and family resided on the 
farm until October, 1889. when they removed 
to the village of Niantic. where he had previ- 
ously opened a general store and meat market. 
He remained in business there until his death, 
which occurred on the 3d of June, 1898, at 
the age of fifty-two years. 



Mr. Connaghan was a member of St. Ann's 
Catholic church of Niantic. Fraternally he 
was connected with the Modern Woodmen of 
America and politically was identified with 
the Democratic party. He held several local 
offices, and the duties of these positions 
were always most faithfully and satisfactorily 
performed. He was a good husband, a kind 
and loving father. Reliable in business and 
trustworthy in all the relations of life, he 
commanded the confidence and respect of those 
with whom he came in contact, and in his 
death Niantic realized that it had lost a valued 
and useful citizen. 



MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL PHELAN. 

Michael Phelan and his wife, Margaret 
(Reid) Phelan, w'ere born, reared and mar- 
ried in the County Kilkenny, Ireland, com- 
ing to America in 1848. They sojourned 
for a short time in Chicago, Milwaukee and 
Springfield, respectively, and settled in De- 
catur in 1849. 

This worthy couple possessed a good share 
of those sturdy qualities so essential to suc- 
cess in those pioneer days ; they had youth 
and strength, sterling honesty and persever- 
ance. Together they labored cheerfully to 
acquire a home. Their object was accom- 
plished in 1852, when they purchased a piece 
of land in the west part of town, which was 
at that time almost a wilderness, .\fter clear- 
ing it of timb(.T and brush, Mr. I'liclan first 
built a log house of four rooms and as their 
circumstances permitted they enlarged this 
dwelling. 

It was in this modest home that the first 
Catholic services were held in Decatur. Be- 
fore a house of worship was erected, mass 
was often celebrated there by the Rev. Father 
Cusick. 

Mr. Phelan was one of the best known men 
in Decatur in those days. In business affairs 
he met with considerable success, accumulating 




MRS. MARGARET PHELAN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



781 



quite a good deal of property in what has 
been for years one of the most desirable resi- 
dence districts of the city. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Phelan ten children were 
born, namely : Elizabeth and Catharine, 
twins, who died in infancy ; Mary, w'ho died 
at the age of twelve years ; Ellen, who died 
at the age of thirty-four years; Joanna, now 
the wife of Jeremiah Foley, a merchant tailor 
of Bloomington, Illinois ; John, who is now 
city engineer of Independence, Kansas ; Cath- 
arine, now Mrs. Connaghan, of Niantic, Illi- 
nois ; James, who died at the age of five ; Mich- 
ael, who lives at Niantic and is now engaged 
in the insurance business ; and Miss Margaret, 
who is now a resident of Chicago. 

Mrs. Phelan died July 21, 1883, her age 
being fifty-eiglit years. She was an earnest 
Christian woman always ready to aid the poor 
and needy ; in her funeral sermon Father 
Mackin called her the mother of the church 
in Decatur. Her life was one of noble self- 
sacrifice ; her deeds of charity and unselfish- 
ness caused her to be universally respected ; 
and she was mourned by all classes of people. 
She was to her husband and children a de- 
voted wife and mother. 

After her death, ]\Ir. Phelan lived in quiet 
seclusion, never seeming to rally from his 
bereavement. His death occurred November 
21, 1901, at the old famil\' homestead on West 
Macon street. His age was eighty-six years. 
Together they rest, with their deceased chil- 
dren, in the family burying-ground in Cal- 
vary cemetery. Thus, tersely told, is the his- 
tory of one of our oldest families, represent- 
ing a type of good citizenship, who have con- 
tributed much to the growth and development 
■of Decatur. 



WILL SCHENCK. 
^\'ill Schcnck is one of the public-spirit- 
ed citizens of Maroa to whose energy and 
foresight this locality is indebted for many 



improvements. \Miile, as a prosperous busi- 
ness man, he gives close attention to his own 
interests, he is a representative of that class 
of citizens who while advancing individual 
success also promote the public welfare. 

Throughout his entire life he has made 
his home in Maroa, being born in i860 in the 
first house erected in the village. It was the 
home of his parents, C. J. and Alice Schenck 
and was built by the father. Our subject at- 
tended the public schools here and later pur- 
sued a commercial course in the Bryant & 
Stratton Business College of Chicago. On 
leaving that institution in 1880 he returned to 
Maroa and entered the dry goods store of 
Friedman & Son, in whose employ he remained 
only a short time, however, as on the 20th 
of June, 1880, he embarked in the insurance 
business on his own account. He now repre- 
sents the Forest City Company of Rockford ; 
the German of Freeport ; the Northwestern 
National of Milwaukee, Wisconsin ; and the 
Milwaukee Mechanics Insurance, of Milwau- 
kee. Although Mr. Schenck makes this his 
principal business, he is also interested in a 
number of other enterprises, some of which 
have proved quite profitable. He is secretary 
of the telephone company of Maroa, he and 
Mr. Crocker having put in the exchange in 
1900, and the system has been extended from 
\ear to year until it now has many lines in 
operation. He is also secretary of the elec- 
tric light company which was organized in 
1892, and has an interest in the manufacture 
of the Boss car loader in Maroa, and also in 
the Crocker Elevator Company. 

On the 27th of July, 1880, Mr. Schenck was 
united in marriage to Miss Fannie E, Ross, 
a daughter of Daniel Ross. She was born in 
Missouri, but was only ten years old when she 
came to Maroa and has since been a resident 
here. Our subject and his wife have two 
children : Alice E., who is now the wife of 
J. O. Wyatt, living in St. Joseph, Missouri; 
and 'Edith A., who is at home with her pa- 
rents. Mr. and Mrs. Schenck are prominent 



782 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and active members of the i'rcsbj'terian 
church, of which he is one of the 
trustees, and he is also a member 
of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 
109, of Alaroa. He has a nice residence 
in Maroa and a good office in tlie rear of the 
Crocker & Company Bank. As a business 
man he is prompt, energetic and notably re- 
liable, and is entitled to distinction among the 
representative and prominent citizens of his 
native county. He has always taken a deep 
and commendable interest in public afi'airs 
and as has already been seen, he is actively 
identified with many interests which have 
been of great benefit to Maroa. 



^lAYWOOD MAXON. 

Large corporations do not retain in their 
employ men of limited capacity, unqualified 
for the conduct of important business duties, 
but demand of their representatives marked 
capability, faithfulness and diligence. These 
qualities have been manifested in the business 
record of Alaywood Maxon, who is to-day one 
of the most trusted employes of the Standard 
Oil Company, as manager of the Decatur 
division. 

He was born in Marietta, Washington 
county. Ohio, in April, 1857, ^^'^ i^ ^ ^O" °^ 
H. C. and Mary A. (Cooper) Maxon. The 
Maxon family came originally from New 
England and the Coopers from Orange 
county. New York. William Maxon, the 
great-grandfather of our subject, was one of 
the original forty-eight men who removed 
from New England in 1787 and settled at 
-Marietta, Ohio, where he made a purchase of 
land and took an active part in reclaiming 
the wild district for the purposes of civilization. 
His son, John Maxon, the grandfather of our 
subject, was born in the block house at ^lari- 
etta, Ohio, during the Indian war in the 'gos 
— the last decade of the eighteenth century. 
When he was ten years of age his father re- 



moved to a farm about twelve miles from 
Marietta, in the midst of a dense wilderness, 
and there he built a log cabin and established a 
home. It was thus that John Maxon was 
reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life 
in a district which had already become his- 
toric as the early home of the Mound Build- 
ers, whose places of residence and of burial 
are still to be seen in that locality. The 
maternal grandfather of our subject was 
Jonah Cooper, a native of Orange county. 
New York, whence he removed to Ohio by 
wagon in the early part of the nineteenth 
century. There with his family he continued 
to spend his remaining days and at length 
passed away in his Ohio home. His daughter, 
Mary A., in making her first trip back to her 
native place, covered the entire distance on 
horseback. 

H. C. klaxon, the father of our subject, 
was born in (Jhio, and spent his entire life 
in that state. He was a farmer by occupation, 
following that pursuit in order to provide for 
the needs of his family. At the time of the 
Civil war he joined the Union army, enlist- 
ing first for one hundred days' service and 
afterward becoming a member of the Fifty- 
second Ohio Regiment of Volunteers. He 
died in Ohio in 1877, at the age of fifty-two 
>ears, and is still survived by his widow. 
They were the parents of seven children, five 
of whom are living. 

Maywood Maxon, the second in order of 
birth, obtained a common school education 
and was afterward employed at various pur- 
suits until 1875, when he entered the service 
of the Standard Oil Company, with which he 
has since been connected. He became office 
boy at their headquarters in Cincinnati, ( )hio, 
and gradually worked his wa)' upward until 
he was made a traveling salesman. In 1880 
the company transferred him to Peoria, Illi- 
nois, and he operated from that city as a 
traveling salesman for about three years. In 
1883 he was promoted to the position of man- 
ager of the office in Davenport, Iowa, and in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



783 



December, 1887, was put in charge of the 
office and business at Decatur as manager 
here and has since served in this city without 
interruption, covering a cjuarter of a century. 
He has been most loyal and capable and has 
bad the supervision of. as high as seventy 
offices from this point. He has been a most 
indefatigable worker in the service of the 
company throughout all these years never 
taking exact measure of the hours which he 
has devoted to the business, but doing all 
within his power to promote the success of 
the business done from this office and giving 
his attention to the work whether it required 
the hours of night or of daytime. He never 
asked or demanded vacations and in recogni- 
tion of his faithful service in 1903 the com- 
pany granted him an indefinite vacation from 
active duties with full pay. This was cer- 
tainly a merited tribute to his worth and fidel- 
ity and one which he much prizes and of 
which he might be justly proud as it is an 
indication of his honorable service and the 
trust reposed in him by the corporation. 

In 1895 I\Ir. Maxon was united in marriage 
to Miss Emma Custer, of Effingham, Illinois. 
They now have an interesting little daughter, 
Helen Ruth. ]\Ir. Maxon was made a Mason 
in Davenport, Iowa, and is still a member of 
the Blue Lodge and Commandery of that city. 
He holds membership relations with the Ben- 
evolent Protective Order of Elks in Spring- 
field, Illinois, and with the Knights of Pythias 
fraternity in Cincinnati. The same fidelity 
which has characterized his business career 
has been manifested in his fraternal and in 
other relations of life. 



FIELDING NATHANIEL EWING. 
Fielding Nathaniel Ewing was born in 
Statesville, Iredell county, North Carolina, on 
the 29th of September, 181 1. He was a son 
of Adlai Osborn Ewing and Sophia (Wallis) 
Ewing, the grandson of Nathaniel Ewing and 



Rebecca (Osborn) Ewing and of John Wallis 
and Isabella (Sharpe) Wallis, of Scotch-Irish 
parentage and of Presbyterian faith. His 
famil\- removed to Kentucky when he was 
four years old and his father soon died. 

Mr. Ewing received his preparatory educa- 
tion at the academy at Elkton, Todd county, 
Kentucky, and was graduated from the Uni- 
versity of Nashville, Tennessee, in 1838 and 
from the Theological Seminary at Princeton 
in 1843. His first ministerial charge was at 
Morganfield, Kentucky. On the 28th of Oc- 
tober, 1845, he married Sarah Ann Powers 
at her brother's home in Decatur. In 1849 
he accepted a call to the church in Blooming- 
ton, Illinois," but was obliged by throat trouble 
to give up preaching in 1859 and moved to 
Lake View, a suburb of Chicago. While liv- 
ing there he performed one of the most im- 
portant services of his life in connection with 
the Theological Seminary. In the winter of 
1862-63 the seminary was without any per- 
manent building and by reason of the distress 
and financial panic caused by the war, it was 
in danger of losing its landed propertv. This 
land had been given on condition that a build- 
ing should be erected upon it within three 
years and the requirement had not been com- 
plied with. The board of directors commis- 
sioned Mr. Ewing, and sent him to New York 
to raise sixteen thousand dollars and to per- 
suade the donors of the land to renew their 
ofifer in case the building should be erected 
within one year. His success was complete. 
He gave liberally himself, secured the renewal 
of the ofYer, obtained the necessary money, 
and the main building was erected, paid for 
and ready for use at the end of the next 
season. 

Dr. L. J. Halsey in his history of the Mc- 
Cormick Theological Seminary says. " All 
honor is due to the memory of Mr. Ewing for 
the zeal, the energy and the admirable skill 
and the complete success with which, under 
the most unpropitious and difficult circum- 
stances, he carried through the work of raising 



rs4 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



llic large sum of money required to erect this 
first building in time to fulfill the conditions 
stipulated by the donors of this land. It may 
be questioned whether any other man then 
known to the board of directors could have 
accomplished the work then assigned Mr. 
Ewing, or have done it with a success so com- 
plete. This was at the time of a crisis in the 
life of the nation, and there was a crisis too 
in the life of the seminary on wliich its whole 
future depended. This first building is named 
Ewing Hall by the action cf tlie Ixjard who 
said, ' It seems fitting that his valuable ser- 
vices should be commemorated and perpetu- 
ated by tlic edifice whose existence is due to 
his labors.' " It is marked by a tablet suitably 
inscribed. 

In iS(')4 Mr. Ewing removed to Decatur, 
where he spent the remaining years of his life, 
his health never permitting him to resume the 
ministry, anil he died at his home November 
18, 1880. He had six children, three sons 
who died in infancy ; Charles Adlai Ewing, 
who died November 6, 1896; Edgar Karris 
Pawing, who died August 26, 1884. when 
twenty-eight years of age ; and one daughter. 
Myra Relle Ewing. 

It was said of him by one who had been his 
teacher in college, his colleague in the minis- 
try and his friend and associate through the 
closing years of his life: " In his jniblic char- 
acter as a minister of God, as a member of the 
court of the church, tlie presbytery and synod, 
and especially as a director of the seminary, 
Mr. Ewing was regarded by all who knew 
him, as a man of wise council, sound judg- 
ment, evangelical spirit, genial manner, in- 
tlexible jirincii^le and that consistency and up- 
rightness of character which invariably in- 
spired respect and confidence. His very 
presence was hailed by his brethren as an 
assurance of sound views and fraternal feel- 
ing. He was always one of the leading and 
working members of the presbytery, synod 
and board of directors. His sound and prac- 
tical judgment, bis good sense, his knowledge 



of men and things, together with his modera- 
tion and conciliatory spirit, often enabled him 
to harmonize conflicting views and to sug- 
gest a plan of action which all would readily 
accei)t as the best thing to be done. He en- 
tered no assembly of men to which his pres- 
ence did not lend the added charm of Christian 
courtesy, ministerial dignity and manly 
candor. Along with these solid qualities he 
carried a rich fund of anecdote and a glow of 
genial wit and humor, chastened by reverence 
and good ta.ste, which made him the attraction 
of the social circle, and which in the earnest 
and often heated debates of the public as- 
sembly was like pouring oil on the troubled 
waters. Yet with all this conciliatory good 
humor tliere was no firmer and truer man — 
none truer to his principles, truer to his 
friends, truer to (iod and truth." 



-MRS. SARAH .\NN ICWING. 

Mrs. Sarah A. Ewing was the daughter of 
William and Abigail (Hendri.x) Powers, the 
granddaughter of .Andrew Powers and Sally 
( Carter) Powers and of David Hcndrix and 
Anne (Westcott) Hcndrix. ;md was born 
October 31, 1820. at Qiarlton, Saratoga 
county. New York, the youngest of eight 
children. Her father died when she was four 
years olil and at eighteen she and her mother 
removed to .Mobile. .Alabama, to join the old- 
est son, William L. Powers, a banker there. 
They made the trip in a sailing vessel from 
New "Wirk. In 1840 with her mother, her 
brother. George Powers, and his wife, she 
drove from Mobile to Decatur. Illinois, the 
trip taking six weeks, and they resided here 
on what is known as the Old Farm of the 
-Sanniel Power's estate. 

( )n the 28tb of October, 1845, she married 
Rev. I'ielding .\. Ewing and they drove to 
tluir home in Alorganfield, Kentucky. Four 
>ears later they removed to Ploomington, Illi- 
nois, and in 1859 to Lake View, a suburb of 
Chicago. The lake air did not agree with her 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTlt. 



785 



and in 1864 they removed to Decatur, where 
two of her brothers were Hving, and here 
made their permanent home. Her husband 
died November 18, 1880, and of her six 
children three sons died in infancy ; Charles 
Adlai Ewing died November 6, 1896; Edgar 
Farris Ewing died August 26. 1884: and her 
only daughter. Alyra Belle Ewing, survives 
her'. 

.Mrs. Ewing's health for the last thirty years 
of her life prevented her taking an active 
part in any social and religious matters, but 
she was from girlhood a devoted member of 
the Presbyterian church. She died on the 
29th of January, 1902, in her eighty-second 
year. 

It has been ver}' justly said of her: " Her 
life was marked by the deepest devotion 
to her husband and her children. In them she 
found her greatest comfort and joy. and the 
strength and beauty of her gentle, kindly 
nature left its imprint upon them and was 
exemplified in the honorable positions they 
attained in the esteem and confidence of their 
fellow men. Her life has been filled with 
sadness by afflictions that have fallen upon 
her, but her faith and reliance in the wisdom 
of an all seeing God have borne her up in trib- 
ulations intensified by the loss of husband and 
children to whom she was attached by ties of 
love that grew with the growth of the family 
she reared. The beauty of her home life, 
her gracious manner, her sympathy with all 
and her interest in the welfare of her family 
and friends have enshrined in the hearts of 
all who were privileged to know her the 
highest regard and in their memory a monu- 
ment of respect and love never to be eiifaced. 
The influence of her gentle life reaches out 
and beyond the family circle and makes the 
world better for her havinsj lived." 



OWEN SCOTT. 
One of the prominent representatives of 
the journalistic profession in Illinois is the 



gentleman whose name heads this brief notice, 
the well known manager of the Decatur Her- 
ald. America owes much of her progress 
and advancement to a position foremost 
among the nations of the world to her news- 
papers, and in. no line has the incidental 
broadening out of the sphere of usefulness 
been more marked than in this same line of 
journalism. Illinois has enlisted in its news- 
paper field some of the strongest intellects 
of the nation — men of broad mental grasp, 
cosmopolitan ideas and notable business 
sagacity. Prominent among these is Owen 
Scott, the subject of this review. 

.\ native of Illinois, he was born in Effing- 
ham county on the 6th of July, 1848, and is a 
son of John O. and Martha B. Scott, who 
were among the pioneers of that county, the 
father having located there in 1825 ami the 
mother four years later. John O. Scott died 
in 1892, at the age of eighty-six years, but 
his wife is still living and has reached the 
advanced age of ninety-seven. 

Owen Scott acquired his early education in 
the common schools of his native county and 
later attended the Illinois State Normal Uni- 
versity at Bloomington. No event of special 
importance marked his boyhood and youth 
and he remained upon the home farm until 
al)out twenty years of age. On starting out 
in life for himself he engaged in teaching in 
the public schools for some time and for eight 
years was county superintendent of schools in 
Effingham county. Having decided to enter 
the legal profession, he studied law and was 
admitted to the bar in i87_|, after which he 
engaged in practice for ten years. In the 
meantime he entered upon his journalistic 
career, publishing the Effingham Democrat 
for three years, from 1881 to 1884. In the 
latter year he left his native county and re- 
moved to Bloomington, where he puljlished 
the Bloomington Daily Bulletin until 1891. 
For several years he has taken a very active 
and influential part in political affairs and in 
1890 was elected to congress, being the only 



780 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Democrat ever elected from that district. He 
served throughout the fifty-second congress 
and then retired to private life, his term ex- 
piring on the 4th of .March, 1893. In 1896 
and 1897 he was grand master of the Masons 
of Illinois. During all this time he continued 
to make his home in Bloominglon but in 1899 
came to Decatur and has since had charge of 
the Decatur Herald, which is one of the lead- 
ing papers of this section of the state. 

At Effingham, on the 6th of November, 
1873, Mr. Scott was united in marriage to 
Miss Nora Miser, who died August 2, 1900, 
leavirig two daughters: Mrs. Henrietta 
McNulta and Miss Florence Scott. In early 
life Mr. Scott always affiliated with 
the Democratic party but was unable 
to endorse the party platform during 
the liryan campaign of 1896 and in 
1900 he declared for McKinley and now 
votes the Republican ticket. He has always 
taken quite a prominent part in public af- 
fairs and besides the offices previously re- 
ferred to he served as mayor of Effingham 
from 1883 until October, 1884, when he re- 
signed in order to remove to Bloomington. 
He is a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows and other societies besides 
the Masonic fraternity, in which he stands 
high. He has not only served as grand 
master of the state but has filled other posi- 
tions in the order of minor importance. Re- 
ligiously he is a member of the Baptist 
church and was president of the State Asso- 
ciation for four years. He has been and is 
distinctively a man of afifairs and one who 
has wielded a wide influence. A strong men- 
tality, an invincible courage, a most deter- 
mined individuality have so entered into his 
make-up as to render him a natural leader 
of men and a director of opinion. 



JOHN G. SHANKLIN. 
Among the old and honored residents of 
Macon county none stand higher in puljlic 



esteem than the gentleman whose name in- 
troduces this sketch. F"or many years he 
was actively identified with the farming and 
stock-raising interests of the county but 
is now living retired on his farm on section 
I, South Macon township. He was born 
near Lexington, Kentucky, December 31, 
1822, and is a son of John and Jenett 
(Green) Shanklin, the latter a relative of 
General Green, of Revolutionary fame and 
a first cousin of General Thomas, of the 
Civil war. She was born at Crab Orchard, 
Kentuck}-, and w^as of Scotch-Irish descent. 
The father of our subject was a native of 
Washington county, Virginia, and from that 
state removed to Kentucky, where he con- 
tinued to make his home until 1828, when 
with his family he came to Illinois, making 
the journey on horseback with his house- 
hold goods in an old fashioned steamboat 
wagon drawn by five horses. He arrived in 
Greene count}- on the 14th of October, 
1828, and purchased eighty acres of prairie 
land near \\'hitehall, which he at once be- 
gan to improve and cultivate, but he was 
not long permitted to enjoy his new home 
as death claimed him in 1832. His wife died 
in February, 1856. Of their eight children 
only three are now living, these being Hen- 
rietta, widow of James Doyle and a resident 
of .\uburn, Illinois; William, a retired 
farmer of LaPlace, Illinois ; and John G., of 
this review. • 

The subject of this sketch was only six 
years old when he accompanied his father 
on his removal to Illinois, and he was reared 
and educated in Greene county, this state, 
pursuing his studies in an old log school- 
house, which had a puncheon floor, greased 
paper windows and a large fireplace at one 
end. On starting out in life for himself he 
worked as a farm hand until twenty-two 
years of age, and then purchased one hun- 
dred and si.xty acres of land where the town 
of Roodhouse now stands, paying eleven 
dollars per acre for it, though he had to 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



7i57 



borrow a part of the money. Subsequently 
he purchased another one hundred and sixty 
acre tract adjoining, a part of which was 
timber and the remainder prairie kuul. This 
he placed under cultivation and continued 
to operate it for four years. Selling out 
at the end of that time he returned to 
Greene county, where he bought a farm, 
making it his home for about four years, 
and then removed to Macoupin county, 
where he purchased one hundred and twenty 
acres, selling his Greene county farm soon 
afterward. Three years later he went to 
Scott county, where he owned and oper- 
ated a farm of one hundred and twenty 
acres for five years, and then removed to 
Sangamon county, wdiere the following 
year was spent upon a rented farm. At the 
end of that time he came to !Macon county 
and bought one hundred and sixty acres 
of land north of the village of Macon, lo- 
cating thereon in time to vote for General 
Grant the following year. That farm was 
all wild and unimproved when it came into 
his possession, but he tiled, ditched and 
broke the land and erected a good house 
thereon, and in connection with the oper- 
ation of the farm he also cultivated another 
one hundred and sixty acres which he rent- 
ed for several years, at the same time feed- 
ing a large number of cattle and hogs for 
market. In 1881 he bought eighty acres 
on section i, South Macon township, where 
he now lives, remodeled the house and 
made other good improvements, besides 
adding to his land until he now owns one 
hundred and ninety-six acres. A few years 
ago he sold his first farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres in the same township. Dur- 
ing the long years of his residence in Illi- 
nois, he has bought and sold much prop- 
erty in various parts of the state, and has 
materialy aided in its development and up- 
building. 

On the 14th of October, 1847, near White- 
hall in Greene countv, Mr. Shanklin was 



united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Hol- 
liday, a daughter of John and Matilda 
(Clark) Holliday, and to them were born 
six children, three of whom are still liv- 
ing, namely: ^Matilda, the wife of V. W. 
Judd, a farmer living near Nevada, Iowa ; 
Jenett, wife of D. T. Hughes, who is now 
operating our subject's farm; and Jonas, 
wife of William Oberlin, who lives in Ma- 
con and is engaged in farming and thresh- 
ing. Mrs. Shanklin was called to her final 
rest on the 30th of October, 1888. She was 
a life-long member of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church, took an active part in its 
work and was a true and earnest Christian 
woman, loved and respected by all who 
knew her. Her death came as an almost 
unbearable loss to her husband and time 
seems rather to heighten his loneliness than 
obliterate it. The relations between them 
were most congenial, each deeply enjoying 
the companionship of the other and ]\Irs. 
Shanklin was a most estimable lady, kindly 
and sympathetic, so that she won not only 
the earnest and enduring love of her hus- 
band but also of many friends. 

Air. Shanklin cast his first presidential 
vote for AVilliam Henry Harrison and now 
supports the Republican party. During the 
Civil war he was a member of the Union 
League and has always been a patriotic and 
loyal citizen, taking a commendable interest 
in public afifairs. He has filled the offices 
of school director and road commissioner, 
l)ut has never cared for political prefer- 
ment. In all the relations of life he has 
been found upright and honorable and he 
holds a high place in the esteem of his fel- 
low citizens. 

D. T. Hughes, who now has charge of our 
subject's farm, was born in Defiance, Ohio, 
July 31, 1850, and is a son of Andre and 
Clarissa (Blair) Hughes, who were also na- 
tives of the Buckeye state, whence they re- 
moved to Michigan, where both died. The 
father was a lawyer of considerable promi- 



i88 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



ncnce and served as magistrate many years. 
D. T. Hnghes acquired his education in the 
schools of his native state, and on coming 
to llhni)is in 1876, located in Macon coun- 
ty, where lie has engaged in agricukural 
pursuits ever since. He now has charge 
of ^[r. ShankHn's estate, but owns an ad- 
joining farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
which he rents. On the <jth of July, 1881, 
at the Grace Methodist Episcopal parsonage 
in Decatur he was united in marriage to 
Miss Jenett Shanklin, who was born June 
5, 1856, in the old log cabin home in Scott 
count)', Illinois, and the}' have become the 
parents of live children : Elizabeth H., 
John S., Daisy Clarissa, 1). Roy and De 
Witt T. Mr. Hughes is a Republican in 
politics but has never cared or sought for 
office. He is a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity and also of the .Methodist Episcopal 
church of Macon. 



KILl'.LR.X 11. K( )I'.V. 

Enrolled on the list of men who have 
been the builders of Decatur, the promoters 
of its business life, its political interests and 
its educational welfare is the name of Kil- 
burn H. Roby and an in\'estigation into the 
history of the city soon con\inces the stu- 
dent that he has played no unim])orlant 
part in public affairs here, lie has gained 
distinction at the bar and although now re- 
tired from the active practice of law, is 
still closely associated with the city as a 
rt pri^-:cntative of its financial interests, be- 
ing now the ])resideut of The .National I'.ank 
of Decatur. 

His life span thus far covers two-thirds of 
a century, for he was born on the 2d of 
September. 1837, in Hillsboro county. New 
Hampshire. Back to an early epoch in the 
colonization of the new world does he trace 
his ancestry, for when Massachusetts was 
first being opened up to the civilization of 



the old world his ancestors, emigraluig 
from England, established their home in the 
old Bay state. L'i)on the first settlement 
of New Hampshire a branch of the family 
was planted there. Soon after the war 
which brought independence to the nation, 
John Roby, the great-grandfather of our 
subject, removed from Chelmsford, Massa- 
chusetts, to Hillsboro county, New Hamp- 
shire, and cast in his lot with the pioneer 
settlers of what was then a frontier district. 
Representatixes of the name have since re- 
sided there. 'I"he Granite state was the 
home of John Roby, the grandfather of our 
subject, throughout his entire life and he 
reached the advanced age of eighty years. 
His traits of character were strongly marked 
and were of a sterling nature. He pos- 
sessed a remarkable memory and could re- 
peat the greater portion of the Bible. His 
son, Clinton Roby, was born in .\ew Hamp- 
shire in 1808, and in 1834 he married ^liss 
Lois Harwood, who was born in Hillsboro 
county, New Hampshire, in 181 1, and was 
also a representative of an old Massachu- 
setts family of English lineage. Two chil- 
dren were born of this union, the younger 
being the subject of this review. 

On the home farm the boyhood days of 
Kilburn H. Roby were ])assed and his stud- 
ies were largely pursued in .\pplelon .Acad- 
emy, of Mount \'ernon, although later he 
continued his education in Northfield Sem- 
inary, which was under the auspices of the 
Methodist church and was located at North- 
field, now Tilton, New Hampshire. He has 
ever remained a student of current events, 
keeping well informed on the issues of the 
day and their bearing upon the history of 
the country. The west with its almost lim- 
itless opportunities attracted the ambitious 
young man, and the spring of 1858 wit- 
nessed his remo\al from New Hampshire 
to Illinois. He was not disappointed in the 
country to which he had come and has since 
remained a resident of this state, winning 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



789 



prominence anil success in professional and 
financial circles. He spent the summer of 
1858 in Ouincy and in the succeeding au- 
tumn began leaching school in Marion coun- 
ty where he remained for two years, 
largely engaged in following that profession. 
In the meantime, however, he began prepa- 
ration for the bar, his first preceptor being 
John P. Reynolds, who was at one time a 
distinguished lawyer of Cincinnati and later 
of Chicago. Mr. Roby continued his read- 
ing with the firm of Bryan & Schaeffer, of 
Salem, Illinois, and in September, i860, he 
entered the law office of Tupper & Nelson, 
of Decatur, as a student. 

The next step of importance in his life 
record was his enlistment in Company A, 
Forty-first Illinois Infantry, in August, 
1861. He was stationed at St. Louis, Cairo, 
and Paducah, Kentucky, but ■ after four 
months was discharged on account of ill- 
ness. Returning then to Decatur he re- 
sumed his legal studies and in the spring 
of 1862 was admitted to practice. Not long 
after this his former preceptor, Mr. Tup- 
per, entered the army, and Mr. Roby then 
entered into partnership with Mr. Nelson, 
an association that was maintained for fif- 
teen years, the partnership being terminated 
by the election of Judge Nelson to the 
bench in 1877. Ft)r many years Mr. Roby 
was the senior member of the firm of Roby, 
Outten & Vail, but in recent years has re- 
tired from the bar, where for so long he 
was an eminent and leading figure. Be- 
cause of the ability of its members the firm 
with which he was connected maintained a 
foremost place in legal circles and the repu- 
tation of Mr. Roby was second to none who 
argued cases in the courts of this district. 
His legal learning was broad and accurate 
and this made him a safe adviser and able 
counsellor. His preparation of cases was 
thorough and exhaustive and he learned to 
prepare not only for the expected but also 
for the unexpected, which happens quite 



as frequently in courts as out of them. He 
won many notable cases and for long years 
had a distinctively representative clientage, 
which was an indication of his skill and 
ability in his chosen profession. In 1893 
he became connected with the Decatur Na- 
tional Bank, which was reorganized in that 
year, at which time he was chosen president, 
in which position he still continues to serve. 
The other officers are D. S. Shellabarger, 
\ice president; B. O. McReynolds, cashier; 
and George W. Bright, assistant cashier. 
The company does a general banking busi- 
ness and the institution is capitalized for 
one hundred thousand dollars, while the sur- 
plus is one hundred thousand dollars and the 
undivided profits twenty-five thousand. 

On the 1st of December, 1863, was cele- 
brated the marriage of Mr. Roby and Miss 
Annie Haworth, a native of Clinton county, 
Ohio. By this marriage there have been 
born seven children, of whom six are now 
living. 

Mr. Roby has long been an ardent advo- 
cate of Republican principles and although 
never seeking office he has taken an active 
interest in the work and success of the 
]iarty. The only public office he ever held 
was the dual one of clerk and attorney of 
Decatur, in which capacity he acted for two 
years, save that he is now the treasurer of 
the board of education, to which position he 
has been annually appointed since Septem- 
ber, 1892. The public, however, recognizes 
his devotion to the welfare of the city be- 
cause of the active co-operation, which, as 
a private citizen, he has given to many 
measures for the public good. His labors 
and influence have been a resultant factor 
in the progress of the city, the expansion of 
its business affairs and its substantial 
growth. 

MRS. NANCY J. HOUSLEY. 
This well known and highly esteemed 
lady belongs to one of the old and most 



790 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



prominent families of Decatur. She was 
born in Kentucky, August 22, 1833, ^"^ '^ 
a daughter of John VV. and Elvira (OxleyJ 
Tyler, and a half-sister of Barton S. Tyler, 
whose sketch appears on another page of 
this volume. Pier father, who was a native 
of Fayette county, Kentucky, came to Illi- 
nois at an early day and in 1836 located 
in Alacon county, casting in his lot with it^ 
pioneer settlers. He was one of those who 
laid broad and deep the foundation for the 
present development and jjrosperity of the 
county and for more than half a century 
he made his home within its borders, taking 
a deep ami abiding interest in whatever per- 
tained to the general good, lie was a min- 
ister of the Christian church and followed 
close!}- in the footsteps of the Alaster. liis 
first wife died in 1836, leaving three chil- 
dren: Theodore M., who died about 1887; 
John, a resident of Decatur; and Nancy J., 
of this review, lie afterward married -Mrs. 
Sarah Roney, who passed away in 1892, 
and his death occurred in 1888. By the 
second union there were the following chil- 
dren, who are still living: Dr. B. B. Tyler, 
a prominent divine of the Christian church 
now located in Denver, Colorado; Rev. J. 
Z. Tyler, of Cleveland, Ohio ; Charles Tyler, 
who is living in Oklahoma; iNlrs. Stephen 
Cook, a resident of Denver, Colorado; Miss 
Alice Tyler, whose home is in Des Moines, 
Iowa; Mrs. Sue Odor, of Decatur; and Mrs. 
J. A. Meriweather, of Decatur. 

On reaching womanhood Miss Nancy J. 
Tyler was united in marriage to Rufus 
Housley, and to them were born seven chil- 
dren, as follows: Nellie, the eldest, is now 
the widow of George W. Plarris and resides 
in Kansas City, Missouri; Mary A. is the 
widow of C. R. Morrison and makes her 
home with her sister in Kansas City ; Fran- 
cis is deceased ; Katie is the widow of John 
\. Rogers and lives with her mother in 
Decatur, being employed in the millinery 
department of Bradley Brothers stDre ; 



\\ illiam R. is a painter and resides in Mon- 
tana ; Edwin L. is also a painter and is now 
living in Robey, Illinois; and Elvira died 
in infancy. Mrs. Housley has a nice home 
at No. 846 East Cantrell street, where she 
and her daughter now reside. They stand 
high in social circles and have many warm 
friends throughout the city. Mrs. Housley 
is a member of the Christian church and her 
daughter belongs to the First Methodist 
Episcopal church of Decatur. 



LOUIS KOEHLER. 
Louis Koehler, one of the most success- 
ful merchants of Decatur and one whose 
business activity, enterprise and careful 
management constitute the secret of his 
prosperity, is proprietor of a fine retail 
grocery and market. He was born in this 
city April 19, 1859, l^'S parents having been 
Henry and Barbara (Will) Koehler, who, 
as the name indicates, were natives of Ger- 
many. They came to the United States 
fift)'-four years ago, settling in Buffalo, New 
York. Later they established their home 
in Decatur and here the father died as the 
result of an accident in April, 1885, at the 
age of fifty years, llis wife died when her 
son Louis was but live years of age, leav- 
ing two children, the subject of this review 
and a daughter, Emma, who is now the wife 
of John Weglege, of Dayton, Ohio. The 
father was a butcher by trade and for some 
time was an employe of Peter \V. WycofT, 
of Decatur. 

At the usual age Louis Koehler became 
a student in the public schools and therein 
mastered the common branches of learning, 
but when only ten 3'ears of age he began 
working in the butcher shop with his father. 
He afterward went to Buffalo, New York, 
where he was employed in the years 1874-5 
and in 1876 he returned to his native city. 
He then took charge of the cafe in the St. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



791 



Nicholas Hotel, where he remained for five 
years and in the spring of 1888, with the 
capital he had acquired there through his 
own energy and determination he estab- 
lished a grocery store at the corner of Wood 
and Broadway, where he was located for 
five years. He then removed to the corner 
of East Wood and Broadway, and after 
being located there for eleven years he 
erected his present handsome brick build- 
ing known as the Koehler Block at Nos. 
632-638 East Wood street. This is a two- 
story structure forty by eighty feet. It has 
excellent timber supports and is splendidly 
equipped for the carrying on of the business. 
His establishment is the largest retail gro- 
cer}- house in the city and he not only 
deals in groceries but also carries a large 
line of fruits and vegetables, queensware, 
tinware and wooden and willow ware. He 
also opened a butchering department, car- 
rying home killed meats and dealing in both 
fresh and salt meats and fish and game in 
season. His spacious show windows are 
handsomely decorated with foliage plants 
and his goods are displayed to the best ad- 
vantage throughout the store, which is neat 
and attractive in appearance. A glance 
into this large and finely kept establishment 
often solves for the housekeeper the per- 
plexing problem of "what to eat." Mr. 
Koehler has built up a splendid trade and 
is now one of the most prosperous mer- 
chants of the city. He has been a close ob- 
server of the needs and wishes of the people 
and carefully superintends every detail of 
the work in connection with his store. He 
has been eminently successful and takes just 
pride in the perfection of his establishment 
and a choice of goods carried. 

Mr. Koehler has been twice married. He 
first wedded Miss Mary Troesch of Effing- 
ham, Illinois, in 1880. She died July 13, 
1890, at the age of thirty-six years, leaving 
three children : Lela R., Willa B. and Louis 
H. In 1894 Mr. Koehler was again mar- 



ried, his second union being with Miss Mary 
Leach, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David 
Leach of Decatur. He belongs to Easterly 
Camp, No. 1626, M. W. A., is also con- 
nected with the Knights of the Maccabees,^ 
with Decatur Court, No. 243, Tribe of Ben 
Hur and with Lincoln Camp. He is an 
honorable man, his reputation is above re- 
proach and his word is as good as his bond ; 
he is also a progressive man, keeping in 
touch with the advancement of the times in 
business life as well as in other afifairs ; he 
is also liberal and generous, whose conduct 
with his fellow citizens has broadened his 
nature and his views and who now looks 
upon life from a broad humanitarian stand- 
point. His friends appreciate his sterling 
worth and all who know him have admira- 
tion for his honorable and successful ca- 
reer. 



CHRISTIAN DAMMEIER. 

Christian Dammeier, who is now living a 
retired life on section 26, South Macon 
township, is one of the worthy citizens that 
Germany has furnished to the new world 
and like many of those who have sought 
homes on this side of the Atlantic he has 
risen from a position of comparative ob- 
scurity to a place among the substantial and 
prominent citizens of his community. 

Born in Germany July 19, 1832, he is a son 
of Casper and Sophia (Xeimeier) Dammeier, 
who were life-long residents of that coun- 
try, but his maternal grandfather, Henry 
Neinieier, came from Germany to America 
when our subject was about seven years of 
age and located in Baltimore, Maryland, 
where he continued to make his home 
throughout the remainder of his life. It 
was in 1852 that our subject came to the 
United States, making the voyage on a sail- 
ing vessel, the Austeina, which sailed from 
Bremen. Although they were ten weeks 
in crossing the Atlantic, the trip was a 



792 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



pleasant one. Two deaths occurred during 
the voyage and also two births. There were 
two hundred and eightj'-five passengers on 
board. Landing in New Orleans, Mr. Dam- 
meier proceeded up the Mississippi river to 
Cairo, Illinois, where he arrived nine days 
later — on the 30th of December, 1852. From 
there he walked to East St. Louis, which 
was then a village of only three houses. 
After spending a few days with an uncle 
on the blufifs near Collinsville, he obtained 
employment with Henry Peters, for whom 
he worked four months, receiving nine dol- 
lars per month for the first two months, 
and eleven dollars per month for the re- 
mainder of the time. In this way he earned 
enough to send his father the money which 
he had borrowed to pay his passage to 
.\merica. He continued to work as a farm 
hand by the month until after the Civil war 
broke out, when prompted by love for his 
adopted country, he enlisted at Edwards- 
ville, Illinois, in May, 1861, becoming a 
mcml)er of Company I. .Xinth Illinois Vol- 
unteer infanlr_\-, which was assigned to the 
Sixteenth Army Corps. P'or three years 
and three months he rcmainei^l in the serv- 
ice, taking part in the battles of h'ort Donel- 
son, Shiloh and many other im])ortant en- 
gagements and skirmishes, one luimh'ccl and 
ten in all. After the battle of Shiloh he was 
with the mounted infantry. lie was finally 
discharged at L"am|) I'.utk-r, lllinnis. August 
21, 1864, with a fine military record. 

After his return from the army .Mr. Dam- 
meier continued to work by the month until 
his marriage, which important event in his 
life was celebrated .\pril 20, 1873, Miss 
Susan M. liainter. who was born January 
17, 1846, and is a daughter of Elias and 
Elizaljeth (Easter) r)ainter, becoming his 
wife. Her father, who was a minister of the 
Methodist Episco]ial church, died in 1858, 
and her mother passed away when Mrs. 
Dammeier was only four years old. 

-Mr. and .Mrs. Dammeier becau their mar- 



ried life on a partially improved farm of 
forty acres in South Macon township, where 
they have since made their home. There 
was a small house, fourteen by eighteen 
feet, upon the place, and in that they lived 
for o\er twenty years and it is still stand- 
ing but about ten years ago a more com- 
modious and substantial residence was 
erected by Mr. Dammeier as a place of 
abode. He has also built two barns, has 
laid over eight thousand tiles, and in other 
ways has improved the place until it is now 
one of the most desirable farms of its size 
in the locality. All of the trees and shrubs 
which now adorn it were planted by Mr. 
and Mrs. Dammeier. Formerly he raised 
a great many hogs for market but for the 
past thirteen years he has lived retired from 
active labor, renting all of his farm with the 
excei:)tion of about eight acres and the house 
in which he li\es. He has plowed with five 
yoke of oxen hitched to an old fashioned 
plow and has used other ])rimitive farm im- 
plements in carrying on his work before 
modern machinery was introduced. Indus- 
trious, enterprising and honest, he met with 
success in his labors and is to-day able to 
lay aside all business cares and enjoy the 
fruits of former toil. 

Since casting his first presidential vote 
for .Abraham Lincoln in i860, Mr. Dam- 
meier has aftiliated with the Republican 
party, but has always refused to accept of- 
fice of any kind. He is an honored member 
of Dunham Post, No. 141, G. A. R.. of De- 
catur, and both he and his wife formerly 
held membership in the church of God at 
Macon, but since its dissolution they have 
attended the Presbyterian church. They 
are people of the highest respectability and 
well merit the regard in which thev are held. 



JACOB C. HENDRICKS. 
Jacob C. Hendricks was born in Pennsyl- 
\ania, .August 21, 1828, and therefore for 
more than three-fourths of a century has 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



10?, 



been a witness of the world's progress and 
taken a deep and commendable pride in the 
accomplishments of his own countrj-. His 
parents were Samuel and JNIag'dalene 
(W'oodling) Hendricks, whose family num- 
bered six children, the eldest of whom, John, 
died in 1903, at the advanced age of seventy- 
eight years. 

Jacob C Hendricks spent his youth and 
acquired his education in Pennsylvania. 
For many years thereafter he was connected 
with the carriage-making trade, having 
learned that btisiness in the Keystone state, 
where he followed the pursuit for nine 
years. It was on the nth of April, 1865, 
that he arrived in Decatur and with the in- 
terests of the city he has since been identi- 
fied. Here he secured work as a journey- 
man at his trade and was thus employed 
for eighteen years. In 1883 he built a car- 
riage repair shop on W^est Green street, 
where he engaged in business on his own 
account until 1899. Since that time he has 
given his attention and energies to the 
manufacture of bee hives _and to the sale 
of bee supplies. He also keeps on hand pure 
honey which he sells to the retail trade. 
His life has been one of untiring industry 
and whatever success he has achieved has 
come to him as a direct result of liis own 
labors. 

l\Ir. Hendricks was married in Pennsyl- 
vania, the lady of his choice being Miss 
Mary J. Orwig, who was born and reared 
in the Keystone state, where the wedding 
was celebrated in 1852. They traveled life's 
journey together for more than one-third 
of a century and then Mrs. Hendricks was 
called to her final rest in Decatur on the 
14th of February, 1898, leaving her husband 
and several children to mourn her loss. She 
was a kind and loving wife and a devoted 
mother, and in friendship she was ever faith- 
ful and true. The children of the family 
are as follows : Mary Jane, who is now- 
living in New York city; Helen, who for- 



merly engaged in teaching school in Deca- 
tur and is now a popular school teacher of 
Chicago; Edith, who became the wife of 
E. W. Smith and died leaving two children ; 
Bertha, who conducts a china decorating 
establishment in Denver, Colorado ; A. W., 
who married Minta Keizer and is now dep- 
uty sherift' of Macon county, his home being 
in Decatur ; Harry, who is living in Denver, 
Colorado-; Frankie, who died in childhood ; 
and Etta, the wife of George Hart, of San 
Jose, California. All of the children were 
well educated, being provided with school 
privileges that well prepared them to meet 
the responsible and practical duties of life. 
Since casting his first presidential vote 
for John C. Fremont Mr. Hendricks has al- 
ways exercised his right of franchise in sup- 
port of the men and measures of the Re- 
publican party, but otherwise has taken no 
active interest in political alTairs. He owns 
his own shop, house and lot in Decatur and 
these are the visible evidence of his life of 
thrift and enterprise. He has seen Decatur 
grow from a city of seven thousand to its 
present metropolitan proportions and has 
been actively interested in much of its de- 
velopment during the long years of his resi- 
dence here, 



J.\COB TROUTMAN. 
More than forty-eight years have elapsed 
since this gentleman arrived in Macon cotm- 
ty and he is justly numbered among her 
early settlers and leading citizens. Through- 
out the years of his manhood he has been 
identified with the agricultural interests of 
this locality and is today the owner of a 
fine farm on section 7, Decatur township, 
which he has placed under a high state of 
cultivation and improved in a worthv man- 
ner. 

A native of tlie "neighboring state of Indi- 
ana, Mr. Troutman was borji in Fulton 
county, October 2, 1848, and on the paternal 



r9-t 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



side is of Scotch descent, his grandfather, 
Michael Troutman, being a native of Scot- 
land, whence he emigrated to America in 
Colonial days. He took part in the Revo- 
lutionary war under the command of Gen- 
eral Washington and valiantly aided the 
colonies in their struggle for independence. 
Peter Troutman, the father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Henry count}', Kentucky, 
in 1816, and from that state removed to In- 
diana in 1832, settling in Fulton county, 
where in the midst of the forest he hewed 
out a farm. He was not only engaged in 
agricultural pursuits but also practiced med- 
icine for twenty-five years but was at length 
forced to al)andon his profession on ac- 
count of ill health. He became one of the 
prominent and intluential citizens of Ful- 
ton county and as a self-made man he ac- 
quired a comfortable competence through 
his own well directed and industrious ef- 
forts. A few years prior to his death he re- 
moved to Kansas, where he engaged in the 
real estate and Inan business, and he died 
near Victor, that state, on the 4th of X'o- 
vember, 1900. In Indiana he wedded Miss 
Mary Piruce, a native of Pennsylvania and 
a daughter of Abraham Bruce, who was 
born in Germany and on crossing the At- 
lantic to the new world settled in the Key- 
stone state, whence he removed with his 
family to Indiana, becoming one of its early 
settlers. He was a farmer and millwright 
by occupation and became a wealthy man. 
Mrs. Troutman died in Macon county, Illi- 
nois, in 1869. When a young man the father 
of our subject united with the Methodist 
ICpiscopal church and served as a class- 
leader and as superintendent of the Sunday 
school for many }-cars. He and his family 
were the principal contributors toward 
building the Sharon church and he was a 
trustee of the same. Socially he was a 
member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and in 
politics was a Republican. He always took 
an active interest in public aflfairs and voted 



for William Henry Harrison and also for 
his grandson, Benjamin Harrison. 

Unto Peter and Mary (Bruce) Troutman 
were born the following children : Eliza- 
beth Jane, the eldest, is the wife of J. H. 
Cox, a farmer of Sumner county, Kansas. 
Joseph served throughout the Civil war as 
a member of the C^ne Hundred and Six- 
teenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, partici- 
pating in thirty-two battles and in the 
march to the sea with Sherman, and after 
his return home he fell from an apple tree 
and broke his leg, which superinduced gen- 
eral debility and resulted in his death. 
Samuel, who was a member of the same 
regiment as his brother and was with Sher- 
man on his celebrated march to the sea, is 
now living in Decatur. Phoebe is the wife 
of Jeremiah Miller, of Decatur. Jacob is 
the next in order of birth. Julia is the wife 
of Asa Gulick. a resident of Harristown 
township. John makes his home in Kan- 
sas. Levi died at the age of twenty years. 
All of the children were born in Indiana. 

Jacob Troutman was only eight years old 
when he accompanied his parents on their 
removal to Macon county, Illinois, the jour- 
ney being made by team, and on reaching 
their destination they took up their resi- 
dence in a two room log cabin with punch- 
eon floor. Our subject passed his boyhood 
and youth under the parental roof and pur- 
sued his studies in the district schools of the 
neighborhood and the public schools of De- 
catur. He early became familiar with all 
the duties wliich fall to the lot of the agri- 
culturist. He could swing the ax and cradle 
and at the age of thirteen began following 
the old McCormick reaper. Later he en- 
gaged in breaking ])rairie and hauling logs 
for fences. 

On attaining his majority Mr. Troutman 
started out in life for himself, his property 
at that time consisting of one horse. He 
purchased the farm where he is now living, 
it being a tract of seventy acres of unim- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



f95 



proved land, and upon the place he erected 
a good residence, together with substantial 
barns and all modern equipments and con- 
veniences. He is not only engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits but also carries on a gen- 
eral store and deals in both grain and stock. 

Mr. Troutman was married, September 
20, 1876, to Miss Sarah Morrison, a native 
of Pennsylvania. Her father. Joel Morri- 
son, was born in INIifflin county, that state, 
and came to Illinois in 1850. when Mrs. 
Troutman was about fifteen years of age. 
He lived in Decatur for some time and was 
in the employ of John Ullrich and George 
Danzeisen & Blcnz, butchers, for several 
years. He was an earnest and consistent 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church 
and died in that faith at the age of sixty- 
four years. Some of his early ancestors 
were soldiers of the Revolutionary war and 
were killed in battle. In his family were 
seven children, Mrs. Troutman being the 
fourth in order of birth, and six of the num- 
ber are still living, namclv: ^\'ilson. Anna, 
Sarah, Joel, Charles and Lydia. David is 
deceased. 

I\lr. and Mrs. Troutman are the parents 
of five children : Fred B., a resident of 
Shelby county, Illinois; Carrie, who died in 
infancy; Nora, the wife of (Jtto Church- 
man, who has charge of the elevator at 
Troutman and by whom she has one child. 
Ellen ; and Samuel J. and Minnie Jean, Ijoth 
at home. The parents are widely known in 
this community and are people of sterling 
worth, well deserving the high regard in 
which they are held. Since casting his first 
presidential vote for General Grant, Mr. 
Troutman has affiliated with the Republican 
party, and socially he is connected with 
the Modern Woodmen of America, the 
Royal Circle, the Court of Honor and the 
Fraternal .\rmy. During his long residence 
in tlie counl\- lie has witnessed that marvel- 



ous transformation that has been wrought 
and as a generous, liberal minded and pro- 
gressive citizen has aided in its development. 



HUSTON SINGLETON. 

Huston Singleton, one of the oldest repre- 
sentatives of the restaurant business in De- 
catur, has resided in tliis city for the past thir- 
ty-eight years. He was born in the town of 
Shelbyville in Bedford county, Tennessee, 
May 28, 1848, a son of Richard H. and Min- 
erva (Porter) Singleton, who were likewise 
natives of that state. During his youth his 
parents removed to Keokuk, Iowa, and he 
there acquired his education, but his school 
privileges were somewhat limited. In 1865 
he came to Decatur and began work as a bell 
boy and later as porter in the old Revere 
House, where he remained for about three 
years. He then began learning the barber's 
trade and after mastering it opened a shop of 
his own, continuing in the business until 1884, 
when he sold out. He then established a res- 
taurant in Lincoln Square, where he has since 
remained in business, being recognized as one 
of the most capable proprietors and extensive 
caterers of the city. He has served some of 
the finest banquets that have been held, not 
only in Decatur, but also in central Illinois, 
and in his restaurant he receives a liberal pat- 
ronage, daily furnishing meals to a large 
number of people. 

On the 29th of December, 1886. Mr. Sin- 
gleton was united in marriage to Miss Laura 
Coussins. who was born in Sandusky, Ohio, 
September 2, 1866, and from there removed 
with her parents to Hanover, Indiana, and 
later to Gibson City, Illinois. Fraternally 
Mr. Singleton is connected with the Decatur 
Lodge, No. 17, F. & A. M., and with Spring- 
field Commandery, No. 3, K, T., and is a 
worthy representative of the craft. He has 
always taken an active part in politics, being 
an earnest Repuljlican and lias been prominent 



r9o 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



in political circles throughout the state. In 
1890 he was sent as a delegate from this dis- 
trict to the Repuhlican national convention, 
which convened at Nashville, Tennessee. He 
was also a member of the state senate com- 
mittee for several years, while in 1892 he 
served as a member of the state executive com- 
mittee and was chairman of the Macon count>- 
delegation to the state convention of the 
boards of supervisors in Peoria, Illinois. lie 
has labored effectively for the welfare and up- 
building of his party, is known to its most 
prominent members and is recognized as one 
of its leaders in the state. For several terms 
he has served as a member of the ^lacon 
county board of supervisors and his interest 
in local affairs has been especially helpful 
along lines tending to promote the upbuilding 
and substantial improvements of Decatur. He 
has a very wide acquaintance in this city and 
enjoys the warm friendship of the great ma- 
jority of those with whom he has been 
brought in contact. 



MRS. LAJMIRA WILKINSON. 

Lamira Powers was the daughter of Will- 
iam and Abigail (Hendrix) Powers, the 
granddaughter of Andrew and Sally (Car- 
ter) Powers and of David and Anne (W^est- 
cott) Hendrix. She was born April 29. 1807, 
in Charlton, Saratoga county, New York, and 
was married Feruary 14, 1829, to Chauncey 
\Mlkinson, of the same village. After living 
a few years at Ballston Springs, they re- 
moved to Alabama, where some of her broth- 
ers were then in business. They lived suc- 
cessively in Prairie Bluff, Tuskaloosa and Mo- 
bile. 

Mr. Wilkinson died in 1844 and his widow 
with her three children came to Decatur, Illi- 
nois, to be with her mother, who was then liv- 
ing on the Powers farm northeast of town. 
A few years later her mother went to Bloom- 
ington to live with her daughter, Mrs. F.w- 



iiig, whose husband was a minister there, and 
Mrs. Wilkinson and her older brother, Will- 
iam L. Powers, a retired banker, also re- 
moved there and made it their home until Mr. 
Powers died. In 1859 she went with her one 
remaining child to Chicago, where this daugh- 
ter soon died. In 1864 she came with }klr. 
and Mrs. Ewing to Decatur, where she kept 
house during the remainder of her life. For 
the last few years she and her sister, also a 
widow, made their home together. She died 
March 6, 1894, in her eighty-seventh year, 
having been a widow for fifty years and hav- 
ing survived the last of her six children more 
than thirty years. 

A woman of unusually bright intellect, of 
extensive reading and having led a varied life 
in the east, south and west, Mrs. Wilkinson 
was an interesting conversationalist and to the 
last of her long life a Avelcome addition to any 
circle of old, middle-aged or young. Her 
lonely home was made attractive to her many 
friends and relatives by her cordial welcome, 
her gracious hospitalitx- and her beautiful cour- 
tesy which made her seem to all who knew her 
a perfect type of the true Christian gentle- 
woman. 

Her quiet tastes made her shrink from any 
public deeds, but her ample means were spent 
in many acts of kindness. To the "\'oung 
Men's Christian Association she was a fre- 
quent and generous giver ; to the library in its 
earlier struggling days she was most kind and 
to the Presbyterian church, of which she was 
a life-long and consistent member, she gave 
a parsonage called by the trustees the Wilkin- 
son Manse. Of Mrs. Wilkinson it might truly 
have been said : 

" Life halh its regal natures yet. 
True, tender, brave and sweet." 



JEFFERSON G. WIT-LARD. 
Among the prominent and influential citi- 
zens of Harristown township is numbered 
Jeft'crson G. ^^'illa^(l. who was for a number 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



797 



of years connected with the agricultural inter- 
ests of Macon county but is now practically 
living a retired life in his beautiful home near 
the village of Harristown. For five years he 
was a resident of Decatur, owning the house 
at No. 752 West Macon street, now occupied 
by his son, but in 1897 he returned to the 
farm. 

Mr. Willard w'as born in Overton county, 
Tennessee, February 21, 1827, and is a son of 
William and Martha (Goodpasture) Willard, 
natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respective- 
ly. On the paternal side he is of English and 
Scotch descent, and his grandfather, William 
Willard, a native of Virginia, served as a sol- 
dier in the Revolutionary war and was after- 
ward granted a pension by the government. 
He reached the advanced age of one hundred 
and five years and retained his mental and 
physical vigor to the last, riding fifty miles 
on horseback in the spring of 1830 when a 
centenarian. 

William Willard, Jr., the father of our sub- 
ject, removed from Tennessee to Morgan 
county, Illinois, in 1829 and entered from 
the government three hundred and twenty 
acres of land nine miles west of Jacksonville, 
where he made his home until called to his 
final rest in 1847, ^^ the age of forty-seven 
years. His death resulted from an attack of 
congestive fever. His wife, who long sur- 
vived him, died in Macon county, on the 8th 
of November, 1861. They were consistent 
and faithful members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church and Mr. Willard served as one 
of the officers of the local congregation. In 
the family of this worthy couple were six sons 
and four daughters but only two are now liv- 
ing namely : Jefferson G., of this sketch ; and 
Abram Jasper, who is living near Shelbyville 
in Shelby county, Illinois. 

The early life of Jefferson G. Willard was 
mainly passed in Morgan county, Illinois, and 
when he had attained a sufficient age he be- 
gan his education in an old log schoolhouse 
fitting on a rude slab bench. At the end of 



the building w^as a huge fireplace and the light 
was admitted through greased paper win- 
dows. There he laid the foundation of a 
good practical education which has been ac- 
quired through experience and observation. 

On the 28th of March, 1849, Mr. Willard 
was united in marriage to Miss Aliff C. Aver- 
itt, a daughter of Nathan G. and Mary 
(Cooper) Averitt, the former a native of 
Kentucky and the latter of Tennessee. They 
became pioneer settlers of Morgan county, 
Illinois, where they located in 1830. Two 
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Willard 
but one died in infancy, the other being James 
Monroe, who is now living in Decatur. He 
married Miss Florence Dyke, a native of 
Tennessee, who died on the 24th of April, 
1892, leaving a daughter, Clara, who now 
makes her home with her father, and is at- 
tending the James Millikin University at De- 
catur. For his second wife, James M. Wil- 
lard married Miss Mary Kellington, of JNIor- 
gan county, and to them have been born two 
children, Ruth and .Miff'. For some time he 
was connected with the Municipal Electric 
Light Company as general manager, but is 
now living retired. 

Mr. W'illard, of this review, continued to 
reside in Morgan county after his marriage 
until 1855, when he sold his property there 
and came to Macon county, where he has since 
made his home. He purchased a farm of three 
hundred acres on section 9, Harristown town- 
ship, and as his financial resources were in- 
creased he kept adding to his land from time 
to time until he now has seven hundred and 
forty acres of as fine farming land as is to be 
found anywhere in the country. His place 
adjoins the village of Harristown and being 
well improved and highly cultivated is one 
of the most desirable farms in this section of 
the state. Its beauty is enhanced by a little 
lake one-half mile in circumference, which is 
stocked with all kinds of fish. In connection 
with general farming Mr. Willard has en- 
gaged in stock raising quite extensively and 



79S 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



has found this branch of his business quite 
profitable. Although nearly seventy-seven 
years of age he still enjoys robust health and 
is able to do a good day's work on the farm. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Willard are active mem- 
bers of the Christian church at Harristown 
and for a quarter of a century he served as 
one of its elders. In early life he supported 
the Democratic party but in 1888 voted for 
Fiske and Brooks and has since been an ar- 
dent Prohibitionist. He served as road com- 
missioner for twelve years, but has never 
cared for political honors. He was one of the 
incorporators of the ]\lacon County Agricul- 
tural Society and was president of the same 
for three years. A friend of temperance and 
moralitv, he does all in his power to advance 
the best interests of his township and county 
and as a citizen ever stands ready to dis- 
charge any duty that devolves upon him. He 
is a man of recognized ability and stands high 
in the community where he has so long made 
his home. Those who know him best are 
numbered among his warmest friends and no 
citizen in JMacon county is more highly re- 
spected than Tefiferson G. ^^'illard. 



JOS 1 AH A. MOORE. 
Josiah A. Moore, deceased, was for over 
thirty years a resident of Decatur and at the 
time of his death was engaged in contracting 
and building. He was born on the 9th of 
February, 1855, in Orange county, North 
Carolina, of which state his parents. Samuel 
and .Susan Moore, were also natives. Prior 
to the Civil war the father was a slaveholder 
and was a man of prominence in his commun- 
ity, serving as sheriff and deputy of Orange 
county for over thirty years before coming 
to Illinois in 1870. Deciding to locate in Ma- 
con county, he took up his residence near the 
village of Macon, where he lived a retired 
life until his death, which occurred January 
('), T8g3. His wife died at the same place on 



the 6th of April, 1902. He was a prominent 
Mason and was very active in the order in his 
native state. 

Josiah A. Moore was indebted to the com- 
mon .scIkxiIs of his native county for the edu- 
cational privileges he enjoyed during his boy- 
hood. He was about twelve years of age when 
he accompanied his parents on their removal 
to this state and he made Macon county his 
home throughout the remainder of his life. 
On starting out for himself, he obtained a po- 
sition as brakeman on the Wabash Railroad 
and was afterward fireman for the same com- 
pany, miming out of Decatur on all the divi- 
sions of their road for several years. 

In the meantime Mr. Moore was married 
November 18, 1892, to Miss Mary Downey, 
who was born in Clark county, Illinois, on 
the 29th of March, 1871, a daughter of Cyrus 
and Catherine Downey. In 1857 her parents 
removed from Ohio to \\'estfield, Clark coun- 
ty, this state, and afterward located in Tus- 
cola, Illinois, where they made their home mi- 
til 1883, which year witnessed their arrival in 
Decatur. Here Mr. Downey, who was a car- 
penter, worked at his trade for several years 
but was living a retired life at the time of his 
death, wliich occurred February 14, 1893. His 
widow now makes her home with Mrs. Moore 
in Decatur. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Moore were 
born four children, namely : Clarinda Ruth, 
Myrtle Grace, Cyrus P. and Samuel A. 

Resigning his position on the road in 1890 
Mr. Moore began learning the carpenter's 
trade and after he had thoroughly mastered 
that <K"cu|)ation he worked at general carpen- 
tering around Decatur until 1899, when he 
commenced contracting and building on his 
own account and was thus engaged at the time 
of his death, which occurred on the ist of Oc- 
tober, 1 901. Ho was a stanch Democrat and 
always took an active interest in his (the fifth) 
ward. I'Vaternally he was a member of Roe 
Cam]), No. 7201, Modern Woodmen, of De- 
catur, while his wife belongs to the Mutual 
Protective League and Bay Leaf Lodge, No. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



799 



29, Royal Neighbors. Both held membership 
in the North Main street Methodist Episcopal 
■church. Industrious, trustworthy and re- 
liable, he won the confidence of those with 
whom he was iDrought in contact either in 
business or social life, and he was held in 
high regard by all who knew him. Mrs. 
Moore now owns a nice residence at No. 1545 
North Calhoun street, where she and her chil- 
dren now reside. She has many friends 
throughout the city. 



HIERONYMUS MUELLER. 

It would be difficult to imagine what De- 
catur would have been without Mr. Mueller, 
so largely is its commercial growth and de- 
velopment due to his labor and yet it is not be- 
cause he controlled industrial interests sur- 
passing those of any other resident of Decatur 
that his memory is revered in this city; it is 
because of his character — his fearless opposi- 
tion to the wrong, his exemplification of all 
that is fair and just in the treatment of em- 
ployes, his deep sympathy and his kindly spirit. 
Such were the qualities that made him loved 
and respected in a community that is deeply 
indebted to him for its progress and upbuild- 
ing and in which he made his home for so 
many years. 

In the village of Monheim, Germany, on the 
i6th of July, 1833, Mr. Mueller was born and 
reared, obtaining a good education in his na- 
tive tongue. He seemed to have excellent 
business foresight and sagacity and it was his 
recognition of the business possibilities of the 
new world that led him to seek a home in 
America in 1850. He had previously learned 
the machinist's trade and, going to Chicago, 
he was there employed in that capacity. Later 
he removed to Freeport, Illinois, where he 
opened a gunshop, but the discovery of gold 
at Pike's Peak drew him to Colorado. He did 
not remain long, however, among the moun- 
tains of the west and when he again came to 
Illinois he took up his abode in Decatur, which 



remained his place of residence up to the time 
of his death. He began business here in a 
humble way and those who visited the little 
gun repair shop of which he was proprietor 
little dreamed that he would one day be the 
proprietor of the leading industrial enterprise 
of the city, employing five hundred workmen. 
Indeed no such idea was in his own mind, but 
he had resolved to win success if honorable 
effort could accomplish it and to make the 
most of the opportunities which surrounded 
him. His little establishment was on the south 
side of Main street, about half way between 
Lincoln Square and Church streets, and later 
he removed to a little frame building, which 
then stood at the southeast corner of State 
and East Main streets. His work was mostly 
that of repairing guns, but he also had a few 
guns for sale. His thoughts, however, were 
directed into other channels, and a latent in- 
ventive power was supplemented by study, ex- 
periment and investigation until 1870, when he 
gave to the world his perfected machine for 
tapping a water main under pressure. It was 
among the first practical machines put upon 
the market and in fact its utility and value 
were so readily recognized that it came almost 
at once into wide use and though later he 
placed upon the market many other inventions, 
none ever excelled in popularity and sale this 
first work of his creative mechanical genius. 
His growing business enabled him. in 1872, 
to erect a building on the site nOw 
occupied by the Herald office, and he 
there continued the manufacture of his 
tapping machine on an enlarged scale 
and at the same time conducted a plumb- 
ing business in addition to carrying a stock of 
guns and continuing his gun-repair work. The 
growth of the business was extensive and cer- 
tainly gratifying and jvistified the enlargement 
and remodeling of his building from a two- 
story to a three-story structure, all of which, 
however, was soon utilized for factory pur- 
poses, and in 1885, because of the growth of 
his trade and the need of the factory for all of 



800 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the floor space there, he made his gun store 
a separate enterprise, locating it on Merchant 
street and afterward on Prairie street, where 
he continued in the trade until 1897, when he 
sold out in that line. The growth of the man- 
ufacturing interests also necessitated the re- 
moval of the plumbing business to other quar- 
ters, which was done in 1887, the new place 
of the plumbing enterprise being on the south 
side of East Main street. This was incorpo- 
rated in 1891 under the name of The H. Muel- 
ler Plumbing & Heating Company, and moved 
to 247 North Main street, where a building 
was erected for that business, but was sold in 
1896. 

More and more Mr. Mueller centered his 
interest upon his manufacturing plant and the 
disposal of its products, and in 1893 this busi- 
ness was incorporated, while two years later, 
in order to provide more commodious quar- 
ters, he erected the brick building now occu- 
pied by the Mueller Company, at the corner 
of Cerro Gordo and College streets. These 
statements but suggest the growth of a busi- 
ness now unequalled in extent and importance 
in the city of Decatur. It furnishes employ- 
ment to five hundred workmen and its output 
goes to every part of the civilized world. Mr. 
Mueller placed upon the market many other 
inventions in conection with plumliing, the 
conveying of water and work of that char- 
acter, among the most notable being the water 
pressure regulator. He was continually study- 
ing to bring work of that character to a higher 
grade of perfection through implements and 
devices of greater utility, and that he suc- 
ceeded is a matter of industrial hisJpjQ' of the 
country. He adopted his initials][H-R^as his 
trade mark and upon the millions of pieces of 
brass goods which are annually shipped to all 
parts of this country and abroad that dis- 
tinctive mark of Decatur's greatest industry 
is seen. 

Mr. Mueller's last work^ in the line of in- 
vention, was in connection with automobiles. 
For several years he worked in the hope of 



perfecting such a machine. About 1895 he 
purchased in Germany an automobile known 
as the Benz motor wagon, one of the first used 
in this country, and it attracted much atten- 
tion throughout leading cities of the United 
States wherever shown. This Mr. Mueller 
rebuilt and materially improved, but he de- 
sired still greater perfection and shortly prior 
to his death he completed what he. believed to 
be a practical gasoline engine for the use of 
automobiles, and it was while experimenting 
with that that the accident occurred which 
terminated his early career. Five or six years 
before his was one of only two machines which 
successfully competed in an automobile race 
in Chicago. One day while experimenting 
upon the engine he had devised, he filled his 
reservoir with gasoline and some of the liquid 
ran upon his clothing. A few moments later 
he lighted a cigar and the gases arising from 
his clothing ignited and he was fatally burned, 
on the 14th of February, before the flames 
could be extinguished, death resulting on the 
ist of March, 1900. 

]\Ir. Mueller's home life had been a most 
happy and congenial one. While in Chicago, 
in 1856, he had married Miss Fredcrica Bern- 
hardt, also a native of the fatherland, in which 
a part of her girlhood was passed. For forty- 
four years they traveled life's journey together 
and the relation which existed between them 
was an ideal one. They became the parents 
of nine children and the seven still living are 
all residents of Decatur, namely : Henry, 
Phillip, Fred B., Robert, Adol])h, Oscar and 
Mrs. Frank Cruikshank. To his children Mr. 
Mueller was both adviser and friend, and as 
his sons became old enough he admitted them 
to a share in his business interests and trained 
them for its responsible duties. All six of his 
sons were associated with him in the H. Muel- 
ler Manufacturing Company, and there were at 
different times three other Mueller companies, 
all incorporated, and in all the members of 
the family were the only stockholders. In her 
wav the mother's influence has been no less 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



801 



potent. Her interest centering in her family, 
she has put forth every effort in her power 
to make her home attractive to her children 
with the result that the sons, now practical 
men of business, entertain for her the greatest 
veneration and filial regard and each one in 
sentiment, if not in words, has echoed the 
speech of a distinguished statesman who, in 
speaking of his mother, said: "She is the first 
lady of the land." 

Aside from his home relations H. Tvlueller 
was widely known for his charity and benevo- 
lence. His were generous deeds, quietly and 
unostentatiously performed, for he never 
sought praise for what he did for his fellow- 
men. He voted with the Democracy and in 
the early days he was a member of the volun- 
teer fire department of Decatur, and in his 
late years greatly enjoyed meeting his old com- 
rades of that organization. Movements for 
the benefit of the city and the promotion of its 
welfare never sought his co-operation in vain, 
but outside of the family circle there was no 
place where Mr. Mueller was so greatly loved 
and respected as in his place of business. His 
justice, leading to rea?onable hours and good 
pay, and the kindly interest which he took in 
his fellow men were the secret of this. An 
employe said of him : "He worked in the ma- 
chine shop with his men and was in closer 
touch with his employes than any man I ever 
knew. I think he never said a disagreeable 
word and I have known him for many years 
to be always the same." No need of a monu- 
ment of granite or stone to perpetuate his 
memory, for he lives enshrined in the hearts 
of all who came into close touch with him 
and most of all was he dear to his employes 
and his family, where his true life was best 
known. 



WALLER PRITCHETT. 
Waller Pritchett is one of the leading busi- 
ness men of Niantic and is rapidly working his 
way to a foremost position among the promi- 



nent financiers of the county. Pie is now 
giving his time and attention to the banking 
business and, being a man of sound judg- 
ment, keen discrimination and good executive 
ability, is bringing success to the concern with 
which he is connected. The success of the 
bank is certainly due in a large measure to him 
and through it he has promoted the welfare of 
the town. 

Mr. Pritchett was born in the central part of 
Kentucky on the 27th of July, 1861, and is 
a representative of an old and prominent fam- 
ily of that state, the first to locate there being 
his great-grandparents and also his grand- 
parents, who were from Virginia. In 1895 a 
family reunion was held at Madisonville, Hop- 
kins county, Kentucky, where the great-grand- 
parents located on their removal to that state, 
and there were five hundred present. Since 
then reunions have been held every year on 
the last Thursday in August at Halls Grove 
near Niantic, Illinois. The family came orig- 
inally from Germany. Our subject's parents, 
James W. and Sarah J. (Ingles) Pritchett, 
were born in Kentucky and continued to make 
their home there until the fall of 1864, when 
they came to Macon county, Illinois, and set- 
tled in Niantic township, where the father en- 
gaged in farming until called to his final rest 
in 1886. The mother is still living and now 
resides in the village of Niantic. Of the nine 
children bom to them three died in infancy, 
those still living being as follows : William, 
who makes his home in Decatur, married Hen- 
rietta Milligan, of Mount Auburn, Illinois, 
and has one daughter, Lena ; Horace, who 
follows farming in Niantic township, married 
Amanda Turner, of this county, and has five 
children, James W., Ella, Charles W., Elmer 
and Elsie; Charles, who is engaged in the 
hardware business in Latham, Illinois, married 
Anna Nottelmann and has one child ; Arthur 
is a hardware dealer of Niantic ; Mary E. is 
the wife of J. A. Cussins who is conducting a 
general store in Niantic and also has charge of 
the Macon county telephone exchange at that 



802 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



place, and thcv have five children, Pearl, 
Mabel, J. H., Laura and Ruth ; Waller, of this 
review, and Arthur complete the family. 

Waller Pritchett was only three years of 
age when he accompanied his parents on their 
removal to this county and he procured his 
education in the Niantic schools. After com- 
])letinj^ his education he engaged in the gro- 
cery business at that place for four years and 
on his retirement became connected with his 
brother .\rthur in the hardware business, in 
which he is still interested. He also has a half 
interest in the I'ank of Niantic in partnership 
with George Well. A wide-awake, energetic 
business man, he has prospered in his under- 
takings and to-day occupies an enviable posi- 
tion in business circles. He has a beautiful 
home in Xiantic and besides his town property 
he owns .some fine farming land near the vil- 
lage. 

In Januar\, 1891, Mr. Pritchett was united 
in marriage to Miss Effie Gepford, of Harris- 
town. From this county her parents removed 
to Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Pritchett have had 
two children, Carl Willard and Helen. Helen 
died at the age of seven years. They are mem- 
bers of the Christian church of Niantic and 
our subject is also connected with the Camp of 
Modern Woodmen at that place. In politics 
he is a Democrat. While as a prosperous 
business man he has given close attention to 
his private affairs, he has never forgotten or 
ignored the bond of common interest which 
should unite the people of every community 
and he has always been ready to promote prog- 
ress in every line. Genial and pleasant in 
manner he makes many friends and is popu- 
lar in social as well as business circles. 



CHARLES ADAMS. 
For a third of a century Charles Adams 
was identified with the railroad interests of 
Illinois and was one of the most popular en- 
gineers on the Wabash road running out of 



Decatur. On first coming to this state in i85o 
he located in Centralia and entered the em- 
ploy of the Illinois Central Railroad when that 
company did their switching in the railroad 
yards with o.xen. He witnessed almost the 
entire development of the railroad interests of 
this state. 

Mr. Adams was a native of Lynn, Massa- 
chusetts, born July 17, 1829, and was a son 
of Ezekiel and Mary (Carter) Adams, who 
spent their entire lives in the old Bay state. 
(..)iir subject had a brother who came with him 
to the west but is now deceased. Charles 
.Adams attended the common schools of Mas- 
sachusetts, but at the age of fourteen he laid 
aside his text books and went to sea, six years 
being spent before the mast, during which 
time he made one trip around the world. At 
the age of twenty he returned to Lynn, Massa- 
chusetts, and obtained employment as a shoe- 
maker in one of the large shoe factories of 
that place. 

While there Mr. Adams was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Elizabeth Swan, who was born 
in Marble Head, Massachusetts, on the 29th 
of January, 1831. Her father, Thomas Swan, 
was a retail dealer in boots and shoes at Mar- 
ble Head and Lynn, and died at the latter 
place. L'nto Mr. and Mrs. .Aidams were born 
nine children, as follows: John, deceased; 
ThoiTias, who is general master mechanic for 
the Cotton Belt Railroad and is a resident of 
Pine Bluff. Arkansas ; Sophia, wife of William 
Cherry, who makes his home in Texas ; Ade- 
laide, now deceased; Grace, wife of Henry 
Burkett. of Springfield, Illinois ; Laura, wife 
of Charles Hufif, of Boston, Massachusetts; 
Frank, an engineer living in West Superior, 
Wisconsin ; Hattie, wife of Edgar W. Brown 
and a resident of Connecticut; and Alfred, 
who is now living in North Dakota. 

After his marriage Mr, Adams continued 
to follow shocmaking in Lynn, Massachusetts, 
until i860, when he removed to Centralia, Il- 
linois, as previously stated and accepted a posi- 
tion as engineer on the Illinois Central Rail- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



803 



road. He was with that company and the 
Wabash Railroad there until 1863, when he 
was transferred to Decatur. For several years 
he was an engineer on the former road, and in 
the same capacity was in both the freight and 
passenger service on the Wabash Railroad, 
running between Decatur and St. Louis until -a 
wreck in the early part of 1893. He then 
retired from the road and spent the remainder 
of his life in ease and quiet at his pleasant 
home in Decatur. Here he died on the 10th 
of September, 1901. honored and respected by 
all who knew him. He was a member of the 
Masonic fraternity and by his ballot supported 
the men and measures of the Republican 
part\-. His life was honorable and upright 
and he won and retained the confidence and 
esteem of those with whom he was brought 
in contact. 

Mrs. Adams has a nice home at No. 857 
North Clayton street, where she has resided 
for thirty-si.x years, and also owns property 
at 1045 East Marietta street. Her grand- 
daughter, Miss Grace HoiT, resided with her 
until the latter's death in September. 1903. 
Mrs. Adams belongs to the Baptist church of 
Decatur and is held in high regard by all who 
know her, her many admirable traits of mind 
and heart having gained for her a large circle 
of friends. 



JAMES L. GRAY, M. D. 
For several years during the evening of his 
life Dr. Gray resided in the city of Decatur 
and previous to that time was a resident of 
the village of Macon, where he located about 
1859. He was, therefore, one of the early 
settlers of the county and well does he deserve 
representation in this volume because of his 
active connection with the work that is so 
valuable to mankind. Many accord to the 
medical profession the highest place in the 
world's activities and Dr. Gray was one who 
was ever faithful to the duties of his profes- 
sion, exerting his eiTorts in the utmost to re- 



store to man his most cherished possession — 
health. 

The Doctor was born in North Carolina, on 
the 7th of July, 1832, his parents being Joseph 
and Gertrude Gray, both of whom were na- 
tives of the Old North state. The father was 
a minister in the Presbyterian church and at 
an early day removed to Illinois, settling in 
Monmouth, where he engaged in preaching 
for many years. He was one of the pioneers 
in gospel work in that locality and established 
the First Presbyterian church in the city where 
he made his home, building the church with 
his own means. His wife died during their 
residence in Monmouth and he afterward re- 
moved to Greene county, Illinois, where he 
engaged in farming. He was there married 
to Mrs. Sallie Capps and in Greene county 
he continued to carry on agricultural pursuits 
until his life's labors were ended in death. 
There were five children born of the first mar- 
riage, namely: James L., our subject; Ed- 
ward ; Howard ; William ; and John, who also 
came to this county but now lives in Kansas. 

In the common schools of Monmouth, Illi- 
nois, Dr. James L, Gray acquired his early 
education and afterward attended school in 
Greene county, this state, where he also took 
up the study of medicine. His choice of a 
life work fell upon the healing art. He be- 
lieved it would prove a congenial as well as 
profitable occupation and thought he might be 
of benefit to his fellow men by following this 
calling. After his preliminary reading he went 
to Chicago, where he matriculated in the Rush 
Medical College, and afterward received his 
certificate to practice. Dr. Gray first located 
in Greenfield. Illinois, and there he engaged in 
teaching school for a short time, following 
which he opened his ofifice and entered upon 
his chosen calling. He later took up his abode 
in the village of Greenfield, where he and his 
brother Howard engaged in conducting a drug 
store for several years, while he also devoted 
much of his time to the work of his profession. 
He remained there until 1859, wlien he estab- 



80i 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



lished his home in the village of Macon, Ma- 
con county, where he practiced continuously 
until 1880, when his health became impaired 
and he removed to Benson, Illinois. There he 
engaged in the dry goods and notions business 
for a few years and at the end of that time he 
came to Decatur and spent his remaining days 
in retirement from further business cares, en- 
joying a rest which he had truly earned and 
richly deserved. He possessed skill and zeal 
in his practice and by reading and investiga- 
tion kept thoroughly informed concerning the 
progress and discoveries made by the medical 
fraternity. Because of his cheery manner and 
helpful disposition his presence was like a ray 
of sunshine in the sick room and this undoubt- 
edly proved a strong element in his success. 

Dr. Gray was first married in Greene coun- 
ty, Illinois, the lady of his choice being Miss 
Mary A. Twyman, a native of Kentucky and 
a daughter of Dr. J. T. and Matilda (Robert- 
son) Twyman, both of whom were natives of 
Kentucky where the mother died. The father 
lived in Macon county for a short time, whence 
he removed to S])ringfield, Illinois, there 
spending his remaining days. Dr. Gray was 
called to mourn the loss of his first wife in 
1866 and he later married Miss Julia A. Twy- 
man, a sister of his first wife. There were 
two children by the first marriage : Howard 
L., who wedded Nora E. Owens, of Kentucky, 
and now lives in California ; and Arthur, who 
died in infancy. Unto Dr. James L. and Julia 
(Twyman) Gray was born one .son, Fred W., 
who is now a clerk in the postoffice of Decatur 
and resides with his mother. 

At the time of the Civil war the Doctor 
offered his services to the government in de- 
fense of the Union, being most loyal in his 
advocacy of the cause which he espoused. He 
joined the army as a surgeon and for three 
years was at the front, faithfully doing his 
duty whether it called him into the thickest 
of the fight or stationed him on the lonely 
picket line. He was never injured or ill dur- 
ing his entire service and at length was hon- 



orably discharged. He always espoused the 
Republican party, which. stood as the defender 
of the Union in the dark days of the Civil 
war, and he held several local offices in the 
village of Macon. He belonged to the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows in Decatur and 
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church in Macon, while his widow belongs to 
the Christian church of Decatur. With her 
son she now resides at her pleasant home at 
No. 555 East Herkimer street. The Doctor 
continued in the active practice of his profes- 
sion until he was forced to abandon it on ac- 
count of ill health. His last years were spent 
in retirement from labor in Decatur and here 
he passed away on the iQtb of July. 1896. His 
life was one of exceptional activity and useful- 
ness and was characterized by the most un- 
swerving integrity and honor. He left to his 
famil\' an example well worthy of emulation 
antl his life history might well be compared 
to a clear, limpid stream, wherein you can see 
the form and color of the pebbles at the bot- 
tom and through whose meandering course no 
sediment appears. 



J. L. STOUTENBOROUGH. 
This well known farmer of IMaroa town- 
ship was born in the neighboring county of 
l)e Witt, on the 14th of September, 1856, and 
is a son of Garrett and Margaret Stouten- 
borough, whose sketch appears on another 
page of this volume. He received a good 
])ractical education in the public schools of his 
native county and for one term attended busi- 
ness college at Lebanon, (Ihio. At the age of 
twenty-one he commenced farming on his own 
account and operated the old home place in 
De \\'itt county until 1885, when he removed 
to the farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
in Maroa township, Macon county, where he 
now resides, it being a part of his father's 
land. Our subject erected thereon a good 
house and barn, set out all the trees, and has 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



805 



converted the tract into a well improved farm. 
In addition to the raising of the grain best 
adapted to the soil and climate of this section 
of the state, he raises horses, cattle and hogs, 
and is meeting with good success in business 
affairs. He has invented and patented a gate, 
known as the King tilting gate, which he has 
had on exhibition at several state fairs and 
which is becoming very popular. 

Air. Stoutenborough was married in 1881 
to Miss Luella Miller, a daughter of W. C. 
Miller, of Barnett township, De Witt county, 
and to them were born six children, as fol- 
lows : Ralph, who died at the age of ten 
years ; William A. and Garrett Earl, twins ; 
Fannie ; Helen ; and Robert. The children 
are now attending high school in Maroa and 
are still at home with their parents. Mr. and 
Mrs. Stoutenborough are active and promi- 
nent members of the Christian church at 
Maroa, in which he is serving as deacon, and 
they are held in the highest regard by all who 
know them.' In his political views Mr. Stout- 
enborough is an ardent Republican. 



JAMES HOLLINGER. 
James Hollinger, who is one of the most 
prominent colored men not only of Macon 
county but of the state of Illinois, has resided 
in Decatur for the past thirty-three years, com- 
ing here in 1870 from Pennsylvania. He was 
born on the plantation of T. O. B. Carter in 
Fauquier county, Virginia, nine miles from 
Warrenton, the county seat. His parents were 
James H. and Elizabeth Hollinger. In 1819 
there was a law that passed the general as- 
sembly of the state of Virginia which com- 
pelled all free negroes to emigrate to a free 
state and in 1849 when this law was enforced 
the father and mother of our subject were 
compelled to leave the Old Dominion on ac- 
count of having been born free. They accord- 
ingly went to Pennsylvania, settling in Bed- 
ford county, where they remained until the 



time of the Civil war, when the}' removed to 
Altoona, that state, and there spent their re- 
maining days, their remains being interred in 
the cemetery at that place. 

When eighteen years of age James Hol- 
linger began to learn the barber's trade, work- 
ing in Altoona for some time and afterward 
traveling to a considerable extent, following 
his pursuit in various places. At one time he 
was a barber on a steamboat on the Ohio river 
and finally he came to Decatur in 1870. He 
was first employed by Huston Singleton in a 
shop under the dry goods store of Linn & 
Scruggs and later he purchased his employer's 
interest, remaining there for nineteen years. 
He did a very successful business, having an 
extensive patronage and his gains were judl- 
ciouslv invested in real estate so that he be- 
came the owner of seven houses and lots. 
From his first location he removed to the Cen- 
tral block, where he remained for seven j'ears, 
always enjoying a successful business and 
adding continually to his wealth. His next 
location was on East Eldorado street, where 
he conducted a Turkish bath establishment for 
several months. At the end of that time he 
sold out and removed to what is known as the 
Chenoweth building on West Main street, this 
building being his own property. Here he still 
conducts his business and he makes his home 
in a part of the building. 

Mr. Hollinger is a member of Decatur 
Lodge. No. 17, F. & A. M., and was- its first 
worshipful master when the lodge was organ- 
ized thirty years ago. He has made an earnest 
study of Masonry and because of his interest 
in the welfare of the order and his capability 
he was elected most worshipful grand master 
of the state of Illinois in 1880, serving in 
that capacity for two terms. The grand lodge 
was over eight hundred dollars in debt when 
he took the office, but by his good financiering 
he was able to wipe out this indebtedness 
within one vear. He also established the wid- 
ows and orphans' association in connection 
with the fraternity and located the grand 



SVC 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



lodge in Springfield and had it incorporated. 
There was manifested a strong desire to elect 
Mr. Hollinger for a third term, hut he de- 
clined the honor, believing that no man should 
hold the office for more than two terms. 

His ixjlitica! career began when he was 
eighteen years of age. at which time he was 
initiated into the Loyal League at Altoona, 
Pennsylvania. He has always taken a deep 
interest in political aflfairs and is a stanch 
Republican known to leading men of the party 
throughout the state. He acted as policeman 
of the state senate in Springfield during the 
thirty-third and the thirty-fifth general assem- 
blies and thus he formed the ac(|uaintance of 
many of the most prominent men in political 
■circles. He has had offers to fill appointments 
of a similar nature, but has always refused 
to serve. In 1880 he was the candidate for 
coroner of Macon county, being nominated by 
the Republican county convention, being jnit 
in nomination by the I\i-v. Jesse H. ]\Ioore, 
who was then congressman from the district 
and who spoke on the good f|ualities of the 
colored citizens. Mr. Hollinger was the first 
colored man who ever ran for an ofifice in 
Macon county. There were many people at 
that time who openly declared that they would 
not vote for one of his race. He was upon 
the ticket with Judge Greer, a candidate for 
county judge ; W. C. Johns, for state's attor- 
ney ; E. McClelland, for circuit clerk ; W. W. 
Foster, for sheriff; G. M. Wood, for treas- 
urer ; and George Loring, for surveyor. Con- 
siderable discussion arose among the people 
concerning the possible election of Mr. Hol- 
linger. He, however, foretold the result from 
the beginning. He was sent for from dififer- 
€nt parts of Macon county to come and meet 
the people, but declined to do this, as he said 
that they had no faith in his election. His 
own prophecy proved true and he was defeated 
by John Dinneen, the Democratic candidate. 
However, be has since been elected to public 
office, being chosen in -i 893 for the position of 
assistant supervisor, at which time he led the 



ticket over five candidates. At each biennial 
election since that time he has been again 
chosen and is now serving m his tenth year. 
On the 28th of February, 1871, Mr. Hol- 
linger was united in marriage to Aliss Cor- 
nelia Barber, of Decatur. Her mother is liv- 
ing with them, her father having died. Mr. 
Hollinger made for himself a record that is 
creditable and honorable. His business career 
has been most commendable, characterized by 
fidelity to duty and straightforward dealing. 
In matters of citizenship he is progressive and 
public-spirited and his labors have been ef- 
fective in advancing Decatur's welfare. He 
has been a close and earnest student of the 
questions of the day and is ever able to support 
his position by intelligent argument. 



HUSTON J. BANTON. 
Huston J. Ranton. who is now successfully 
engaged in agricultural pursuits on section 4, 
Mount Zion township, was born March 21, 
1849, 'n Garrard county, Kentucky, of which 
state his parents, Oliver T. and Susannah W. 
(Walker) Banton, were also natives. The 
father was born on the 7th of March, 1826, 
and was a son of George Banton, who was 
also a native of Kentucky and a veteran of the 
Mexican war. The latter had three sons, all 
of whom are now deceased, James having 
died in the army during the Civil war and 
John in Chicago. Oliver T. came to Macon 
county, Illinois, in 1868 and settled in the vil- 
lage of Mount Zion. flis last days were spent 
with our subject on his home in Mount Zion 
township, where he passed away October g, 
1897, in the seventy-third year of his age. 
He was married June 15, 1848, to Mrs. Su- 
sannah W. Conn, who was born May 7, 1819, 
and died February 20, 1884. Her parents 
were Kemp P. and Sarah Walker, who were 
married .\ugust I, 1811. The former was 
born October 12. 1787. and died June 22, 1861, 
while his wife was born March 27, 1793, and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ]\IACON COUNTY. 



807 



died July 22, 1863. Mr. Walker was a son 
of Elijah and Dorcas Walker, who were also 
Kentuckians by birth, and the former died 
March 23, 1833, and the latter December 7, 
1844. By her first marriage to John Conn, 
the mother of our subject had two children, 
namely : Alex and Kemp W. Conn. The 
children by her second marriage were Huston 
J., of this review; John W., who died Febru- 
ary 14, 1853; Edmund W., who died January 
29, 1853 ; and Sarah C, who died March 18, 
1858. ^ 

During his boyhood Huston J. Banton had 
but limited school advantages. In 1874 he 
learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- 
lowed in connection with farming until the 
pa.st three years, when he has given his atten- 
tion entirely to farming and stock-raising. He 
is now the owner of two good farms, the one 
on which he resides being on section 4, Mount 
Zion township. Here he built with his own 
hands a fine modern residence in 1893, it being 
finished in various kinds of woods, the wood- 
work in some of the rooms being walnut, while 
others are in white pine and sycamore and em- 
bellished with beautiful ornamentations. The 
house is a monument to his skill and ability 
in the line of his trade. For twenty-nine years 
Mr. Banton followed carpentering, during 
which period he erected many substantial 
buildings in his locality, including the resi- 
dence of J. E. Rucker of Long Creek town- 
ship and the barn of Walter Hodge in Mount 
Zion township. 

On the 27th of January, 1876, Mr. Banton 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary Alice 
Sheldon, a daughter of Seth and Salhe Ann 
Sheldon, of Areola, Illinois. She was born 
December 6, 1851, and died in March, 1888, 
leaving four children, namely : Edmund, now 
a resident of the village of Mount Zion ; John, 
at home ; Curtis, of Mount Zion township ; 
and Arthur, deceased. Mr. Banton was again 
married in 1891, his second union being with 
Miss Mary A. Armstrong, of Macon county, 
Illinois, by whom he had five children : Oliver 



and Huston, both living; and three who died 
in infancy. 

Mr. Banton is a member of the Antioch 
Christian church and is a supporter of the Re- 
publican party and its principles. He is a 
liberal minded, public-spirited man, of pro- 
gressive ideas, and is numbered among the 
valued citizens of his community, as he gives 
an earnest support to all measures which he 
believes will advance the moral or material 
welfare of his township and county. 



J. FRED GIVEN. 
J. Fred Given, who is now manager of the 
Powers Opera House, of Decatur, was born 
on the loth of April, 1862, in Darbyville, Ohio, 
his parents being the Rev. James F. and Lottie 
(Geren) Given. The father was a native of 
Paducah, Kentucky, and came of an old south- 
ern family of German and English lineage, 
while the mother's birth occurred in Marietta, 
Ohio, and she was of Scotch-Irish and English 
ancestry. Rev. Given was the pastor of the 
Christian L^nion church, originally called 
Givenites and which has a large membership 
in Ohio. He was a Methodist minister in 
early life, but on account of his political and 
religious views during the Civil war he was 
ostracized by his denomination and in 1864 
he founded this sect which became known 
as Givenites. He was a man of scholarly at- 
tainments and broad general learning and at 
the same time had a most comprehensive 
knowledge of the people. He acted as pro- 
fessor of languages for some years in the 
Ohio Wesleyan I'niversity and also in Athens 
College of Athens, Ohio. He possessed su- 
perior ability as a linguist and was master of 
seven languages. Rev. Given was a man of 
strong personality and wonderful magnetism 
in holding and swaying an audience. During 
the Civil war a mob attacked him, but he 
brought his wonderful persuasive power into 
play in his own behalf. Standing with his 



808 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



bible in his liand he spoke to the crowd until 
his eloquence enabled him to disperse the riot- 
ers and harmony prevailed. lie left his influ- 
ence for good upon a great majority of those 
with whom he came in contact, his forceful 
utterance, his strong logic and his wonderful 
power never failing to make a deep imprcsion 
upon his audiences. lie died in 1868, after 
which his widow became the wife of ^^^ H. 
Bishop and with her family and her second 
husband she then removed to a farm near 
Grovesport, Ohio. She is still living, her 
home being in Columbus, Ohio. 

J. Fred Given had two sisters, Mattie and 
Mary, and two brothers, John and Josciih, 
but at this time (1903) the only surviving 
children in his parents' family are his brother 
John and himself, his sisters having died of 
consumption and his brother Joseph of heart 
failure. Our subject was only seven years of 
age at the time of the family's removal to 
Grovesport, where he remained until seven- 
teen years of age, being engaged in the active 
duties of farm life during that period. He 
attended the country schools and also spent 
some time in the high school, after which he 
engaged in teaching for a year. Later he pur- 
sued a post-graduate course in the Lithopolis 
Normal School and after spending a short 
time in Columbus, Ohio, he went to Qiicago, 
Illinois. Going from there to Jacksonville, 
Illinois, for a time he there pursued a theo- 
logical course, but his health made it necessary 
that he should give u]i bis studies as he could 
not stand the close confinement of the school- 
room. 

W'hh the family of his uncle Orlando Pow- 
ers he came to Decatur in 1883 and for a 
short time was employed in the drug store of 
H, B. Cole. Soon afterward he entered the 
service of R. W. Weld in the hardware busi- 
ness and afterward was engaged in a manu- 
facturing enterprise in Columbus, Ohio, for a 
few months. Tie next went to Olathe, Kansas, 
where he took charge of a bank and also su- 
perintended a grocery and queensware busi- 



ness for eight months. For a year he was a 
salesman in the wholesale grocery house of 
Woodson, Todd & Company and when that 
firm dissolved partnership his employers se- 
cured for him a position with the Riley, Wil- 
son Company, wholesale grocers, with whom 
he remained for two years. He next went to 
Los .'\ngeles, California, where he was asso- 
ciated with Meyberg Brothers, wholesale and 
retail dealers in queensware, having charge of 
their art department for several months. Sub- 
sequently he was employed by H. Jevne, as 
bookkeeper, and afterward went to San Fran- 
cisco, California, where he acted as a tea 
salesman for the firm of A. Schilling & Com- 
pany. Upon receiving word of the death of 
his step-father and sister Mary he returned to 
Ohio and assisted his mother in selling the 
farm and closing out the affairs of the estate. 
His mother then removed to Columbus, Ohio, 
and Mr. Given of this review entered the em- 
ploy of the Eldridge & Higgins Company, 
wholesale fancy grocers of that city, where 
he remained until 1895. He then came to De- 
catur and took charge of Powers Opera House 
in September of that year. The theater was 
burned in the following October, but was at 
once rebuilt and was again open for business 
on the 'loth of February, 1896. Mr. Given 
has since had the management of the theater 
and of the bill-posting plant and is also gen- 
eral overseer of the Orlando Powers estate 
during the absence of the members of the 
family. He has furnished the people of De- 
catur with the highest class of plays and en- 
tertainments to be obtained, the best attrac- 
tions known to the stage being here seen 
during the season. 

On the 9th of January, 1892, Mr. Given 
was united in marriage to Miss Emma Jones, 
a daughter of Eben Jones, of Jackson, Ohio, 
a prominent business man there who is now 
president of the Commercial Bank and is also 
identified with the coal and iron furnace indus- 
tries. L'nto Mr. and Mrs. Given have been 
born two children : Frederick Eben and Thel- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



809 



ma Mary. Socially Mr. Given is connected 
with Macon Lodge, No. 8, F. & A. M., and 
ha,s attained the Knight Templar degree in 
Beaumanoir Commandery. He likewise be- 
longs to the Benevolent Protective Order of 
Elks. Few men are more prominent or more 
widely known in the enterprising city of De- 
catur than Mr. Given. He is now an import- 
ant factor in business circles and in private 
life he has gained that warm personal regard 
which arises from geniality and deference for 
the opinions of others. 



STEPHEN G. WASHBURN. 

For many years Stephen G. Washburn was 
one of the most active and progressive men 
of Macon county, as well as one of its most re- 
liable and honored citizens, and now in his 
declining years he is enjoying a well earned 
rest, free from the cares and responsibilities 
of business life. He makes his home in the 
village of Macon. 

Mr. Washburn was born in Jeft'erson coun- 
ty, New York, July 17, 1832, a son of Isaac 
and Brittania (Britton) Washburn, of that 
state. He cannot remember his mother, who 
died when he was quite small, and at the age 
of twelve years he was left an orphan by the 
death of his father. He then worked as a 
farm hand for several years and his educa- 
tional privileges were limited. He came to 
Macon county, Illinois, in i860 and was in 
the employ of John Hatfield when the Civil 
war broke out. 

Mr. Washburn then entered the service of 
his country as a private in Company I, Sev- 
enth Illinois Cavalry, under Pitt Kellogg and 
Judge Gallagher, as captain, and was in the 
army for three years and two months, taking 
part in the siege of Corinth and the hard- 
fought battle at that place in 1862. Ho was 
under fire about seventy-five times and was 
honorably discharged on the 20th of October, 
1864, with the rank of second lieutenant. 



On his return home, Mr. Washburn bought 
a small farm of eighty acres of prairie land, 
which he improved and which continued to 
be his home until 1873, when he removed to 
the village of Macon and was engaged in the 
butchering business for three years. He then 
bought a store building and embarked in gen- 
eral merchandising, which he carried on for 
eighteen years. From 1882 until 1886 busi- 
ness was carried on under the firm name of 
S. G. Washburn & Company, his partner be- 
ing William Lawley, and on the latter's death 
William Towson bought out his heirs. Dur- 
ing the years of his residence here Mr. Wash- 
burn has acquired considerable property, in- 
cluding one hundred and eight acres of land ■ 
in Pleasant View township, this county, and 
forty-five acres adjoining the village of Ma- 
con, besides a half section of land in Texas. 
He is a man of good business ability and 
sound judgment, and to these qualities, com- 
bined with industrious habits, is due his suc- 
cess in life. 

On the 22d of February, 1865, in Macon 
county, Mr. Washburn married Miss Emma 
Jordan, a half sister of John Hatfield and 
a daughter of William and Paulina (Harris) 
Jordan. Three children blessed this union : 
Minnie L., the oldest, is the wife of R. B. 
Richmond, a jeweler of Decatur, and they 
have three children, Ralph, Hazel and Edna. 
Edna H., the second daughter of our subject, 
is the wife of George E. Pollard, of Pleasant 
View township, and they have two children, 
Stephen and Robert. Robert A., the only son 
of Mr. Washburn, was drowned in a cistern 
at the age of two and one-half years. The 
wife and mother, who was a consistent and 
faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, died on the loth of November, 1900, 
and her death was deeply mourned by all who 
knew her. 

For some time after his wife's death Mr. 
Washburn lived with his daughter on a farm 
in Pleasant View township, but is now board- 
ing at a hotel in Macon. He is a prominent 



810 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



member of the Masonic Lodge, No. 467, aiul 
Jordan Post. No. 535. G. A. R., of Macon, 
and was elected the first commander of the 
post on its organization. He served as alder- 
man in Macon for several years and has al- 
ways been prominently identified with those 
interests calculated to promote public welfare 
along social, moral or material lines, being as 
true to his duties of citizenship in times of 
peace as when following the old flag to vic- 
tory on southern battle-fields. He is widely 
and favorably known and well merits the high 
regard in which he is unifurnilv held. 



EDWARD WADE. 

Edward Wade, a well known nurseryman 
residing on section 4, Decatur township and 
one of the most highly respected citizens of 
his community, was born in Somersetshire, 
England, on the i6th of .August, 183 1. his 
ancestors having for generations lived on the 
same farm. His father, .Abraham Wade, was 
an agriculturist in comfortable circumstances 
and was also a minister of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church. He heard John Wesley preach 
and in the early history of the church became 
one of its members. He was active in estab- 
lishing churches and did all in his power to 
promote the cause of Christianity in his neigh- 
borhood. Being a man of considerable jirom- 
inence he was also called upon to fill a num- 
ber of local offices in bis native land. In 1X67 
he came to the United States with his son 
and throughout the remainder of bis life lived 
retired, dying in l)e Witt county. Illinois, at 
the ripe old age of eighty-three years. His 
wife (lied in the same county. She bore the 
maiden name of Martha 1 larding and was 
born and reared in the jjarish adjoining that 
in which her husband lived. 

Unto this worthy coujile were born twelve 
children, nine of whom reached man and 
womanhood and three sons and two daugh- 
ters came to America. .Abram died in Eng- 



land ; Samuel is now living near Qinton, De 
Witt county, Illinois; Josiah was accidentally 
killed in England ; Airs. Martha Haverfield is 
a resident of Cofifeeville, Kansas ; Edward is 
the next younger; Francis is a farmer of De 
Witt county; and Thomas H., now deceased, 
was engaged in farming in Austin townshijj, 
Macon county, for some years. 

Edward Wade was reared upon the home 
farm in his native land, remaining under the 
parental roof until twenty-three years of age, 
and he acquired a good practical education in 
the local schools. He early became familiar 
with the work of the farm and during his 
youth learned the nursery business being em- 
ployed by one of the largest nursery com- 
panies in England, that of Carney, Na>s & 
Company, in Durhamdcnvn, .\fter coming to 
this countr) he was also with a nursery lirm 
at \\'ashington, D. C. for a time. 

Reading the pamjjblets sent out li\ tln' Illi- 
nois Central Railroad Company concerning the 
almost fabulous productions of this state and 
hearing of other opportunities afforded young 
men in .America, he determined to test the 
truth of these reports b\- trying his fortune in 
the United States, and in 1854 sailed from 
Liverpool to New Orleans. .After a voyage 
of six weeks he reached the Crescent City and 
proceeded up the Mississippi river to St. 
Louis. He stopped first at Greenville, Bond 
county, Illinois, where he spent two years, and 
then went to Michigan, where the following 
two years were passed. In 1857 he arrived 
in Decatur, Illinois, and has since made his 
ho\ue in Macon comity as a representative of 
her agricultural interest. In i86j he pur- 
chased si.\ty-five acres of land in Decatur 
to'wnship and has since given the greater part 
of his attention to the nursery business, de- 
voting ten acres of his land to choice fruits. 
In 1900 he erected a nice residence and other 
buiklings on the section adjoining the one on 
which be first located and here he now makes 
bis home. 

in 1851J -Mr. Wade was united in marriage 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



811 



to Miss Susanna Dement, a native of De Witt 
county, Illinois, who died on the 3d of Febru- 
ary, 1869, leaving three children: Martha F., 
now deceased; Eva Laura, wife of Frank 
Hamlin, of De Witt county ; and Francis Ells- 
worth, a resident of Aurora, Illinois. For his 
second wife Mr. Wade chose Miss Anna M. 
Granger, who had formerly been a teacher in 
the public schools of Decatur. She died at 
the birth of her only son. Mr. Wade was 
again married in Union county, Ohio, in 1875, 
this third marriage being with Miss Louisa 
Gill, a native of that county and a daughter 
of Mason and Harriet Gill. Her father died 
in 1864 and her mother passed away in 1865, 
at the age of seventy-three years. The only 
other member of her family now living is Hon. 
John S. Gill, of Columbus, Ohio. Unto Mr. 
Wade and his present wife have been born 
four children, as follows: Jessie M., now the 
wife of Charles Peck, of Decatur : Albert Ed- 
ward, a farmer of Michigan, who is devoting 
his attention principally to bee culture ; Harry 
Gill, who is in the employ of the Decatur 
Coffin Company ; and John Ralph, at home. 

In religious faith both Mr. and Mrs. Wade 
are Methodists and they take a very promi- 
nent and active part in church work. The pos- 
sibilities that America ofifers to her citizens he 
has utilized and though he came to this coun- 
try in limited circumstances he has steadily 
and perseveringly worked his way upward and 
is to-day quite well-to-do. By untiring indus- 
tr}' and sound business judgment he has won 
merited success and is worthy the high regard 
in which he is held bv his fellow citizens. 



WILLIAM J. HOOPER. 
One of the most progressive and up-to-date 
farmers and stock raisers of South Wheatland 
township is the gentleman whose name intro- 
duces this sketch. In carrying on his farm 
work he uses the latest improved machinery 
and appliances and follows only the most ap- 

38 



proved methods, and he has thoroughly dem- 
onstrated the fact that high class farming can 
be made profitable as well as pleasant. 

Mr. Hooper was born on the 14th of Janu- 
ary, 1862, in this county, his parents being 
William and Mary E. (Goodman) Hooper, 
who now make their home in Decatur. His 
father is a native of Washington county, Ken- 
tucky, which was also the birthplace of his 
paternal grandfather. Fountain Hooper, and 
his maternal grandfather, John Goodman, was 
born in the same state. Fountain Hooper was 
a prominent clergyman in the Methodist Epis- 
copal church and spent his entire life in Ken- 
tucky. There our subject's father grew to 
manhood and married, and at an early day 
he and his wife came to Macon county, Il- 
linois, where they still reside. They are the 
parents of eleven children, of whom William 
J. is the third in order of birth, and those 
living at the present writing in 1903, are Mat- 
tie, wife of John Gouchman ; Sarah E., wife 
of James Saudaros ; William J. ; Fountain L. ; 
and Hasker H. 

William J. Hooper was reared on the home 
farm, where he remained until twenty years of 
age, and was educated in the public schools 
of the neighborhood. On leaving the parental 
roof, he took charge of the farm of A. G. Rob- 
erts in Mount Zion township, where he re- 
mained for two years, and then removed to 
the farm of A. C. Traughber, where the fol- 
lowing eight years were passed. In 1892, 
while residing upon the latter farm, he pur- 
chased his present place near the northeast 
corner of South Wheatland township, to which 
he removed two years later on the expiration 
of his lease to the Traughber farm. As he 
prospered in his farming operations he has 
added to his property from time to time until 
he now owns two hundred and seventy-five 
acres of land under a high state of cultivation 
and well improved. On starting in life for 
himself his first earnings came from fattening 
stock for market and in the raising of colts 
and calves. In this wav he was soon able to 



812 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



purchase sixty acres of land, stock and im- 
prove it, and in connection with its cultiva- 
tion he operated a one hundred and sixty acre 
tract which he rented. In i8y2 he bought 
one hundred and twenty acres additional, as 
previously stated. Upon his place he has laid 
seven thousand feet of tiling, has set out an 
orchard covering five acres, and has added 
drill wells and wind pumps, besides erecting 
a good modern residence in 1891 and a barn 
and other outbuildings since that time. He is 
a breeder of pure Aberdeen Angus cattle, has 
made some sales and still has twenty head of 
registered stock upon his place. As an agri- 
culturist he has thoroughly demonstrated the 
fact that he understands fully the vocation he 
follows and believes that a man should put 
into use his business qualifications in all that 
he undertakes. In the year 1889 he produced 
fourteen thousand bushels of corn on a quarter 
section of land. Mr. Hooper's success as an 
up-to-date farmer has been frequently men- 
tioned in the leading agricultural journals, of 
which he has been a most valued correspon- 
dent. 

On the 14th of September, 1892. Mr. 
Hooper was united in marriage to Miss Alice 
B. Scott, who was born April 8, 1861, and is 
a daughter of Charles W. and Martha (Trent) 
Scott, both natives of Kentucky. Her father 
died on the 30th of April, 1900, and her mother 
is now living in Davis City, Iowa. Mrs. 
Hooper is the fifth in order of birth in their 
family of ten children, two of whom are now 
deceased. The others still living are D. P., 
a resident of Topeka, Kansas ; J. W., of De- 
catur, Iowa; Mary, wife of Merritt Gritten, 
of Macon county, Illinois ; C. D.. of Portland, 
Oregon ; Nannie, wife of Charles Tillier, of 
Christian county, Illinois; and P. M. and 
Sophronia, who arc with their mother. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hooper have two children : Clyde 
Chester, born July 17, 1891 ; and Fay, born 
February 10, 1896. 

By his ballot Mr. Hooper supports the men 
and measures of the Democratic party. So- 



cially he is a member of Mount Zion Lodge, 
Xo. 300, I. O. O. F., and religiously is a 
member of the Christian church, to which his 
wife also belongs. His influence and labors 
have done much toward promoting the inter- 
ests of his community along various lines of 
progress and he is recognized as one of the 
leading and valued citizens of South Wheat- 
land township. 



HENNING JACOBSEN. 

Success is determined by one's ability to 
recognize opportunity and to pursue this with 
a resolute and unflagging energy. It results 
from continued labor and the man who thus 
accomplishes his purpose usually becomes a 
prominent factor in the business circles of the 
community with which he is connected. 
Through such means Mr. Jacobsen has at- 
tained a leading place among the represen- 
tative men of Macon county and his well 
spent and honorable life commands the respect 
of all who know him. 

The Jacobsen family is of German origin 
and our subject is a native of Schleswig, bom 
January 6, 1846. His parents, Henning and 
.•\ugusta Jacobsen, were born in the same 
country and there made their home for many 
years but finally came to America. The father 
emigrated two years later than our subject 
and landed in New York in 1863 and came 
direct to Niantic, Illinois. Here he purchased 
two hundred and forty acres of land in Nian- 
tic township and throughout the remainder of 
his life engaged in farming here. Both he 
and his wife are now deceased. 

In the family of this worthy couple were 
four children, three sons and one daughter, 
namely : Anna is the wife of Herman Nottel- 
mann. who is our subject's partner in business, 
and they have six children ; .Vugusta, wife 
of Frank Beall, of Niantic ; Juergen, of 
Macon county : Anna, wife of Charles Pritch- 
ett, of Latham.. Illinois : Henning, also of 
Latham ; Dora at home : and John in Chicago. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



813 



Henry, who is now living retired in Tuscola, 
Illinois, was formerly engaged in the manu- 
facture of brick. He married Jennie Paris, of 
Niantic. a sister of J. P. Paris, and they have 
four children, May, Ollie, Lula and John. 
George, who conducts an elevator at Niantic, 
married Hattie Ford, a daughter of Elias 
Ford, and they have three children, Augusta, 
Bessie and George. 

Henning Jacobsen, of this review, completes 
the family. He began his education in the 
schools of his native land and after coming to 
this country he began his business career as 
clerk in a store in the village of Niantic and 
later was employed in a similar capacity at 
Jacksonville, Illinois, for two years. At the 
end of that time he went to Springfield, where 
he clerked in a dry goods store for three years, 
and next found emplo\ment in Chicago, where 
he remained until 1870. He subsequently 
spent a short time in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 
and from there returned to Niantic with his 
present partner, Herman Nottelmann. Here 
they opened a general store, which they still 
carry on, having built up a good trade. In 
1889 Mr. Jacobsen became interested in the 
banking business as a member of the firm of 
F. Well, Jacobsen & Company, but sold his 
interest to Waller Pritchett in 1893 so that he 
could give more attention to his store. He 
and' Mr. Nottelmann were at one time en- 
gaged in the milling business and to some ex- 
tent he is interested in farming. Besides his 
business property he owns a beautiful home 
in Niantic and has farming land in this coun- 
ty. In business affairs he is prompt, energetic 
and notably reliable, and he usually carries 
forward to successful completion whatever 
he undertakes. 

Mr. Jacobsen has been twice married. In 
1874 he wedded Miss Lucy Hall, of Niantic, 
who died a year later and the only child born 
■of that union died in infancy. He was again 
married in 1880, his second union being with 
IMiss Laura Boone, of Paris, Kentuckv. who 
is a lineal descendant of Daniel Boone, the 



great pioneer of that state. Her parents were 
natives of Kentucky and are now deceased. 
By occupation her father was a farmer. Unto 
Mr. and Mrs. Jacobsen have been born six 
children, five sons and one daughter, namely : 
Ferdinand, who died in infancy ; Noah, who 
is now takin.g a course in civil engineering at 
the State I'niversity in Champaign : Eda, at 
home ; Robert, who is attending Brown's Bus- 
iness College at Decatur : Henry and Herman 
at home. 

Mr. Jacobsen and his family hold member- 
ship in the Christian church at Niantic and he 
takes a very active and prominent part in its 
work, serving as one of the elders at the pres- 
ent time. He is one of the best known men 
in Macon county and has the respect and con- 
fidence of all with whom he has been brought 
in contact either in business or social life. 
By untiring industry and sound judgment 
he has won a merited success in all of his un- 
dertakings and is well worthy the high regard 
in which he is held bv his fellow men. 



COLONEL FRANK P. WELLS. 
The unostentatious routine of private life, 
although of vast importance to the welfare 
of the community, has not figured to any great 
extent on the pages of history. But the names 
of men who have distinguished themselves by 
the possession of these qualities of character 
which mainly contribute to the success of 
private life and to the public stability and who 
have enjoyed the respect and confidence of 
those around them should not be permitted 
to perish. Their example is more valuable 
to the majority of readers than that of heroes, 
statesmen and writers as they furnish means 
of subsistence for the multitude whom they, 
in their useful careers, have employed. Col- 
onel Frank P. \\'ells is to-day accounted one 
of the representative business men of Decatur 
and his efforts have been an important factor 
in gaining for the city its prominence as a 



814 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



commercial and industrial center. He is now 
the vice president of the Morehouse & Wells 
Company, wholesale and retail dealers in 
hardware, stoves, furnaces, mantels, guns and 
sporting goods. 

Colonel Wells is one of the native sons of 
Decatur, his birth having occurred here in 
1863. His father, William T. Wells, now de- 
ceased, was the founder of the business with 
which the son is connected and 'which has 
grown to be a most extensive enterprise. He 
was identified therewith until his death, which 
occurred on the ist of March, 1898. He had 
married Helen Parsons and of the children 
born of this union Colonel Wells is one. 

Reared in the city of his nativity Frank 
P. Wells spent his life in the manner of most 
lads of the period. He enjoyed the pleasures 
of the play-ground and performed the duties 
of the schoolroom, and after putting aside 
his text books he became interested in his 
father's business and following the father's 
demise took charge of the estate. He had pre- 
viously, however, became thoroughly ac- 
quainted with the business in all of its de- 
partments and therefore entered upon the 
work of supervision well qualified to perform 
the important duties devolving upon him. 
The father with George Morehouse founded 
the house in 1859. In 1896 the pres- 
ent business block was erected and is now 
one of the large and substantial buildings in 
the trade center of the city. It is built in an 
attractive style of architecture, a brick struct- 
ure forty by one hundred and fifty feet and 
seven stories in height with the basement. 
It would be a credit to a city much larger than 
Decatur and stands as a monument to the 
enterprise and business capacity of the owners. 
In addition they have a warehouse fifty by 
one hundred and fifty feet, used for storing 
the surplus stock. In 1894 the company was 
incorporated with a capital stock of one hun- 
dred and twenty thousand dollars. Its pres- 
ent officers are George W. Morehouse, presi- 



dent ; Frank P. Wells, vice president ; Charles 
M. Hurst, secretary ; and E. P. Bishop, treas- 
urer. All of these gentlemen occupy credit- 
able positions in the business world and are 
continually enlarging the enterprine with 
which they are connected. On October 5, 
1903, the stock was increased to two hundred 
thousand dollars. Several traveling salesmen 
represent the house upon the road, covering 
the state of Illinois and a part of Indiana. 
The business methods of the company have 
always been such as would bear the closest 
investigation, being shaped in accordance with 
the strictest commercial ethics. In connection 
with his other interests Colonel Wells is a 
director and treasurer of the United States 
Wire Mat Company. 

In 1893 was celebrated the marriage of 
Frank P. Wells and Miss Mary F. Hanson, 
of Michigan, and they occupy a pleasant home 
in Decatur where their circle of friends is 
very extensive. Mr. Wells belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias fraternity and is at pres- 
ent lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Illinois In- 
fantry. For a time he was a soldier in the 
Spanish-.\merican war, being commissioned 
lieutenant colonel under J- S. Culver of 
Springfield, Illinois. He is a true type of the 
Anglo-Saxon race and of those men who 
build cities and lay the foundation of com- 
monwealths. He is a young man, yet he has 
attained prominence in the business world. 
His integrity is above question and this, com- 
bined with his clear, sound judgment makes 
the people rely upon him and follow his lead- 
ership. The social qualities of the man are 
indicated by his large circle of friends. Fie is 
always pleasant and genial, characteristics that 
arise from his kindly nature, and his friend- 
ship is most prized by those who know him 
best. Already he has attained a very enviable 
position in commercial circles in Decatur and 
Que need not have the gift of prophecy to 
understand that his will be a successful future. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



815 



HARRISON S. BAKER. 
In the history of the Past and Present of 
Decatur it is meet that we make reference to 
Harrison S. Baker for he was closely associ- 
ated with business affairs in this city for a 
number of years and his efforts proved of 
material benefit to Decatur. He was recog- 
nized as one of the leading contractors here 
and built many of the best business blocks. 
He also represented one of the early families 
of the city, having come here with his parents 
in 1855 when the now flourishing metropol- 
itan center was a small town of but limited 
business capacity yet giving promise of future 
growth because of the enterprise and activity 
of its citizens. 

Mr. Baker was born in South Bend, Indi- 
ana, on the 28th of September, 1844, his par- 
ents being Joshua and Rebecca (Sumtion) 
Baker, both of whom were also natives of 
Indiana and resided in South Bend until 1855, 
when they came with their family to Decatur. 
The father purchased land now included in 
what is known as the Millikin estate in this 
city. Upon that tract he engaged in farming, 
gardening and horticultural pursuits for many 
years and the products of his land brought to 
him good return for his labor, so that having 
acquired a handsome competence, he was at 
length enabled to retire from business life and 
enjoy the comforts and conveniences that his 
former labor had brought to him. Both he 
and his wife died in the home which is now 
occupied by the widow of Harrison S. Baker. 
The subject of this review was a lad of 
about eleven years when he accompanied his 
parents on their removal to this city. He con- 
tinued his education in the public schools 
here and after putting aside his text books 
he learned the carpenter's trade and then 
worked as a journeyman for a number of 
years. Becoming proficient in his chosen field 
of labor and feeling that he was competent to 
take charge of important building operations 
he then began contracting on his own account. 
The public recognized his capability and ac- 



corded him a liberal patronage and as the 
years passed his business grew in volume and 
importance. He erected many of the best 
business blocks of the city, including the De- 
catur Herald block, the Mueller block, the 
Alorehouse & Wells block and many of the 
other large business structures and store 
buildings of this city. He also took and exe- 
cuted the contracts for five of the leading 
churches of Decatur and many of the fine resi- 
dences of the city stand as monuments to his 
skill and handiwork. He was always thor- 
ough and painstaking in his work and his 
careful supervision of the labors . of those 
whom he employed insured accuracy and good 
workmanship. Faithfully living up to the 
terms of a contract he won the unqualified 
confidence of the public and his business career 
was therefore attended with a gratifying 
measure of success. 

It was in Decatur that Mr. Baker was 
united in marriage to Miss Sarah J. Dan forth, 
a native of St. Clair county, Illinois, and a 
daughter of William F. and Elizabeth Dan- 
forth, who removed from St. Clair county to 
Fayette county, this state, where they spent 
their remaining days. Mr. Danforth followed 
farming throughout his entire life. By the 
marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Baker were born 
four children : Louis S., the eldest, who re- 
sides with his mother, is a contractor and 
builder carrying on business in partnership 
with his brother, George W. The latter mar- 
ried Miss Dora Thiels and they have a pleas- 
ant home in Decatur. Irene May, the third 
member of the family, is the wife of Bruce 
B. Manning, a resident of this city. Qiarles, 
the youngest, died at the age of twenty-two 
months. 

Mr. Baker met his death in an electric street 
railway accident, being killed on the 15th of 
October, 1902. This was a great blow not 
only to his family, but to many friends and 
the community thereby lost a valued citizen. 
In politics he was a Republican, giving an 
intelligent support to the party and in all 



816 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



matters of citizenship lie was public-spirited 
and progressive, co-operating in many meas- 
ures for the general good. He was very suc- 
cessful in all his building undertakings and 
was an intelligent, honest, upright man, widely 
known and held in the highest regard in the 
city in which he lived from boyhood times 
until his death. Wrs. Baker and her son, 
Louis, reside at her beautiful home at No. 709 
West Main street. The family is one of the 
oldest on this street and its representatives arc 
prominent and influential people of Decatur. 
Mrs. Baker is a valued member of the First 
Methodist Episcopal church of this city. Her 
sons are now leading contractors, being worthy 
successors of their father in business life, 
and already they have an extensive patronage 
which is constantly growing. 



ROSS A. NICHOLLS. 
Ross A. Nicholls, who owns and operates 
a nice farm in Decatur township, was born 
in Medina county, Ohio, on the 19th of April, 
1858. and is a son of Washington S. and Mary 
(House) Nicholls. also natives of the Buckeye 
stale. The father was one of a family of five 
children, the others being Charlotte, wife of 
Mitchell Elson ; R. Frazier : Albert ; and one 
who died in early life. The mother of our 
subject had three brothers and two sisters, 
namely : Mrs. Elizabeth Nicholls, now de- 
ceased : Joseph; Eli; Eleazer; and Kate, 
wife of Charles Crocker of Ohio. In 1867 
Washington S. Nicholls brought his family 
to Illinois and settled in Macon county east 
of where the village of Blue Mound is now 
located. Here he died on the 23d of April, 
1877, honored and respected by all who knew 
him. His widow is still living and now 
makes her home near Blue Mound. In the 
family of this worthy couple were nine chil- 
dren : Albert, who is now living in Nebraska ; 
Eleazer. who resides near the old homestead 
in this countv ; Sarah, who married D. I. 



Baughman and died leaving one son and three 
daughters ; George, who makes his home near 
Moweaqua, Illinois ; Ross A., of this review ; 
Elton, who lives one mile west of Blue 
Mound; Naomi, wife of J. Damery ; Alpha, 
wife of Thomas Wright, who resides near 
Macon ; and Oren, who is married and lives 
on the old homestead. 

On the 17th of March, 1881, Ross A. 
Nicholls was united in marri.age to Miss Sarah 
Ribelin, who was born April 13, 1861, a 
daughter of G. W. and Elizabeth Ribelin. She 
is one of a family of three children, the others" 
being Ella, the widow of Harry Bohannon, 
of Decatur ; and Mary, wife of A. Sackett, 
who resides near Blue Mound. Mr. and Mrs. 
Nicholls have become the parents of five chil- 
dren, as follows: Arza Washington, born 
March 29, 1882; Verna, who was born Octo- 
ber 8, 1883, and died October 16, 1884; Stella, 
born February 2, 1885; Earl, born October 
3, 1892 ; and Ray, born November 22, 1894. 
All are at home. 

In 1902 Mr. Nicholls purchased his present 
fine farm of one hundred and fifty acres in 
I3ecatur tovv'uship and in its operation he is 
now meeting with good success, being a prac- 
tical and painstaking agriculturist who thor- 
oughly understands the vocation he follows. 
His political support is given the Democratic 
party, and he is a member of the Modern 
Woodmen of America and the Methodist 
Episcopal church. His wife, however, be- 
longs to the Christian church and is also con- 
nected with the Royal Neighbors. Thev are 
people of prominence in the community where 
they reside and are held in high regard by 
all who know them. 



CHARLES K. GUTHRIDGE. 

Charles K. Guthridge, now deceased, was 

a native of Martin county, Indiana, born on 

the nth of February, 1861. When he was five 

years of age his parents removed from In- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



817 



diana to Fayette count)-, Illinois, and he was 
reared upon a farm there, early becoming fa- 
miliar with the duties and labors that falLto 
the lot of the agriculturist as he assisted in 
the cultivation of the fields. His educational 
privileges were those afforded by the district 
schools and he continued in Fayette county 
until 1881, when he removed to Piatt county, 
Illinois, where he was engaged in farming. 
Mr. Guthridgc first married Lasella Woot- 
ers by whom he had four children, three still 
living, namely : Cloyd, Arthur and Geneva, 
who are living with an aunt near Bement, Piatt 
county. It was during his residence in that 
county that Mr. (juthridge was again married, 
August 10, 1892, his second union being with 
Miss Cora Trabue Monroe, a native of Be- 
ment, born on the 20th of January, 1871. The 
lady is a daughter of Newton A. Trabue, who 
is now living a retired life in Decatur. She 
was. however, adopted by Mr. Monroe, of 
Bement, Piatt county, who is a retired farmer 
living in that town. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Guthridge were born two children : Ruth, who 
was born J"ly 23, 1893, and is living with 
Mr. and Mrs. Monroe in Bement ; and Ruby, 
who was born August 30, 1895, and is living 
with her mother in Decatur. 

At the time of his marriage Mr. Guthridge 
took his bride to his farm in Piatt county, 
Illinois, and there successfully engaged in gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits until his health be- 
came impaired. On account of this he re- 
moved with his family to Riverside, California, 
on the 13th of December, 1895, and they were 
residents of that beautiful city until the death 
of the husband and father on the 9th of June, 
1896. After his death Mrs. Guthridge and 
her children remained in California for only a 
brief period and then returned to Bement, Il- 
linois, where she made her home until 1899, 
when she came to Decatur. 

In this city on the 6th of August, 1901, Mrs. 
Guthridge gave her hand in marriage to her 
present husband, C. S. Christian. He is a 
native of Marion, Linn countv, Iowa, borr. 



September 24, 1855, and is a son of James 
T. and Malinda J. (Moore) Christian, the 
former a native of Kentucky and the latter of 
Amherst, Virginia. After the Mexican war 
Mr. Christian, the father, removed to Iowa, 
where he resided continually until 1861. He 
then put aside all business and personal con- 
siderations in order that he might aid his 
country in the preservation of the Union, en- 
listing in the Union army as a captain of the 
Eighteenth Iowa Infantry under Colonel Bis- 
sell. After the war he returned to Mount 
Vernon, Iowa, and subsequently he traveled 
all over the country. He was for some time 
engaged in the hotel business and finally he 
settled in Pinkneyville, Illinois, where he 
owned and operated a mill, remaining at that 
place for several 3'ears. His wife died there 
in 1876 and he afterward married Malissa 
Stoker. Later he removed to Lithia Springs, 
Missouri, where he died and where his widow 
yet resides. 

C. S. Christian acquired a good college edu- 
cation in Oberlin, Ohio, and in 1877 he went 
to Tilden, Illinois, where he accepted a posi- 
tion as station agent and telegraph operator 
for the Big Four Railroad Company, acting 
in that capacity for four years. He was then 
transferred to LaSalle, Illinois, as agent and 
telegraph operator for the Illinois Central 
Railroad Company, with which he was con- 
nected for thirteen years. On the expiration 
of that period he came to Decatur and occu- 
pied a position in the office of county treasurer 
for two years, after which he engaged in the 
life insurance business in this city for a' short 
time. He next became connected with the 
music trade and is now engaged in dealing 
extensively in pianos, graphophones, music 
and musical specialties, keeping a stock at his 
residence and selling throughout the surround- 
ing country. He handles all standard makes 
of pianos, including the Story, Clark, the 
Steinway, Farraud and others. 

Mr. Christian was first married to Irene 
O. Melroy of Du Quoin, Illinois, a daughter 



818 



PAST AND PRESENT 01- MACON COUNTY. 



of J. G. and xMary O. Melroy. Her father 
was a tailor of Du Quoin, and both he and his 
wife are now deceased. Mrs. Irene Christian 
died leaving ten children, namely : Edith 
Belle; Egbert J., an engineer on the Illinois 
Central Railroad; Frances; Calvin S., who 
is a soldier in the regular army at Vancouver, 
Washington ; John Melroy ; Hazel ; Beulah ; 
and Edith. The two who are now deceased 
are Eugene and Harry C. 

Mr. Christian has held no political posi- 
tions in Decatur, his attention being fully oc- 
cupied by his business afTairs. He votes, how- 
ever, with the Democracy and is a stanch ad- 
vocate of its principles. Fraternally he is 
connected with the Masonic Lodge, the An- 
cient Order of United Workmen and the Court 
of Honor, all of Decatur. Mrs. Christian is 
a member of the First Methodist Episcopal 
church of Decatur. She now owns the resi- 
dence which she occupies at No. 1043 West 
Decatur street and she also has two good 
farms, one of eighty acres near Rinard and 
another of eighty acres near Pierson, Piatt 
county. Her daughter, Ruby, resides with her 
and Ruth, a child of Mr. Christian's first mar- 
riage, is also a member of the household. 



G. F. ALBERT. 
One of the representative and prominent 
farmers of Illini township is G. F. Albert, 
whose home is on section 14. He was b^^rn 
in Clark county, Ohio, August 28, 1844, ^'^i 
is a son of Henry and Louisa (Lehman) Al- 
bert, both of whom were of German descent. 
The father was born in Maryland in 1814 and 
in 1828 removed to Ohio, where he learned 
the blacksmith's trade in the shop of his stej)- 
father. He continued to make his home in 
that state until 1881, when he came to Macon 
county, Illinois, and purchased a farm of three 
hundred and twenty acres three miles north 
of Warrensburg, where he lived for several 
years. At present he is a resident of Decatur 



and although eighty-nine years of age he en- 
joys good health. The mother of our subject, 
who was a native of Pennsylvania, died in 
Ohio before the removal of the father to Il- 
linois. 

The primary education of G. F. Albert was 
obtained in the Good Intent district school in 
Clark county, Ohio, and later he attended the 
Southwestern Normal, then known as the Hol- 
brook .school, at Lebanon, Ohio, where he 
completed his studies in 1867. During the 
following summer he worked at the carpenter's 
trade in that state and then started on horse- 
back for Illinois, arriving in JNIacon county 
on Thursday. He took the teacher's exam- 
ination under Edward Park immediately after- 
ward, and passing, he began teaching the fol- 
lowing Monday at the Mount Pleasant school 
in Hickory Point township. He taught for 
seven winters and during the summer worked 
on a farm. At the end of that period he set- 
tled down to farming on section 2, Illini town- 
ship and in 1874 purchased his present farm 
on section 14, consisting of one hundred and 
thirty-seven acres adjoining the corporation 
of Warrensburg. He also owns an eighty 
acre tract which lies to the east of his house. 
He is a wide-awake, progressive farmer and 
his efforts have been attended with well mer- 
ited success. 

On the 24th of September, 1872, Mr. Albert 
was united in marriage to Miss Mattie S. 
Ritchie, who was educated at the State Nor- 
mal School at Normal, Illinois, and was mar- 
ried soon after leaving that institution. Her 
parents were Samuel and Susan (Hinzie) 
Ritchie, who were born in Pennsylvania, the 
former of Scotch-Irish and the latter of Ger- 
man lineage. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Albert were 
born five children but the second is deceased. 
The living are as follows : Leslie is engaged 
in farming on the eighty acres belonging to 
his father and also on a rented tract. Bertha 
has taught four terms at Warrensburg and is 
now living at home with her father. Edna 
attended the State Normal School until her 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



819 



mother's death, which occurred August i, 
1899, and has since remained at home to keep 
house for her father. Chester, who completes 
the family, was for two terms a student at 
Brown's Business College in Decatur and for 
the same length of time at the Gem City Busi- 
ness College in Quincy. He is now living in 
Colorado. The daughters have both given 
considerable attention to the study of music 
and have become quite proficient on the piano. 
Since casting his first presidential vote for 
Seymour, Mr. Albert has affiliated with the 
Democratic party, and for several terms he 
served as assessor of his township. Pleasant 
and genial in manner, he makes many friends 
and is held in the highest regard by all who 
know him. His home is noted for its hos- 
pitality and good cheer. 



JOSEPH B. EHRHART. 

Joseph B. Ehrhart, who for many years has 
been engaged in business in Decatur as a 
painter and decorator and who is regarded 
as one of the leading representatives of this 
line of industrial activity, was born in 
York county, Pennsylvania, on the i6th of 
June, 1838, a son of John Ehrhart. Both his 
father and mother spent their entire lives in 
Pennsylvania and the former carried on black- 
smithing there. He was three times married. 
our subject being one of the six chidren of 
the last union. Two of the number are now 
living, the brother being Samuel Ehrhart. The 
four who have passed away all reached years 
of maturity. 

Mr. Ehrhart of this review received but 
limited educational privileges. He attended 
school to some extent in Newbury township, 
York county, Pennsylvania, and in 1855 when 
but seventeen years of age he came to Illinois. 
He settled in Macon county and began work- 
ing as a farm hand near what is now East 
Eldorado street, a corn field at that time cover- 
ing the district, and he plowed corn at what 



is now the leading thoroughfare of the city. 
He also broke prairie within the present cor- 
poration limits of Decatur and was thus identi- 
fied with the early development of the county. 
Later he was employed as a brakesman on the 
construction train when the railroad track was 
laid to Bement, Illinois. Subsequently he was 
apprenticed to the painting and decorating 
trade under S. S. Dellahunt, with whom he 
served for a year. On the expiration of that 
period, although but a young man, he began 
contracting on his own account. His first 
shop was located where the office of the Shell- 
abarger Mill now stands. There was then a 
two story building there, the lower floor being 
occupied by Solomon Epler & Gamen, car- 
riage and wagon makers, and Mr. Ehrhart 
utilized the second floor for his paint shop. 
In connection with the painting of wagons 
and carriages he also did house painting and 
in those days he had to carry all of his supplies 
to his place of work as he had no conveyance 
for transporting them. In the winter of 1864 
he superintended a crew of eleven men and 
in this way executed a contract for painting 
eleven hundred cultivators for the firm of 
Barnes & Lintner. He has been continuously 
engaged at his trade since entering upon his 
apprenticeship with the exception of a period 
of three years when ill health caused by 
blood poisoning forced him to rest from his 
labors. He has built up a very large trade 
and is now the oldest painter and decorator 
of the city. His business has grown as the 
years have passed by and the patronage now 
accorded him brings to him a very gratifying 
financial return. In the fall of 1864 he joined 
the band known as Elijah Howes Band of 
Boston and was identified therewith for thirty 
years. Later it was under the instruction and 
supervision of Professor Goodman and is now 
known as Goodman's Band. It is one of the 
most famous bands of the state. ■ 

Mr. Ehrhart has been twice married and by 
his first union had three children : John and 
George, who are married and live in Decatur; 



820 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MACOX COUXTY. 



and Ellsworth, who died in 1883. On the 
22d of April, 1883, Mr. Ehrhart was joined in 
wedlock to Annette Songer and they had two 
children : Alma and Abigail, bnt the former 
died in infancy. Mr. Ehrhart has given his 
children good educational privileges, thus pre- 
paring them for the practical and respon- 
sible duties of life. ITe and his wife are de- 
voted members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church. Their hospitable home is located at 
No. 1275 North Union street and in addition 
to this valuable property ^Ir, Ehrhart owns 
other realty in Decatur, all of which has been 
acquired entirely through his own energy and 
capable management. He is one of the worthy 
pioneer settlers of this city and has aided in 
developing Decatur from the hazel brush to 
a citv of metropolitan ]5roportions, having 
within its borders all of the ec|uipments and 
improvements of the older east. He remem- 
bers to have seen Lincoln Sf|uare when it 
was covered with straw and used as a feeding 
place for the teams of the farmers who drove 
into town. The open prairie was the feeding 
ground of many deer and citlur wild game and 
the surface of the country was dotted here 
and there with ponds or crossed with sloughs. 
During his boyhood days ^Ir. Ehrhart was 
dressed in home-made clothing. In his 
father's family they would shear the sheep 
and have the wool sent to the factory where 
it was spun into clothing. Pioneer life as 
it was a half century ago was well known to 
him and he retains vivid recollections of De- 
catur when it was a very primitive town, 
giving little promise of its ]iresent develop- 
ment and progress. 



HENRY L. HIGHLY. 
Henry L. Highly is one of Macon's repre- 
sentative citizens, whose useful and well spent 
life has not only gained him the confidence 
of his fellow men but has also secured for 
him a comfortable competence which enables 



him to lay aside all business cares and spend 
his declining days in ease and retirement. 

A native of Ohio. .Mr. 1 lighly was born near 
Zanesville on the 12th of June. 1835, and is 
a son of Thomas and Susan (Gist) Highly, 
both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania 
and of German descent. Leaving the Key- 
stone state they removed to Ohio at an early 
day and settled ten miles east of Zanesville, 
becoming pioneers of that section. There the 
father secured forty acres of timberland, which 
he cleared, improved and cultivated, and in 
addition to the operation of his farm he con- 
ducted a saw and grist mill for many years, 
being a miller by trade. Selling out in 1850, 
he removed to Hocking county, Ohio, and 
purchased eighty acres of land four miles from 
Logan, where he made his home until his 
death. In his family were eleven children, 
but only four are now living, namely : 
Thomas, a retired farmer living in Oregon : 
Henrv L.. of this review; Samuel and Eliza- 
beth, twins, the former of whom is now jan- 
itor of the courthouse at Logan. Ohio, while 
the latter is the wife of John Coon, a retired 
farmer living near Lancaster, Ohio. 

Henry L. Highly was educated in an old 
log school house which had a puncheon floor, 
slab benches and other rude furniture, but 
he was only able to attend school for about 
three months during the winter season as his 
services were needed on the home farm dur- 
ing the remainder of the year. At the age of 
fifteen he started out to make his own way 
in the world and was told by his father, if he 
would pay of? the mortgage on a forty acre 
farm he could have the place, only one pay- 
ment having previously been made. To earn 
the money for this purpose Mr. Highly 
worked by the month for five years. He 
then cleared his land, which was a timber 
tract, and split the rails to fence it with. 

In the spring of 1861 he came to Macon 
county, Illinois, and commenced work on the 
Allison farm. .Xbout a year later he returned 
to his old home in Ohio, and was there mar- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



821 



ried on the 6th of March. 1862, to Miss Jane 
Gibson, a daughter of Patrick and Margaret 
(Flanigan) Gibson. The wedding journey of 
the young couple was from Ohio to Illinois 
and was made in an old fashioned covered 
wagon. After making a short visit at Col- 
umbus, Ohio, they proceeded on their way, 
pa.ssing through Springfield, Ohio ; Indianap- 
olis and Terre Haute, Indiana ; and Areola 
and Mount Zion, Illinois, finally reaching 
Macon after fourteen days upon the road. 

For two years Mr. Highly was engaged 
in farming upon the Allison place, and then 
purchased eighty acres of railroad land east 
of Macon, for which he paid twelve dollars 
and a half per acre. Upon the place was an 
old log house, fourteen feet square and a 
kitchen made of slabs, twelve by fourteen feet. 
Here Mr. Highly and his wife lived for ten 
years and then erected a fine home at a cost 
of twenty-five hundred dollars, while a new 
barn was built at a cost of twelve hundred. 
The farm was all wild prairie land when they 
took up their residence thereon, but Mr. 
Highly soon placed it imder cultivation and 
at the end of ten years was able to purchase 
an adjoining eighty acres. As time passed he 
kept adding to his property at intervals until 
he had three hundred and sixty acres, con- 
stituting one of the finest farms in Macon 
township. The last one hundred and sixty 
acres purchased by Mr. Highly cost sixty 
dollars per acre. The farm is now under a 
high state of cultivation with valuable im- 
provements, the buildings alone having cost 
ten thousand dollars, while the ditching, deep 
wells, wind pumps, etc., have cost fifteen 
thousand dollars. Mr. Highly continued 
farming operations with marked success until 
1899, when he retired from active labpr and 
removed to Macon, where he now owns and 
occupies a nice modern residence. 

He has two children, Olna S., who is the 
older, now has charge of one of his father's 
farms. He married Gladys Combs and has 
three children, Lena, Llovd and Pauline. 



James H.. the younger son, married Minnie 
Wise and is living upon the old homestead 
farm. Mr. Highly is a charter member of the 
Presbyterian church at Macon, has ever taken 
an active part in its work, and has served as 
elder for over twenty years. His wife is also 
a member of that church. Socially he belongs 
to the l)lue lodge of Masons, No. 467, at 
Macon, having been made a Mason about 1856 
in Columbia Lodge, at Cumberland, Ohio, 
and politically he is identified with the Prohi- 
bition party as he is a strong temperance 
man and believes that question to be the most 
important now before the American people. 
For over twenty years he acceptably served 
as school director in his district and for one 
term was road commissioner but always re- 
fused to accept other official positions, pre- 
ferring to give his undivided attention to his 
business interests. On his removal to this 
state he had but forty dollars in money and 
the horses and wagon in which he and his 
wife traveled, but he has always made the 
most of his advantages and by industry, per- 
severance and good management he worked 
his way steadily upward until he is to-day one 
of the well-to-do and substantial men of his 
communnity, as well as one of its most highly 
esteemed citizens. 



CHARLES M. HURST. 
Cha'rles M. Hurst is connected with mer- 
cantile interests in Decatur as the secretary 
of the Morehouse & Wells Company, whole- 
sale and retail dealers in hardware. He was 
born in this city in February, 1859. and is a 
son of E. W. and Sarah E. (Miller) Hurst, 
both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, 
having been born in York county, that state. 
In the schools of his native state Charles M. 
Hurst pursued his early education and after- 
ward became a student in a college of Penn- 
sylvania. When he had completed his school 
life he entered upon his business career in 



«22 



PAST AXU PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



connection with mercantile interests. His first 
employment was with the hardware estab- 
lishment of Morehouse & Wells with whom 
he continued as an employe until 1894, at 
which time the company was incorporated 
under the style of the Morehouse & Wells 
Company, with Mr. Hurst as its secretary. 
He has since acted in this capacity and has 
teen very active in the control of what is now 
a most important mercantile concern, doing a 
large business both along wholesale and retail 
lines. He is well versed in every department 
and his cnergv and sound business judgment 
have been salient features in its success. He 
is also connected with the I'nited States Wire 
Mat Company, of which be is a director and 
the secretarv, and he is now president of the 
Central Malleable Iron Company of Decatur. 
His activity touching many lines of business 
enterprise, causes him to be classed among the 
leading men of the city. 

Mr. Hurst was united in marriage to Miss 
Rella Shockley, a daughter of DeWitt C. 
Shocklev, a prominent and much respected 
citizen of Decatur. In matters pertaining to 
the general progress Mr. Hurst is public spir- 
ited and progressive and keeps in touch with 
public thought and effort. In the business 
world he has won the trust and confidence of 
those with whom he has been associated. His 
social qualities, too, render him popular with a 
large circle of friends and he is a genial gen- 
tleman without ostentation or display, who 
holds friendship sacred and is as true to the 
duties and obligations of citizenship and of 
private life as to those to which he is pledged 
through business connections. 



DAVID SKILLMAN ALLEN. 
Only those lives are worthy of record that 
have been potential factors in the public prog- 
ress in promoting the general welfare or ad- 
vancing the educational or moral interests of 
the communitv. Mr. Allen was ever faithful 



to all the duties of life and by the successful 
conduct of his business affairs not only pro- 
moted his individual success but also advanced 
the general prosperity. In his life span of 
almost sixty years he accomplished much and 
left behind an honorable record well worthy 
of perpetuation. 

Mr. Allen was born in Scott county, Ken- 
tucky, on the 8th of February, 1822, and was 
a son of Joseph and Katherine (Skillman) 
-Mien. The Allen family originated in Scot- 
land and from that country ancestors of our 
subject removed to Ireland, where the old 
Allen homestead is now in possession of Pat- 
rick Allen. In early life our subject's father 
removed from Loudoun county, Virginia, to 
Kentucky, and in Bourbon county, of that lat- 
ter state, he married Katherine Skillman. 
they located in Scott county, Kentucky, 
where they reared their family, and where 
the father died in March, 1846. His wife, 
long surviving him, passed away a few years 
ago. 

During his boyhood David S. Allen pursued 
his studies in a log school house in his native 
county, the school being conducted on the 
subscription plan as this was before the day 
of free schools, and after putting aside his 
text books he worked on his father's farm 
until twenty-five years of age, when he es- 
tablished a home of his own. On the i6th 
of September, 1845, '""^ was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Amanda D. Risk, who was also 
born in Scott county, Kentucky, December 
29, 1829, a daughter of John and Ann 
(Daughcrty) Risk. Her mother was a native 
of the same county and there she gave her 
hand in marriage to John Risk, the name 
being originally spelled Risque. They contin- 
ued to make their home there throughout the 
remainder of their lives. In religious faith 
they were Presbyterians and in politics Mr. 
Risk was a Whig. Of their ten children, Mrs. 
Allen is the ninth in order of birth and the 
only one now living. 

After his marriage Mr. Allen located on a 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



823 



farm four miles from Georgetown, Kentucky, 
and from there removed to Macon county, 
Illinois, in January, 1855, settling one mile 
north of Harristown, where he purchased a 
section of land at sixteen dollars per acre but 
the property is now valued at one hundred 
and twenty-five dollars per acre. When the 
family located on this farm Decatur was the 
nearest town and there were no railroads 
through the county, much of this region being 
still wild and unimproved. With the develop- 
ment and upbuilding of his adopted county 
Mr. Allen bore an important part and through- 
out life carried on agricultural pursuits with 
good success. He died upon his farm on the 
2 1st of August, 1880, honored and respected 
by all who knew him, and he was laid to rest 
in the Harristown cemetery. His political 
support was always given the Republican 
party but he never cared for the honors or 
emoluments of public office. He took an active 
part in church work, being a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal denomination and served 
as steward from the age of twenty-five up to 
the time of his death. He was also a strong 
advocate of temperance and his life was ever 
in harmony with his professions. 

Since her husband's death Mrs. Allen has 
made her home with her children but is now- 
living with her brother-in-law, William J. 
Ouinlan, at 222 West William street, Decatur. 
She is a lady of culture and refinement, who 
has traveled extensively both in this countrjr 
and in Europe and she possesses literarv talent 
of a high order. She has contributed several 
interesting articles on the pioneer settlers of 
Illinois to different periodicals and also wrote 
an article which was read at the last meeting 
of the Old Settlers of Macon county, who 
each year hold a reunion at Fairview Park 
in Decatur. She is a lady of many excellent 
traits of character which have endeared her 
to all with whom she has been brought in con- 
tact. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Allen were born six 
children, five sons and one daughter, as fol- 



lows : Rhodes C. married Miss Emma Levett 
and resided near Harristown for some time,, 
but finally removed to Hot Springs, Arkan- 
sas, where he died. Of his three children only 
one is now living, Roy S., a resident of Los 
Angeles, California. Louisa C. married Dr. 
John M. Gregory, who was for thirteen years 
president of the State University at Champaign 
and also president of the University of Michi- 
gan at Ann Arbor. Mrs. Gregory introduced 
domestic science into the former institution 
and was made professor of the same. The 
Doctor served as civil service commissioner 
imder President Arthur and was one of the 
first to advocate free mail delivery and also the 
first to introduce work reading in the public 
schools. He died in Washington, D. C, Oc- 
tober 19, 1898, and was buried in the Cham- 
paign University grounds. His widow and 
daughter Allene are still residents of the cap- 
ital city. Henry C, Mrs. Allen's second son, 
is engaged in farming in Scott county, Ken- 
tucky. He married Miss Fannie Moore, of 
Georgetown, Kentucky, and has two children : 
Harvey M. and Evelyn. Charles Wesley, the 
third son, died July 6, 1880. He studied law 
at the State University and was graduated in 
1877, being admitted to the bar two years later. 
Joseph Bascom, the next of the family, married 
Miss Sena Talbott and lives near Ottawa, Kan- 
sas, where he is engaged in farming. They 
have two sons, Louis and Arthur. E. Wright 
Allen, the youngest child, was born October 20, 
1861, on the old homestead in Harristown 
township, where he now resides. He began 
his education in the public ■ schools of 
this county and later attended the State 
L'niversity at Champaign for three years. 
Throughout his active business life he 
has followed farming and has met with 
good success, being the owner of con- 
siderable farming land near Harristown. 
He is interested in the breeding of polled An- 
gus cattle and is quite extensively engaged 
in that business, which he finds quite profitable. 
On the 1st of September, 1887, he was united 



824 



PAST AXD I'kliSEXT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



in marriage to Miss Minnie H. Moffctt, who 
was born on the old Moffett homestead near 
Boody, December 28, 1868. Her father, Will- 
iam T. MofFett, was a native of Beardstown, 
Illinois, and was a very prominent man of his 
community, serving as state senator for a time. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Allen were born 
four children, but Skillman died November 29, 
1896, at the age of seven years. Those still 
living are Leonora, Marie A. and Mofifett B. 
E. W. Allen gives his political support to the 
men and measures of the Republican party 
and takes a deep interest in public affairs. He 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church 
and Summit Lodge No. 431, A. F. & A. M., 
and stands high in l)ot]i Inisim-ss and social cir- 
cles. Success has attended his well directed 
eflforts and he has become one of the most 
prosperous agriculturists of his community. 
Besides his valuable property in Harristown 
township he owns a half section of land in 
Texas. 



CLARENCE J. VAN DE\FNTER. . 

Clarence J. Van Deventer is widely known 
throughout Illinois and to a considerable ex- 
tent throughout the country in ])hotographic 
circles. He is the president of the Photog- 
raphers" Association of the state and. although 
one of the more recent acquisitions to the busi- 
ness life of Decatur, lie has already gained a 
large patronage, being connected with a jiro- 
fession where merit is easily discernible and 
in which success caunol l)e won witliout this 
quality. 

Mr. Van Deventer was born in Alouiit Pul- 
aski, Logan county. Illinois, on the 15th of 
April, 1865, and is a son of James C. and Car- 
oline (Nicholson) Van Deventer. The father. 
a resident of Lee county, Virginia, in his 
early life, removed from the Old Dominion 
to Illinois in the '50s, and in this state engaged 
in stock-raising and dealing. He is a son of 
Abrahaiu Van Deventer. When Clarence J. 
Van Deventer was but two months old the 



father died, but the mother is yet living and 
still makes her home in Logan county. 

To the public school system of this state 
Mr. \'an Deventer is indebted for the edu- 
cational privileges he received in' his youth. 
In early life he began earntng his own live- 
lihood and when a youth of si.xtcen he secured 
a elerkshij) in a hardware store, where he 
remained for two years, proving a capable 
and trustworthy employe who won the un- 
qualified confidence of those whom he served. 
In 1883 he removed to Bloomington. Illinois, 
where he was employed by T. P. Garrett, a 
phoiographcr. Thus he was initiated into the 
business which has become his life work. He 
continued to serve Mr. Garrett until 1866, 
gradually aci|uiring a comprehensive knowl- 
edge of the art and the methods pursued in 
the conduct of a photographic gallery. In the 
year mentioned he went to Springfield, Illi- 
nois, where he was employed in the Anderson 
.Vrt Gallery until 1888. He next located in 
Alpena, Michigan, where he purchased an art 
gallery in connection with A. R. Nicholson, 
the studio being conducted under the firm 
style of Nicholson & \'an Deventer until 1891. 
Our subject has also been employed by lead- 
ing artists of Chicago. In 1892 he opened two 
galleries, one in Carlinsville and the other in 
Litchfield. Illinois. These he conducted until 
1898. when he sold both and came to Decatur, 
establishing his present studio in the Powers 
block. Here he soon became recognized as a 
leading artist of this city, his ability placing 
liini in the ranks of the most prominent and 
capable representatives of his calling. His 
suite of rooms are decorated with some of the 
most beautiful specimens of photographic 
work. He is a member of the National Pho- 
tographers' Association and his exhibits at its 
meetings have won medals because of their 
merit. He also belongs to the State Photog- 
raphers' Association and has won its prizes. 
He likewise holds membership in the New 
England Photographers Association and at- 
tended its last meeting held in Boston. For 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



825 



five years he has been the treasurer of the 
state association and in the year 1903 is serv- 
ing as its president. He has taken a deep and 
zealous interest in his work, doing everything 
in his power for advancement along artistic 
lines . and his studio is equipped with every 
facility for producing work of the highest 
grades. He has advanced steadily to a front 
rank among photographic artists in Illinois 
through persistent effort and because of his 
special adaptability to his chosen calling. He 
has real artistic skill for executing the labor 
of the mechanic, who by means of certain 
devices can transfer a likeness to paper. His 
appreciation for the effects of light and shade 
is great and in his posing he shows true ar- 
tistic skill. 

In 1893 Mr. Van Deventer was joined in 
wedlock to IMiss Martha F. Macknet, a daugh- 
ter of D. S. and Rhoda (Clark) Macknet. 
Their children are Florence A., Clarence J. 
and Macknet F. Mr. Van Deventer belongs 
to Macon Lodge, No. 8, F. & A. M., Macon 
Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M. and Beaumanoir 
Commandery, No. 9, K. T. ; to the Benevolent 
Protective Order of Elks ; to Easterly Camp, 
No. 1626. M. W. A.; and to Decatur District 
Court, No. 39, Court of Honor. He is a 
genial, courteous gentleman, a pleasant, enter- 
taining companion and has many splendid and 
admiring friends among all classes of people. 
As a man of genuine worth of character and 
a gentleman of attractive s(X-ial qualities he 
stands high in the estimation of the entire 
conimunitv. 



YONG P. JONES. 
Yong P. Jones, a retired farmer residing 
at No. 1084 East Wood "street in Decatur, 
has been a resident of Macon county for 
more than half a century, dating his arrival 
in 1851. One of Illinois' native sons, his 
"birth occurred in Marion county on the 2d 
of June, 1842, so that he was onlv aljout nine 



years of age when brought by his parents to 
Decatur. He is a son of Joseph E. and Sarah 
(Neel) Jones, the former a native of Ten- 
nessee and the latter of Kentucky. They were 
married very young. Mr. Jones being but 
eighteen years of age when with his bride he 
came to Illinois, settling in Decatur, here act- 
ing as fireman and also as engineer in some 
of the lumber mills of this city. Subsequent- 
ly he was given charge of the county poor 
farm and acted as its superintendent for eleven 
\ears, discharging his duties in a most 
capable manner so that he won the confidence 
and approval of the entire public. He then 
purchased the old county farm and there car- 
ried on general agricultural pursuits until his 
life's labors were ended in death on the 26th 
of March, 1866. His widow afterward sold 
the farm and removed to Mount Zion town- 
ship, where she purchased a tract of land 
and resided there until her death, which oc- 
curred on the 17th of July, 1894. This wor- 
thy couple were the parents of five children, 
the youngest being Yong P. of this review. 
The others are Thomas, a retired farmer now 
living on West Wood street in Decatur ; Ozro, 
a resident farmer of Traverse City, Illinois ; 
William Columbus, who is residing on the 
old farm in Mount Zion township ; and 
Amanda, the wife of Martin Cooper, who is 
living in Decatur. All were educated in the 
common schools of Macon county. 

Like the other members of the family Yong 
P. Jones pursued a public school course and 
in his youth he aided in the labors of the 
fields upon the home farm. His practical 
training well ^]ualified him for carrying on 
farm work on his own account after he had 
attained his majority. 

In 1 86 1 in Decatur, Mr. Jones married Miss 
Emma May, a native of Tennessee, who died 
six years after their marriage, leaving two 
children : Joseph T., who wedded Anna 
Briner and lives on a farm in South Wheat- 
land township ; and Ida, the wife of A. J. 
Anderson, telegraph operator for the Illinois 



826 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .MACON COUNTY. 



Central Railroad at Decatur. Mr. Jones was 
again married in Decatur, on the 9th of De- 
cember, 1869, his second union being with 
Miss Sarah Malissa Bordnian, who was born 
in Columbus, Indiana, September 19, 1840, 
and is a daughter of Captain Isaac Bordman, 
one of the early settlers and a very prominent 
citizen of Decatur. For several years he 
served as county clerk of Macon county and 
was influential in public affairs. His death 
occurred in this city and the community there- 
by lost one of its valued representatives. 

After his marriage Mr. Jones purchased a 
farm on section 35, South Wheatland town- 
ship, comprising one hundred and twenty- 
five acri.s, and to the improvement of this 
proijerly he gave his attention, making it a 
valuable and productive place. He still owns 
it and llierton he engaged in general farming 
and stock-rasing until 1892. when he removed 
to the city and, putting aside business cares, 
lias since enjoyed a well earned rest. I lis 
home is at No. 1084 East Wood street, where 
he and his wife are now living. She is a 
member of the First Methodist Episcopal 
church of Decatur. 

In his political views Mr. Jones has always 
been a Democrat. His life has been one of 
activity and usefulness and it seems almost 
impossible for him to put aside business 
cares altogether. Indolence and idleness have 
ever been utterly foreign to his nature and 
now he makes dail>' trijis to his farm to super- 
vise its cultivation, hut the active work of 
field and meadow he leaves to others. He 
owes his success not to any fortunate combi- 
nation of circumstances, but to his persistency 
and diligence and Iiis ]irnsperily is therefore 
well deserved. 



HILLORY BEALL. 
After years of active labor, mainly along 
agricultural lines, the subject of this review 
is now living a retired life enjoying the com- 
petence which he acquired through former 



toil. He is a native of Virginia, born Jan- 
uary 29, 1838, and is a son of Hillory and 
Jane (Newland) Beall, who were born, reared 
and married in Pennsylvania, and from that 
state removed to the Old Dominion in 1830. 
By occupation the father was a farmer. Both 
he and his wife are now deceased. Our sub- 
ject's great-grandfather was a soldier of the 
Revolutionary war. 

Our subject is one of a family of nine chil- 
dren, five sons and four daughters, the others 
being Nancy, who is the wife of Uriah Bar- 
rett and lives in Oklahoma; Sarah Jane, de- 
ceased ; John, who is proprietor of the Beall 
Improvement Company of Decatur and is one 
of the old settlers of Macon county; Parker, 
who makes his home in Warrensburg, and is 
engaged in farming; Mary, the wife of David 
Schroll, of Warrensburg; William, also a res- 
ident of that i)lace ; Elizabeth, wife of Andrew 
J. Widick ; and Frank, deceased. 

During his boyhood Ilillory Dcall, Jr.. went 
to Ohio, where he was reared and educated, 
pursuing his early studies in an old log school- 
house, but his educational advantages were 
rather limited. After leaving school he learned 
the millwright's trade, which he followed for 
ten years, being thus employed in Springfield, 
Bloomington, Decatur and Clinton, Illinois. 
In 1856 he came to Macon county and for 
.some time engaged in farming in Illini town- 
ship, where he made his first purchase of land. 
About twenty-seven years ago he removed 
to Niantic township and bought one hundred 
and si.xty acres, the nucleus of his present 
farm. As time passed and his financial re- 
sources increased he kept adding to his prop- 
erty until he now has several hundred acres 
besides a beautiful home in Niantic. where he 
is now living retired. 

At Springfield, Illinois, in 1867, Mr. Beall 
was united in marriage to Miss Honora 
Hingcy, of Riverton, this state. Her parents 
were natives of Canada and are both now de- 
ceased. Three sons were born to Mr. and 
I\lrs. Pjeall, namely : John Franklin, a resi- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



827 



dent of Niantic ; Egbert Lawrence, who 
makes his home in Lovington ; and Edward 
Parker, who is living on his father's farm in 
Niantic township. Mrs. Beall is a member of 
the CathoHc church of Niantic and is a most 
estimable lady. Being a strong temperance 
man our subject votes with the Prohibition 
party. A man of natural ability, his success 
in business is but the just reward of honor- 
able dealing, good management and unremit- 
ting industry, and the prosperity that has 
come to him is certainly well merited. His 
course in life has ever been such as to com- 
mand respect and he stands high in the es- 
teem of his fellow citizens. 



WILLIAM GUSHARD. 

The life record of a representative of 
American citizenship frequently contains much 
that is of value to the student of biography 
who wishes to judge of the elements and 
qualities that enter into a successful career. 
The life record of William Gushard has been 
an open scroll inviting closest scrutiny. His 
achievements represent the result of honest 
endeavor along lines where mature judgment 
has led the way. He possesses a weight of 
character, a native sagacity and discriminat- 
mg judgment and a fidelity to purpose that 
command the respect of all. He has led an 
honorable career and is recognized as one of 
the leading merchants of Decatur, being the 
senior member of the firm of Gushard & Com- 
pany, dealers in dry-goods and millinery. 

A native of Ohio, William Gushard was 
born in Stark county, that state, on the 5th 
of March, 1862. For many years his father, 
George Gushard, carried on merchandising 
there and his death occurred in Stark county, 
in 1892. For his second wife he married Mrs. 
Hannah Rorabaugh. who died on the 25th of 
May, 1865. She was the mother of our sub- 
ject. 

William Gushard spent the first eight vears' 



of his boyhood in Stark county, Ohio, and at 
the usual age entered the public schools. He 
afterward accompanied his father on his re- 
moval to Wabash county, Indiana, where he 
continued to pursue his studies until his fif- 
teenth year. He then returned to Ohio, estab- 
lishing his home in Akron, where he resided 
for nine years and during that period he en- 
tered upon his business career as a salesman 
in a dry-gods establishment. His endeavors 
to master the business both in principle and 
detail gained him a broad knowledge of the 
methods employed in mercantile circles. 
When thus well equipped for further advance- 
ment along that line he became a trusted em- 
ploye in the dry-goods house of G. Y. Smith 
& Company upon his removal to Kansas City, 
Missouri. For two and a half years he con- 
tinued with that firm and then with the money 
he had acquired through his own industry 
and economy he began merchandising on his 
own account in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. 
He was afterward numbered among the mer- 
chants of Topeka, Kansas, and was there very 
successful in his business operations. 

In 1895 he arrived in Decatur, Illinois, 
where he established a dry-goods and mil- 
linery store as the senior member of the firm 
of Gushard & Company, his partner in this 
enterprise being Walter Buck. Their store 
is located at No. 207-211 North Water street 
and is fifty feet in breadth by one hundred 
and twenty feet in depth, the building is 
three stories in height and all three floors are 
utilized for the accommodation of their large 
stock of millinery and dry-gods. Between 
forty and fifty clerks are employed which in- 
dicates to some extent the volume of business 
transacted. Every department is complete and 
is now in a thriving condition. The firm 
also has a branch store at Burlington, Iowa, 
which is a general establishment managed by 
John J. Summersby. 

In 1895 Mr. Gushard was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Delia Perkins, of Topeka, Kan- 
sas, and their union has been blessed with 



828 



PAST AND PRESEXT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



three children : Geraldine, Hannah Louise 
and Ruth Elizabeth. The family residence is 
situated on North Dunham street and the 
attractive home is surrounded by a large lawn, 
ornamented with beautiful trees many of 
which being pine, the place is called Pine 
Hurst. This home is celebrated for its 
gracious hospitality which is greatly enjoved 
by the many friends of the family. Mr. (iu.sh- 
ard has a business career which any man 
might be proud to possess. Starting out in 
life empty-handed and brooking no obstacles 
that could be overcome by determination and 
honorable effort he has steadily worked his 
way upward. The difficulties he has encoun- 
tered have seemed to serve as an impetus for 
renewed effort and he has kept apace with tlie 
imiversal progress along business lines, adapt- 
ing himself to meet conditions and making the 
most of every opportunity until he now occu- 
pies a creditable and honorable position in 
trade circles. He stands to-day strong in his 
credit and his good name .and his example is 
one well worthy nf (.•inulation. 



JAMES FREE!\IAN. 
In commercial circles in Decatur James 
Freeman was long an active and prominent 
factor, having established and conducted one 
of the large mercantile enterprises of the city. 
Indolence was utterly foreign to his nature and 
his activity, keen discernment in business af- 
fairs and indefatigable energy enabled him 
lo develop an enterprise of importance to the 
city and which at the same time proved an ex- 
cellent source of revenue for himself and fam- 
ily. 

Mr. F"'reeman was a native of Boston, his 
birth there occurring on the 6th of April, 1836. 
He was a representative of one of the old 
families of New England, his ancestors hav- 
ing emigrated to America in 1632, only twelve 
years after the Pilgrims landed on the shores 
of Massachusetts from the Mavflower. Ben- 



jamin Freeman, the father of our subject, 
was born in New England and during the 
boyhood of his son James brought his family 
to Illinois, settling in Hillsboro, where he en- 
tered land, but as he died a few years later 
the family returned to Boston, w-here our sub- 
ject resided for a number of years. 

It was on the i6th of November, 1865, that 
.Mr. Freeman was joined in wedlock to Miss 
May L. Wilson, of Jacksonville, Illinois, the 
second daughter of Andrew F. and Louisa 
(Wheadon) Wilson. ]\Irs. Freeman was born 
in the city of Jacksonville, her parents having 
settled there in 1838. Subsequently they re- 
moved to Mowcaqua, Illinois, where the 
father died in 1901, in the ninety-first year 
of his age. His political allegiance was given 
lo the Republican party and he never failed to 
cast his ballot for its men and measures. For 
many years he was a member of the Baptist 
church and his life was in consistent harmony 
with his professions. Mrs. Freeman, like her 
husband, comes of good old Revolutionary 
stock, the grandfathers on both sides having 
been patriots in the Continental Army in the 
war for American independence. 

Mr. and Mrs. Freeman began their domes- 
tic life upon a farm near ]\Ioweaqua and there 
he carried on agricultural pursuits until 1879, 
when he retired from that field of labor and 
removed to Decatur, making his home in this 
city until his death. Here he opened a large 
boot and shoe store, the first extensive one 
here, and was thus connected with the mer- 
cantile interests cff the city until his life's 
labors were ended. For a long period he was 
associated in business with his brother, John 
Freeman, but for the last few years was sole 
proprietor of what was one of the leading 
conmiercial institutions of the city. He car- 
ried a large and well selected line of boots and 
shoes and received an extensive patronage, 
which he well merited because of his progress- 
ive business methods, his straightforward 
dealing and his earnest efforts to please his 
customers. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



829 



In early life Mr. Freeman took an active 
part in politics and served for a number of 
terms as supervisor in a manner which re- 
flected credit upon the county and his con- 
stituents. He was also deputy United States 
marshal under his uncle, Watson Freeman, 
and was ever conscientious and prompt in the 
performance of any public duty or the exe- 
cution of any public trust. Of the Decatur 
Club he was a valued and popular member 
and he was past grand director and a member 
of the supreme lodge of the Knights of Honor. 
Pleasant and genial in manner, he was ad- 
mired and respected by all. He appreciated 
friendship and therefore won it, and he was 
quick to recognize the good in others and 
render them his regard because of this. It 
is a well known truth that we see about us 
that which we have in ourselves and this trait 
■of character in Mr. Freeman showed that he 
was the possessor of all the sterling qualities 
which he respected in his fellowmen. 



LAWRENCE R. PROVOST. 

This well known citizen of Decatur town- 
ship is devoting his attention principally to 
the raising of small fruits and has become an 
expert in his line. He was born in New 
Brunswick, New Jersey, on the i6th of No- 
vember. 1835, and comes of a family of French 
Huguenot origin, which was founded in Amer- 
ica by three brothers, one of whom settled in 
New York, another on Staten Island, while 
the third, James H. Provost, located in New 
Jersey. It is to the last branch that our sub- 
ject belongs. His paternal grandfather took 
part in the war of 1812 as a fifer. 

James Provost, the father of our subject, 
was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, 
March 27, 1808, and was reared and educated 
at that place. In early life he learned the 
blacksmith's trade and became an expert car- 
riage maker. He was married at Newark, 
New Jersey, in 1836, to Miss Lavisa A. Baker, 
and for some years they made their home at 



New Brunswick and Rahway, New Jersey, 
but in 1862 removed to Port Royal, North 
Carolina, where they remained until the latter 
part of 1864. While there Mr. Provost was 
the master mechanic for the United States 
quartermaster in charge of the government 
shops. After the war he returned to New 
Jersey, and in 1871 came to Decatur, where 
he continued to make bis home until called to 
his final rest on the 24th of April, 1891, at the 
age of eighty-four years. His wife died May 
10, 1887. They were faithful members of the 
First Presbyterian church and had the respect 
of all who knew them. Unto them were born 
eight children, namely ; P. B. ; Lawrence R. ; 
Abraham P. ; Isaac S. ; Isabella, wife of Fred 
Boyer; Phoebe, deceased wife of \Mlliam Z. 
Brown ; Mary B., deceased wife of Jefferson 
Main ; and James, who died in infancy. 

The educational advantages afforded Law- 
rence R. Provost during his boyhood were 
limited as he was only able to attend school 
for three months during the winter season. 
At an early age he served an apprenticeship 
to the blacksmith's trade at Rahway, New 
Jersey, and received thirty dollars per year 
in compensation for his services. He next 
went south and was engaged in the carriage 
business at Suft'olk, A'irginia, for three years, 
being at that place when Abraham Lincoln 
was elected president. When tlie war broke 
out he came to Illinois and for ten years was 
engaged in farming in Green Valley, Taze- 
well countv. He then removed to Lawrence, 
Kansas, where he followed the same pursuit, 
and thus became identified with the early de- 
velopment of that state but becoming discour- 
aged with the outlook there he returned to 
Illinois in 1867 and has since made his home 
m Decatur township, Macon county, where he 
raises small friuts of different kinds, though 
his specialty is strawberries. He has seven- 
teen acres devoted to the culture of small 
fruits and has become a leader in his line, 
taking pride in producing the best found on 
the market: 



830 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .AIACON COUNTY. 



In 1855 Mr. Provost was united in marriage 
to Miss Caroline M. High, of Rahvvay, New 
Jersey, who died in Kansas at the age of 
thirty-one years. The children born of this 
union are James H., now a resident of Okla- 
homa ; Emma, wife of George Bush, of New- 
ton, Kansas ; Jasper L., of Osage county, 
Kansas; George L., of Burlingame, Kansas; 
William, also a resident of Burlingame ; Mel- 
vin, a resident of Oklahoma; and Mary, wife 
of L. O. Green, of Peabody, Kansas. 

On the 3d of December, 1872, Mr. Provost 
was again married, his second union being 
with Miss Nancy Scroggs, of Goshen, Ind- 
iana, by whom he has two children : Sadie ; 
and Daisy, wife of Harmon Tuttle, of De- 
catur. Mrs. Provost was born in Beaver 
county, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1836, and 
is a daughter of Alexander and Jane (Moore) 
Scroggs, who were also natives of Beaver 
county and were of Scotch and Welsh de- 
scent. The mother died at the early age of 
thirty-two, when Mrs. Provost was only four 
years old. Leaving Pennsylvania, the father 
removed to Goshen, Indiana, where his death 
occurred on the 25th of April, 1877. By trade 
he was a tanner and carriage trimmer and in 
politics was a Republican. For several gen- 
erations the family has been connected with 
the United Presbyterian church and several 
of its members have been ministers of that 
denomination. 

In religious faith Mr. Provost is a Presby- 
terian and in politics is an ardent Republican. 
He has efficiently served as school director and 
does all in his power to promote the moral, 
educational and social interests of his com- 
munity. He is a wide-awake and progressive 
business man and endeavors to accomplish 
whatever he undertakes. 



TRAVIS BROWN. 
Travis Brown is the junior member of tiie 
firm of Brown & Son. who are engaged in the 
monument business in Decatur. He was born 



near Boody in Blue Mound township, Macom 
county, on the 8th of February, 1871, and is a 
son of Nelson F. and Mildred (Pasley) 
Brown. The father, a native of Ohio, was 
born in 1843 ^"d for many years engaged in 
agricultural pursuits in Blue Mound town- 
ship. On the 1st of September, 1896, how- 
ever, having retired from farm work, he joined 
his son, Travis, in the establishment of the 
present firm of Brown & Son. His wife was 
born in Kentucky and the subject of this re- 
view is their only child. He attended the com- 
mon schools in his early life and supplemented 
his preliminary knowledge by study in the 
Baker University of Baldwin, Kansas. He 
also pursued a course of study in Brown's 
Business College and in 1892 he returned to 
the home farm, whereon he resided, assisting 
in its cultivation and further improvement un- 
til 1895, when he became a resident of De- 
catur. Joining his father in the establishment 
of the firm of Brown & Son they purchased 
a part interest in the Decatur Monument Com- 
]5any, with which they were associated imtil 
1S98. wlien they became sole proprietors, buy- 
ing out their partners in that business. They 
make a specialty of Barre granite and Mis- 
souri red stone in their monument work. The 
business methods which they emplov, the 
skilled labor and the product of the workmen 
makes the output of this house of a most 
pleasing character and the patronage is there- 
by constantly increasing. Already the busi- 
ness is large and important, having become 
one of the strong industrial interests of the 
city. There has been nothing sensational in 
the career of either father and son, their 
lives having lieen devoted to business cares, 
and untiring industry, perseverance and good 
business judgment have formed the founda- 
tion upon which they have builded their suc- 
cess. 

On the nth of October, 1894, Travis 
Brown v/as united in marriage to Miss Ida 
M. Wicgand, a daughter of J. H. and Min- 
nie Wiegand, of Boody, Illinois. They are 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



831 



well known young people of this city and the 
hospitality of many of the best homes here 
is extended to them. Mr. Brown is a member 
of Easterly Camp, No. 1626, M. W. A., and 
for two years he has served as a member of 
the board of managers of this camp. He has 
also been recorder of Decatur Circle, No. 49, 
American Home Circle. His success has been 
the result of persistent effort in the line of 
honorable and earnest toil ; his aims have 
always been to attain the best and his life has 
marked a steadv growth. 



DAVID B. BATCHELDER. 

David B. Batchelder, who is a retired far- 
mer of Decatur, was born in Pittsfield, New 
Hampshire, September 5, 1834, a son of Col- 
onel Nathaniel and Abigail (Jenness) Batch- 
elder. The ancestry can be traced back to 
Rev. Stephen Bachilir, who was a leading non- 
conformist and founded the town of New 
Hampton, New Hampshire. As will be seen 
there has occurred a change in the spelling 
of the surname since his day. The grand- 
father of our subject was Elijah David Batch- 
elder, who married a Miss Lane, of English 
lineage. The father of our subject was born 
in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, November 25, 
1791, and became a colonel of militia in the 
old training days. He was married May 10, 
1820, to Abigail Jenness, a daughter of John 
Jenness, and, devoting his life to agricultural 
pursuits, he became a prominent and prosper- 
ous farmer. His death occurred December 3, 
1858. and his wife, who was born in 1792, 
passed away February 5, 1851. The subject 
of this review has a sister, who is the widow 
of J. C. Clough and now resides in Chicago. 

David B. Batchelder acquired his education 
in his native county, attending the schools of 
Pittsfield, New Hampshire. In 1853, when 
about nineteen years of age, he went to Ala- 
bama, where he remained until 1857 ^"^ '™ 
connection with his brother, J. J. Batchelder, 



he engaged in building bridges for the Mem- 
phis & Charleston Railroad Company. The 
\ear 1857 witnessed their arrival in Macon 
county, Illinois, and here the brother re- 
mained, but our subject afterward went to 
California, where he engaged in mining until 
1868. He then returned to Macon county and 
purchased a half section of prairie land in 
mini township, which he broke and improved, 
transforming it from a wild state into fertile 
fields. Subsequently he sold this property 
and bought another half section of improved 
land which he still owns. Thereon he en- 
gaged in general farming and was also an ex- 
tensive stock-raiser, making a specialty of 
polled Angus cattle. He bought and sold con- 
siderable stock and this branch of his business 
returns to him a good income. In 1875 he 
erected a substantial modern barn on his place 
and in 1 88 1 erected a nice house. The farm 
has about eight miles of tiling on it and is 
splendidly improved. The walnut grove is 
noted as one of the finest in the county and 
is very valuable. It is frequently visited by 
people from the east and the farm is regarded 
as one of the best in Illini township. 

Mr. Batchelder has been twice married. He 
first wedded Abbie M. Bailey, a daughter of 
John Bailey of Lawrence, Massachusetts. She 
was born March 27, 1849, ^nd the wedding 
occurred February 7, 1870. She died Febru- 
ary 23; 1898. Five children were born of this 
union: George Grant, born January 19, 1871, 
died of diphtheria, November 25, 1878; Ad- 
die Marilla, born November 2, 1872, died 
August 27, 1873 ; Lizzie Bailey, born July 18, 
1874, died of- diphtheria November 29, 1878; 
Laura Esther, born October 18, 1877, is the 
wife of Oliver Batchelder ; and Wilber Rich- 
ard, born June 6, 1880, is secretary and a 
member of the Field & Shorb Company, of 
Decatur. On the loth of April, 1900, Mr. 
Batchelder was again married, his second 
union being with Gertrude Wardwell, a 
cousin of his first wife. She was born in 
Andover, Massachusetts, December 18, 1855, 



832 



PAST AND TRESENT OF .MACON COUNTY. 



a daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Han- 
nah E. (Wells) Wardwell, who were natives 
of ?klassachusetts and were of English line- 
age. 

Mr. Batchclder continued to engage in 
farming until 1899, when he retired to De- 
catur and is now living at No. 1533 North 
Church- street. He always did his share for 
the u]jhuilding of the county and assisted in 
organizing the public schools and also the 
Congregational church of Illini township. 
He holds membership in a church of that 
denomination in Decatur and is now one of 
its trustees. His wife is a lady of true refine- 
ment and culture, coming of a prominent east- 
ern family and both Mr. and Mrs. Batchelder 
have the warm regard of many friends. 



THOMAS W. TOMLINSON. 
Thomas W. Tomlinson, who is now carry- 
ing on farming on section 5, South Alacon 
township, was born in St. Clair county, Illi- 
nois, November 20, 1847, his parents being 
John B. and Elizabeth (Cotton) Tomlinson, 
who were married in St. Louis, Missouri. The 
father was a native of England and was a 
butcher by trade. Emigrating to America in 
1833, he first located in St. Louis, where he 
worked at his trade r.ntil 1845 'i"^! ^'''^" ■^'^' 
moved to St. Clair county, Illinois, where he 
purchased a farm the following year and 
turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. 
Later he sold his property there and came to 
Macon county, accompanied by his family. 
He bought a farm east of Macon, which was 
then all wild prairie covered with ponds and 
slough, and to its improvement and cultiva- 
tion he devoted his energies until called to his 
final rest on the 31st of December, 1881. In 
early life he was a Whig and later a Repub- 
lican but during Grant's administration he 
became a Democrat, although he was a great 
friend of the General. Of his twelve children 
only six are now living: Mrs. Elizabeth Car- 



roll, Miss Agnes Tomlinson, Thomas \\'., 
Mrs. Rachel Bradley, IMiss Mary Tomlinson 
and Frank, all residents of Macon county 
with the exception of Mrs. Bradley, who 
makes her home in Alabama. 

Thomas ^^^ Tomlinson received his educa- 
tion in a log school house which stood on the 
boundary line between St. Clair and Monroe 
counties, the boys, who sat on one side of the 
room being in Monroe county and the girls 
on the other side in St. Clair county. He re- 
mained under the parental roof until twenty- 
three years of age and in 1874 went to Cali- 
tornia, where he engaged in farming for two 
years. He then returned east to visit the Cen- 
tennial Exposition in Philadelphia and did not 
go back to the Pacific coast for some time but 
came to Macon county, Illinois, where he was 
married May 12, 1878, to Miss Ellen Brad- 
ley, a daughter of William and Mary Bradley. 

After his marriage Mr. Tomlinson went to 
Washington Territory, where he remained 
three years, and at the end of that time re- 
turned to Macon county on account of the ill- 
ness of his father and staid with him until his 
death. A year later our subject removed to 
Nebraska, where he spent three years, and 
from there went to Kansas, but during the 
drouth of 1893 and 1894, he moved back to 
Illinois and then went to Texas, living for two 
years in Houston. He still owns his farm of 
four hundred and eighty acres in Kansas. In 
the fall of 1896 we again find him in Macon 
county, where he bought his present farm of 
ninety acres on section 5. South Macon town- 
ship, and has since engaged in its operation. 
The place is supplied with modern machinery 
and the fences and buildings are in good re- 
pair, in fact everything about the farm pre- 
sents a neat and thrifty appearance. In con- 
nection with general farming Mr. Tomlin- 
son is engaged in dairying to some extent. 
Politically he is identified with the Democratic 
party, and religiously he and his family are 
communicants of the Catholic church. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson were born 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



833 



the following children : jNIary, who was born 
in Walla Walla, \\'ashington, and is now the 
wife of William Riley, a farmer of South 
Macon township ; Rachel, who was born in 
Illinois and is now living with her aunt, Mrs. 
John Bradley, in Huntsville, Alabama ; John 
B., who was born in Illinois and is now nine- 
teen years of age ; Agnes, who was born in 
Nebraska, and is now seventeen ; Ella, who 
was born in Kansas and is fourteen years old ; 
Frank, who was born in Kansas and is eleven 
years of age : and Thomas, who was born in 
Illinois and is seven years old. ^\'ith excep- 
tion of the two oldest all are at home with 
their parents and the family is one of promi- 
nence in the community where thev reside. 



OTTO C. ADAMS. 

Among the younger representatives of the 
legal profession in Macon county none stands 
higher than the gentleman whose name intro- 
duces this review. His prominence is by no 
means measured by his years for he has al- 
ready attained a success that many an older 
practitioner might well envy. 

Mr. Adams was born in Neosho county, 
Kansas, in 1872, and being reared upon his 
father's farm he assisted in the labors of 
field and meadow during his boyhood and 
youth. In 1881 the family went to Piatt coun- 
ty, Illinois, where the father engaged in farm- 
ing for several years and then removed to 
Cerro Gordo, this state, where he and his wife 
now reside. 

Otto C. Adams attended the Central Nor- 
mal School at Danville, Indiana, and later en- 
tered the State University at Champaign, Ill- 
inois, where he took up the study of law and 
was graduated in the class of 1900. He then 
came to Decatur and entered the law office of 
C. C. Le Forgee and by assisting that gentle- 
man in several important cases he gained a 
good practical knowledge of the profession 
which he has chosen as a life work. On his 



admission to the bar he began practice, open- 
ing an office of his own in the Millikin block, 
where he is stili located, and he is already 
doing a good business. . 

Mr. Adams has always taken a very active 
part in politics. He is also a great supporter 
of labor unions, being a member of the Sta- 
tionary Engineers' Union, and he does all 
within his power to promote the interests of the 
laboring classes. He is also a member of the 
Islasonic fraternity and is one of the promi- 
nent young men of Decatur. 



EZRA W. CROW. 

One of the leading business men of Blue 
]vIound is Ezra W'. Crow, a well known grain 
dealer. He has won sticcess by his well di- 
rected, energetic efforts and the prosperity 
that has come to him is certainly well merited. 
He stands high in public esteem and is thor- 
oughly interested in whatever tends to promote 
the moral, intellectual and material welfare 
of the community. 

Mr. Crow claims Ohio as his native state, 
jiis birth having occurred in New London, 
Huron county, on the 19th of November, 1850. 
His parents were John T. and Elizabeth Crow, 
farming people. The family came to Illinois 
in 1857 ^"d in the common schools of Macon 
county our subject acquired a good practical 
education. He early became familiar with 
the duties which fall to the lot of the agri- 
culturist and continued to follow farming until 
1881, when he removed to Blue Mound, where 
he has since made his home. During his resi- 
dence here he has been engaged in the grain 
btisiness and has met with success in this un- 
dertaking. 

On the i8th of February, 1874, Mr. Crow 
was united in marriage to Miss Nancy J. De 
Atley, and to them have been born nine chil- 
dren, of whom two sons are now deceased, 
those living being Myrtle M., Grace, Eva E., 
Charles F., Oliver L., Earl and Roy. Two of 



834 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



the sons are now married, Charles having 
wedded Bell Howard, and Oliver L. married 
Ida Kester. 

Religiously Mr. Crow is a member of the 
Christian church, and politically is identified 
with the Republican party. He takes an ac- 
tive interest in public affairs and for eight 
years efficiently filled the office of tax collector. 
In all the relations of life he has been found 
true to any trust reposed in him and he well 
merits the respect so freely accorded him by 
his fellow citizens. 



JOSEPH T. TUCKER. 

Joseph T. Tucker, who resides on section 
17, mini township, is successfully engaged in 
general farming and stock-raising. He was 
born on the farm where he now makes his 
home, January 25, 1872, a son of J. C. and 
Emma (Ferree) Tucker, of whom extended 
mention is made in the sketch of Cyrus J. 
Tucker on another page of this volume. 

Our subject attended school in Warrens- 
burg and completed the course at the age of 
eighteen years. He began his business career 
as a clerk in the store of G. W. Thompson, 
at that place, where he was employed for fif- 
teen months, and at the end of that time com- 
menced farming on his father's old homestead 
on section 17, Illini township, where he was 
born. He operates three hundred and twenty 
acres, employing one man all the year round 
and others as they are needed. Wheat has 
been his specialty, devoting from forty to 
eighty acres each year to that crop. In con- 
nection with general farming he is engaged 
in the fattening of cattle for market, mostly 
the white faced breed, and he also handles 
about a carload of hogs annually. He has 
previously bought the stock which he has fat- 
tened for market but is now contemplating 
raising his own cattle. 

On the 1 2th of October, 1898, Mr. Tucker 
was united in marriage to Miss Bessie I. 



Batchelder who was born August 16, 1874, 
and is a daughter of J. J. and Mary (Thorn- 
dike) Batchelder. She completed the scien- 
tific course at Knox College and was graduated 
in 1895. •^l'"- ^"^ Mrs. Tucker have a little 
daughter, Ruth E., born February 17, 1901. 
They are active and prominent members of the 
Congregational church of Illini township. • 
Socially he is a member of Dove Lodge, No. 
600, I. O. O. F., in which he is past grand, 
and politically he is identified with the Demo- 
cratic party. Fie has been a delegate to the 
county conventions of his party, has served 
as town clerk two years, and is now serving 
his second term as road commissioner. He is 
a wide-awake, energetic and progressive 
young man and takes a commendable interest 
in public affairs, as every true American citi- 
zen should. 



GEORGE W. BETZER. 

George W. Betzer, whose valuable landed 
interests have come to him as the reward of a 
life of earnest labor and unfaltering perse- 
verance, is now practically living a retired life 
in Decatur, but for many years was a leading 
agriculturist of Macon county. His home is 
now at No. 956 W. Pugh street. He repre- 
sents one of the pioneer families of the coun- 
ty, established here when land was wild, the 
prairies uncultivated and the work of improve- 
ment scarcely begun. That was in 1841 when 
Mr. Betzer was an infant of less than a year. 
The Indians still lived in the neighborhood 
and wild game of many kinds was plentiful. 

Mr. Betzer was born in Ross county, Ohio, 
January 22. 1841, a son of Benjamin and 
Rebecca (Long) Betzer, both of whom were 
natives of the Buckeye state. The paternal 
grandfather, Anthony Betzer, was of Irish 
descent, his father having been born on the 
Emerald Isle. The former followed farming 
and spent his entire life in Pickaway county, 
Ohio. Benjamin Betzer, the father of our 
subject, was born in Pickaway county and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



835 



.after attaining adult age determined to make 
the cultivation of the soil his life work. He 
resided upon a farm in the county of his nativ- 
ity until 1841, when he removed westward, 
Jiis destination being Macon county, Illinois, 
— then a frontier district. Securing a tract of 
land in Whitmore township, he there engaged 
in general farming until his death, which oc- 
curred about 1882, while his wife passed away 
in the same township in 1884. They were the 
parents of nine children, of whom five are yet 
living, as follows : Mary Jane, the wife of 
John Likens, a resident farmer of Oakley 
township, IMacon county ; Anthony, who re- 
sides upon a part of the old homestead in 
Whitmore township ; Henry H., who is liv- 
ing in Missouri ; George W., the subject of 
this sketch ; and William V., whose home is 
in Britten, South Dakota. Those deceased are 
Elizabeth, Maria, Sarah and Peter. 

George W. Betzer had but limited school 
privileges, pursuing studies in Whitmore town- 
ship, in one of the primitive school houses — a 
log structure with a dirt floor, paper windows 
and split log benches. His training at farm 
labor, however, was not meager as he early 
took his place behind the plow and continued 
to assist his father upon the old homestead 
up to the time of his marriage. He first 
wedded Miss Catherine Coleman, also a native 
of Pickaway county, Ohio, and a daughter of 
John Coleman, who from early pioneer days 
in this county until his death, was a farmer 
here. Mr. Betzer lost his first wife July 12, 
1898. They were tl'te parents of four chil- 
dren : Louis E., who married Lena Griffin and 
resides on the old home farm in Whitmore 
township ; Francis Carl, who wedded Lilly 
Crothers and also resides on the home place; 
Alfred J., who is a conductor on a street car 
m St. Louis, Missouri ; and Chester A-, on 
the home farm. For his second wife Mr. Bet- 
zer chose Miss Daisy Kinney, a daughter of 
William and Jennie (Holt) Kinney. Her 
father was a native of North Carolina and 
there spent his early manhood upon a farm. 



but afterward removed to Kansas, where he 
remained until 1895, when he came to Macon 
county, Illinois, settling in Friends Creek 
township. For several years he was there en- 
gaged in farming but now resides in Indiana. 

After his first marriage Mr. Betzer resided 
upon the home farm until the Civil war be- 
gan, when his patriotic spirit was aroused and 
he enlisted in Company A, Forty-first Regi- 
ment of Illinois Volunteers under Captain 
John H. Nail and Colonel Isaac C. Pugh, of 
Decatur. His company took part in the en- 
gagements at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and 
Shiloh, and while in the last named, on the 
6th of April, 1862, Mr. Betzer was wounded 
by a bullet in his right leg and was badly in- 
jured. He lay in bed in Savannah for twenty- 
nine days and was then taken to Cincinnati for 
treatment. Some time later he was sent to 
Camp Denison, Ohio, where he was under the 
doctor's care until he received an honorable 
discharge on the 28th of September, 1862, and 
was then sent home. 

Mr. Betzer then took charge of the old home 
farm which his father had secured and which 
he now owns. There he engaged in general 
farming for over sixty years. For the past 
fifteen years he has traveled quite extensively, 
visiting many points of scenic and of historic 
interest in this country and he intends to visit 
Europe in the near future. In 1901 he decided 
to retire from farm work and removed to 
Decatur, but indolence and idleness are utterly 
foreign to his nature and he could not be con- 
tent to remain entirely without business in- 
terests so he purchased two acres of land near 
his present residence and engages to some ex- 
tent in gardening. His landed possessions are 
extensive and valuable. He still owns the old 
Betzer homestead, of three hundred and sev- 
enty-nine acres on sections 12 and 13, Whit- 
more township ; one hundred and sixty acres 
in Pocahontas county, Iowa, which he rents 
and his nice home in Decatur. 

For twenty years Mr. Betzer was a member 
of the school board in Whitmore township 



83G 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



and was also commissioner there for several 
years. He takes a very active interest in politics 
and lias always voted the Republican ticket, 
while his social relations connect him with the 
Grand Army of the Republic. If his personal 
recollection of people and events in Macon 
county were recorded it would be a picture 
of the county from pioneer times to the pres- 
ent and a history of its development to its 
splendid state of progress from a frontier dis- 
trict, often visited by the Indians. Through 
six decades his was an active and honorable 
business career and his success was most 
worthilv won. 



WALDHMAR F. HIL\'ETY. 

Starting out in life in Illinois as a farm 
hand when but seventeen years of age, Mr. 
Hilvcty has steadily progressed until he is now 
accounted one of the men of affluence of the 
city of Decatur, where at the present time he 
is living retired, the fruits of his former earn- 
est and persistent toil supplying him with all 
the necessities and many of the luxuries of 
life. His home is at No. 1801 N. Edward 
street, and he first came to Macon county in 
1873, although his residence here has not been 
continuous. 

Mr. Hilvety was born in Breslau. Prussia, 
September 7, 1840. and is a son of Felix 
Gabriel Hilvety, who, though of French de- 
scent, was born in Troppan, Austria, on the 
24th of November, 1814. In early life 
the father went to Germany and was married 
in Niebusch, Prussia, November 28, 1837, to 
Sophia Caroline Ernestine .\delheid Beyrich, 
whose birth occurred in Wrietzen. Prussia, 
May 16, 181 7. About 1847 ^^^^ family came 
to America and located in New Jersey, where 
the father, who was a draftsman by occupa- 
tion, spent the greater part of his life, al- 
though he traveled quite extensively in dif- 
ferent cities of the east, working at his pro- 
fession. He is now deceased. A brother of 



our subject, \'ictor F. Hilvety. is now a re- 
tired farmer and a near neighbor of W'alde- 
mar Hilvety. He came to Macon county in 
1872 and was married to Miss Frances M. 
McKinnie, a cousin of his brother's wife. At 
the time of the Civil war Victor Hilvety loy- 
allv served the country as a Union soldier. 
Throughout his residence in Macon county 
he has followed farming until the last few 
years when, removing to Decatur, he put aside 
business cares and responsibilities and is now 
living retired. 

In the schools of his native state Waldemar 
Hilvety pursued his studies but his educational 
privileges were somewhat limited as it was 
necessary that he begin to earn his own living 
at an early age. He was only seventeen years 
of age when he came to Illinois, arriving in 
November, 1857. Making his way to Spring- 
field he secured a position as a farm laborer 
near that city, and in the summer months 
worked in the fields while in the winter sea- 
sons he attended the public schools, desirous 
of gaining more advanced knowledge. He 
there remained for two years and then began 
farming on his own account, renting a tract 
of land in Springfield township, Sangamon 
county, on which he continued to live during 
his stay in that county. 

Mr. Hilvety was married there February 
27,. 1865 to Miss Mary McKinnie, a native of 
that county, born November 27, 1841, and a 
daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Jones) Mc- 
Kinnie, who were native of Kentucky and Vir- 
ginia, respectively. Her father was an early 
settler of Sangamon county and engaged in 
farming in Springfield township until his 
death. Mr. and Mrs. Hilvety began their 
domestic life upon the rented farm and there 
continued to reside until 1873, when they re- 
moved to Macon county, settling on a farm 
on section 2, Whitmore township, where Mr. 
Hilvety carried on agricultural pursuits for 
nineteen years. He placed his field under a 
high state of cultivation and annually har- 
vested good crops as the result of his labors. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



837 



Removing to Piatt county, he purchased a 
tract of land in Cerro Gordo township and 
was there engaged in general farming for ten 
years. On the expiration of that period he 
came to Decatur and purchased his present 
residence, which he and his wife have since 
occupied, enjoying a well earned rest. 

Mr. Hilvety has always taken a deep and 
commendable interest in politics — as every 
true American citizen should do — and has 
kept well informed on the questions of the 
day. He is a stanch Republican and in early 
life knew Abraham Lincoln and was a Sun- 
day school classmate of Robert Lincoln, in 
the Second Presbyterian church of Spring- 
field. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hilvety hold mem- 
bership in the First Presbyterian church of 
Decatur and are deeply interested in the prog- 
ress and upbuilding of the organization. In his 
business undertakings Mr. Hilvety has pros- 
pered. When a young man he realized that 
there is no royal road to wealth and that the 
acquisition of a competence is always the result 
of some one's labor. In his case the labor has 
been his own, and his energy, determination 
and honorable dealing have been salient fea- 
tures in his prosperity. 



CHARLES H. DEETZ. 
Charles H. Deetz is a well known con- 
tractor of Decatur and evidences of his handi- 
work are seen in some of the fine buildings 
of this city. He was born in Cumberland, 
Maryland, on the 26th of July, 1849, and 
comes of one of the old families of Pennsyl- 
vania, his paternal grandfather, Thomas 
Deetz. having been a native of Chambersburg, 
that state. He had six children : Margaret, 
who is the wife of Robert Laney ; Samuel ; 
Catherine, who is the wife of James McCol- 
loch ; Mary, the wife of John W. Morris ; 
John, who was a soldier in the Mexican war 
and died from the effects of his wounds in 
1862; and Belle, the wife of William Peck. 



All are now deceased. Samuel Deetz, the 
father of our subject, was born in Maryland 
and there spent his entire life engaged in busi- 
ness as a contractor and builder. He erected 
many of the best buildings in the city of 
Cumberland and continued in active connection 
with that work there until the time of his 
death, which occurred when he was fifty-six 
years of age. In early manhood he had 
wedded Rachel Beltz, also a native of Mary- 
land and a daughter of Adam Beltz, who 
spent his early life in Bedford county, Penn- 
sylvania, in a locality known as Harmon's 
Bottoms. He afterward removed to North 
Carolina, where he lived the life of a planter 
and later he became a resident of Maryland. 
It was in the last named state that his daugh- 
ter Rachel was reared and married. 

In a private school Charles H. Deetz began 
his education and advanced to academic worky 
pursuing his studies in an academy until he 
attained the age of sixteen years, when he 
started out upon his business career. He be- 
gan to learn the mason's trade with his father 
and with him continued until 1880, during 
which time he mastered the business, becoming 
an expert workman. He assisted in the erec- 
tion of some of the largest and best buildings 
in his native town. The father died in 1880 
and in that year Charles H. Deetz received an 
appointment as a clerk in the postoffice in 
Cumberland, where he remained until May, 
1883, when he severed the business connections 
that bound him to his native city and sought a 
home in Decatur, believing that he might have 
better opportunities in the west. He worked 
at his trade in this city for two years, being 
employed first as a brick-layer and then he 
began contracting and building on his own 
account in 1885. Since that time many im- 
portant contracts have been awarded him and 
he has erected many fine and substantial build- 
ings in Decatur, including the Pugh street 
school building, the north addition to the high 
school building, the F. B. Tait building, the 
Deck building and many of the best residences 



838 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



here. lie has a thorough and comprehensive 
understanding of the builder's art and the 
mechanical principles which underlie construc- 
tion and his practical knowledge enables him 
to direct in a capable manner the efforts of 
those whom he employs. His business has 
now reached such extensive proportions that 
it is very profitable and Mr. Deetz is recog- 
nized as one of the leaders in this line of 
activity in the city. 

In February, 1870, was celebrated the mar- 
riage of Charles H. Deetz and Miss Maggie 
Yanlz, of Cumberland, Maryland. Their 
happy married life was of short duration for 
she died in 1874, leaving two children, Chaun- 
cey H. and Edward E. For his second wife 
Mr. Deetz chose Miss Mary E. Turner, a 
daughter of .Thomas and Margaret (Faro) 
Turner, of Cumberland, Maryland. Their 
children are Samuel F., Ruth, Irene M., Ber- 
tha I. and Guy W. 

Mr. Deetz votes with the Republican party, 
with which he has long been identified, having 
firm faith in its principles and in their ulti- 
mate adoption for the good of the country. 
He is a member of Decatur Post, of the Fra- 
ternal Army and is a man of generous im- 
pulses, whose kindly spirit, beneficences and 
genial disposition have gained for him the 
respect, confidence, good will and warm friend- 
ship of many. He has been in the fullest sense 
the architect of his own fortunes and that he 
stands to-day among the prosperous citizens of 
Decatur is another proof of the saying that 
success is not a matter of genius, but the out- 
come of clear judgment and experience. 



CHARLES C. LeFORGEE. 

One of the prominent attorneys of Decatur 
is Charles C. LeForgee, whose history is in 
contradistinction to the old adage that a 
proi)het is never without honor save in his 
own country, for in the city of his birth Mr. 
LeForgee has so directed his energies as to 



gain recognition as a capable representative 
of his chosen calling. He was born in De- 
catur in 1867, his parents being Jesse and 
Julia A. E. LeForgee. The father, who is a 
prominent real estate dealer of this city, was 
born in Fleming county, Kentucky, on the ist 
of January, 1833, and is a son of Ayers and 
Dorinda (Cassidy) LeForgee, who were like- 
wise natives of the Blue Grass state. The 
grandfather was a cabinet-maker by trade and 
died m the eighty-fourth year of his age. The 
great-grandfather of our subject was Abner 
LeForgee. Jesse LeForgee accompanied his 
parents on their removal from Fleming county 
to Illinois. Prior to this time he had acquired 
his education in a private school in Kentucky. 
Since 1856 he has resided continuously in this 
city and has been prominently and actively 
identified with its improvement and upbuild- 
ing, watching its growth from pioneer times 
down to the present. It is one of the best 
sections of the state and is noted for its varied 
and important industrial interests. In 1857 
he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Small- 
wood, who was born, reared and educated in 
tliis city, a daughter of James M. and Ida 
Smallwood. Mr. and Mrs. LeForgee became 
the parents of two children. The daughter, 
Dorinda, is now the wife of John E. Patterson, 
a real-estate dealer of Decatur. 

The only son is Charles C. LeForgee, who, 
having obtained his education in the public 
schools of Decatur, entered his father's office 
at the age of sixteen years and was thus initi- 
ated into the real estate business. He con- 
tinued with liis father until almost twenty-one 
years of age, at which time he took up the 
study of law in the office and under the direc- 
tion of Judge William E. Nelson. Later he 
entered the Northwestern University at Evan.s- 
ton, Illinois, and was graduated on the com- 
pletion of the law course in 1889. Returning 
to his native city, he then opened an office here 
and lias since continued in practice in Decatur. 
Professional advancement is proverbially slow 
and yet in a comparatively short time Mr. ■ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



83!^ 



LeForgee obtained a practice which was 
notable both by reason of its extent and its 
character. He has been retained either as 
counsel for the defense or for the prosecution 
in a number of important cases, both civil and 
criminal, and is to-day recognized as one of 
the best trial lawyers in central Illinois. He 
masters his points in every particular and 
marshals the facts with military precision, 
being strong in argument, logical in his deduc- 
tions and clear in the presentation of his cases 
before judge or jury. It was in 1890 that he 
was admitted to the Decatur bar and in No- 
vember, 1895, was admitted to practice before 
the supreme court at Springfield. 

Mr. LeForgee was united in marriage to 
Miss Isabel Vennigerholz, a daughter of Julius 
H. and Isabel Vennigerholz. They now have 
two interesting children : Isabel Vallette and 
Charles G. In the city where his entire life 
has been passed Mr. LeForgee is well known 
and has gained for himself an enviable place 
at the bar. He possesses laudable ambition and 
strong determination to win success and he 
realizes that it must be gained through capa- 
bility and merit, for in no profession does 
advancement depend so largely upon the indi- 
vidual as in the law. 



A. S. NESBITT, D. V. S. 
Dr. A. S. Nesbitt has won success and 
prominence as a veterinary surgeon and is now 
practicing his profession in the city of Decatur. 
He was bom in Texas township, Macon 
county, Illinois, on the 24th of June, 1867, 
and is a son of W. W. and Malissa (Moore) 
Nesbitt. The father is a native of Ohio and 
in early life came to Macon county. The fam- 
ily is of German lineage. In the first part of 
his business career the father carried on car- 
pentering. At the time of the Civil war he 
responded to the country's call for aid, enlist- 
ing in the Union army as a member of the 
One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Volunteer 



Regiment. He is now living in Maroa, this 
county. 

Dr. Nesbitt pursued his literary education in 
the public schools and afterward entered upon 
the practice of veterinary surgery, having ac- 
quired considerable knowledge of the business, 
although he had not at that time been a student 
in any veterinary college. When two years 
had passed, desiring to still further perfect 
himself in this work by promoting his effi- 
ciency through a collegiate course, he entered 
the Chicago Veterinary College in the fall of 
1892 and was graduated with the class of 1894. 
He has always been an admirer of horses, 
having great love for the noble steed and it 
seems that nature intended that he should en- 
gage in this line of work, in which he has 
been very successful. Having completed all 
of the work that constitutes the curriculum as 
prescribed by the board of trustees of that 
school he passed an examination, graduating 
with honors. He then entered upon a coun- 
trv practice in Maroa and his work there 
proved very lucrative and successful. After 
three years he accepted a position as assistant 
to the chair of theory and practice in Chicago 
Veterinary College in 1898, his excellent quali- 
fications enabling him to take this position. At 
the end of twelve months, however, he re- 
signed and resumed his country practice, which 
steadily grew in volume and importance, show- 
ing that his ability was recognized by the gen- 
eral public. He has still further perfected 
himself in the work by pursuing two courses 
in the science and art of orchotomy of crypt- 
orchids, pursuing one course in Minneapolis 
in 1893, after which he was given a diploma 
there. The first course was pursued at Saylor 
Springs, Illinois, in the practical demonstration 
of rigling castration and spaying, under the 
direction of Dr. F. M. Smith. In 1902 Dr. 
Nesbitt came to Decatur, locating in this city 
in the month of October and he now has a 
large professional business. He is a man of 
excellent judgment and very skillful in his 
practice. In 1887 the Doctor was united in 



840 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



marriage to Miss Henrietta Butler, of Bonnie- 
ville. Kentucky. Three children have been 
born of this union : Pansy E., Rose A. and 
Daisy I. The Doctor is a member of ]\Iaroa 
Lodge, No. 314, I. O. O. F., and in the line 
of his profession he is connected with the Chi- 
cago Veterinary College and Association and 
was formerly a member of the Chicago \'eteri- 
narv Medical Association. 



DR. CHARLES JONES. 

Dr. Charles Jones, a well known veterinary 
surgeon and breeder of fine horses, making 
his home in Macon, Illinois, was born on the 
I2tli of July, 1852, in Mu.scatine county, Iowa, 
between Atalissa and West Liberty. His 
parents were Peter and Martha (Allen) Jones, 
natives of North Carolina and Ohio, respec- 
tively. He received a good common school 
education in this state and passed the state 
board examination on the 30th of December, 
1892, (|ualifying him to practice veterinary sur- 
gery, to which profession be now devotes the 
greater part of his time and attention. 

Dr. Jones began his business career as a 
farmer upon his father's land and continued 
to engage in agricultural ]nirsuits from 1876 
until 18S9, when he established himself in the 
practice of his profession at Macon, being the 
oldest veterinary in continuous service in that 
village. His practice now extends from Nian- 
tic through the surrounding counties, north, 
east, south and west. The Doctor is also in- 
terested in breeding horses, the first stallion 
that be owned being Henry Pickrell, No. 41(15, 
which lie purchased in T882. He is now a 
member of the well known firm of Jones & 
Payne, breeders of roadster and draft horses, 
owning several fine .stallions, including Bashaw 
Chief so, Joe Scot, Belford Chief, Lepento, 
and King Jones. The firm also raises thor- 
oughbred Partridge Cochin chickens and have 
both chickens and eggs for sale. 

At Tavlorville, Christian countv, Illinois. Dr. 



Jones was united in marriage to Miss Arella 
Hall, a daughter of John A. Hall, who was 
one of the early settlers of that county. Four 
children blessed this union, but two died in 
infancy. Those still living are Delia, now the 
wife of W. A. Owen, of Decatur, by whom she 
has two children ; and Mrs. Otis Daniels, of 
Macon. .She also has two children. 

In his political affiliations Dr. Jones is a 
stalwart Democrat, and socially he is a mem- 
ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
He also belongs to the State Veterinary Asso- 
ciation and is a progressive member of the 
pn^fession to which he belongs. As a business 
man he is reliable, energetic and successful and 
lie stands high in the esteem of his fellow 
citizens. 



WILLIAM A. WALLACE. 

William A. Wallace, of Decatur township, 
is to-day one of the most successful dealers 
in fine horses in this section of the state. Suc- 
cess is determined by one's ability to recognize 
opportunity and to pursue this with a resolute 
and unflagging energy. It results from con- 
tinued labor, and the man who thus accom- 
])li.shes his purpose usually becomes an im- 
portant factor in the business circles of the 
community with which he is connected. 
Through such means Mr. Wallace has at- 
tained a prominent place among the representa- 
tive men of Macon county. 

He was born in Mount Zion township, this 
county, on the 2d of October. 1868, and is a 
son of A. J. and Mary E. (Gulick) Wallace. 
The family came to this state from Missouri 
and the father is now engaged in the station- 
ery business in Decatur. The mother of our 
subject died when he was only four years and 
a half old, leaving two children, the other 
being ^Mctoria, now the wife of Dr. Hemala. 
of Onarga. Illinois. 

During his boyhood and youth William A. 
Wallace attended the public schools of this 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



841 



county and early became interested in choice 
stock, which he handled on his father's farm 
east of the city of Decatur. At the age of 
twenty years he had developed a special pref- 
erence for fine horses and in 1888 began rais- 
ing the same. In 1891 he removed to his pres- 
ent location north of the city. He is now en- 
gaged in buying trotting horses of the coach 
type and training and educating them for the 
high class trade. These he has furnished to 
such people as Mrs. Potter Palmer, of Chi- 
cago ; Harold and Stanley McCormick ; Wat- 
son Blair ; P. A. \'alentine ; Ogden Armour ; 
Edwin D. Butler; Russell Harding, of the 
Iron Mountain Railway ; Messrs. Brown, of 
the Brown Shoe Company ; and many leading 
horse fanciers of St. Louis. Mr. Wallace has 
trained and sold more high grade horses than 
any similar dealer in central Illinois beyond 
doubt. He attends personally to all buying 
and gives the business the careful supervision 
that it requires. He has been an expert judge 
at the State Fair on light horses. 

On tl-.e 22d of October, 1889, Mr. Wallace 
was united in marriage to Miss Lilly Klett, a 
daughter of John Klett, of Decatur, and to 
them has been born one child, William J. As 
a business man Mr. Wallace stands deservedly 
high and is very popular among his associates 
and many friends throughout his native 
countv. 



DAVID HENSHIE. 
Although not an old resident of Macon 
county. David Henshie was well known in 
Decatur, where he made his home for ten 
years prior to his death. He was, however, 
an early settler of Christian county, having 
located there in 1855. His early home was in 
Ohio, for he was born in Medina county, that 
state, on the nth of September, 1826, his 
parents being Henry and Mary (Brouse) 
Henshie. In early life the father engaged 
in teaching school and later turned his atten- 
tion to farming, which occupation he con- 



tinued to follow in Ohio throughout the re- 
mainder of his life. After his death his widow 
came west and settled in Blue Mound town- 
ship, Macon county, where some of her chil- 
dren arc still living. Here slie made her home 
until called to her final rest. 

Reared in his native state, David Henshie 
received a good common-school education, at- 
tending at first and when quite young the 
schools taught by his father in Stark county, 
and subsequently the public schools, and after 
laying aside his textbooks he opened a wagon 
shop of his own, which he conducted for ten 
years. In 1875 'i^ was married to Mrs. Martha 
(Brodess) Thompson. 

Coming west in 1855, Mr. Henshie located 
near Grove City in Mount Auburn township. 
Christian county, Illinois, where he purchased 
a farm and to its cultivation and improvement 
he devoted his energies for thirty-seven years. 
He erected thereon a good house and made 
many other improvements, but finally sold the 
place in 1892 and purchased a farm of two 
hundred and fifteen acres near Morrisonville, 
that same county. He never lived on the lat- 
ter place, however, but on selling his first farm 
in 1892 removed to Decatur, where he pur- 
chased a lot and built the nice residence now 
occupied by his widow at No. 1104 North Col- 
lege street. Throughout the remainder of his 
life he lived retired. On coming to this state 
he was in limited circumstances, but his tire- 
less energy, industry and perseverance brought 
to him a well merited success and he was able 
to leave his wife in comfortable circumstances. 
Besides the city home the estate comprises 
the farm of two hundred and fifteen acres 
near Morrisonville and another farm of eighty 
acres near Stonington in Christian county. 

Politically Mr. Henshie was unswerving in 
his allegiance to the Democratic party and its 
principles, but he was never a politician in the 
sense of office seeking, although he held sev- 
eral township offices in Christian county and 
his public duties were always faithfully and 
satisfactorily performed. Fraternally he was 



842 



PAST AND. PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



a member of the Odd Fellows' Lodge at Mount 
Auburn, and .at one time was also connected 
with the Masonic order. Both he and his wife 
held membership in the First Methodist Epis- 
copal church of Decatur. He always took 
great interest in church work, as does also his 
wife, and at his death, which occurred October 
12, 1902, the community realized that it had 
tost a valued and useful citizen. He left many 
friends to mourn his loss and he was held in 
the highest regard by all who knew him. 



WILLlAiM JOHNSTON. 

William Johnston, who is now living a re- 
tired life in Macon, Illinois, has the distinc- 
tion of having won the proud American title 
of a self-made man and his successful struggle 
with adverse circumstances in early life shows 
what can be accomplished b\- industrv, econ- 
omy and good management. He was born in 
Ireland on the 28th of January, 1841, but the 
same year was brought to America bv his 
parents, John and Mary (Dukey) Johnston, 
who settled in Cosliocton county, Ohio. For 
five years the father was engaged in operating 
a rented farm and then bought twenty acres 
of land, which he began to clear and improve, 
but shortly alter locating thereon he burst a 
blood vessel in lifting and died from the effects 
of the same in 1847. His wife survived him 
for many years, dying in 1863. Unto this 
worthy couple were born six children, but only 
three of the number are now living, namely : 
John, a retired farmer living in Assumption, 
Illinois ; William, of this review ; and Mar- 
garet, wife of George Oxley, a farmer of 
Coshocton county, Ohio. 

His father having died during his boyhood, 
William Johnston was early called upon to as- 
sist his mother in the support of the family 
and for fifteen years he worked as a farm hand. 
He then commenced farming on his, own ac- 
count and continued to follow that pursuit 
throughout the greater part of his active busi- 



ness life. Before leaving Ohio, he was mar- 
ried in Licking county, that state, October 28,. 
1868, to Miss Carrie A. Connard, a daughter 
of C. M. Connard, of Utica, Ohio, and to them 
were born three children : Mary E., the wife 
of Ira S. Keogy, a retired farmer living in 
Decatur ; Phoebe L., wife of E. O. Willoughby^ 
a farmer of South Macon township ; and 
Allie, wife of O. N. Walker, a grain dealer 
of Assumption, Illinois. 

Coming to Illinois in 1872 Mr. Johnston 
located near Macon in Macon county, where 
he operated rented farms for ten years and 
then bought eighty acres a half mile northwest 
of Macon.' There was not a tree or a bush 
upon the place, it being prairie land, and the 
only improvement was a small house, which 
he remodeled. He planted trees, which are 
now very large and furnish a fine shade around 
his country home. He also set out an orchard, 
did a large amovmt of tiling and placed his 
land under a high state of cultivation. For 
fourteen years he continued to engage in the 
cultivation of his land and then removed to 
Macon, where he carried on business as an 
implement dealer for six years, selling out on 
the 1st of January, 1903, to W. H. Brooks & 
Son. He now lives a retired life, enjoying a 
well earned rest and the competence which 
he has secured through his own well directed 
efforts. Four years ago he purchased a small 
house in Macon, but has recently erected a 
modern and commodious residence, which is 
surrounded by a fine large lawn and shade 
trees. 

Politically Mr. Johnston is a strong Republi- 
can and he has been called upon to serve his 
fellow citizens as commissioner of highways 
in Macon for nine years ; school director in the 
country for eighteen years : and pathmaster 
twelve years. Fraternally he is a meinber of 
Macon Lodge, No. 467, F. & A. M. He is an 
exceedingly strong and healthy man for one 
of his age and up to within two years ago he 
was never ill for a day in his life. He is a 
self-educated as well as a self-made man, hav- 



PAST' AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



biS 



ing paid his way while attending the common 
schools of Coshocton county, Ohio, by grinding 
tanbark. Throughout life he has labored 
early and late to make for himself and family 
a home and he deserves great credit for the 
success he has achieved. 



FRED SPITTLER. 

Fred Spittler, who is a successful gardener, 
conducting a large and constantly growing 
business in Decatur, was born in Baden, Ger- 
many, in 1873, and is a son of Frederick and 
Catherine Spittler, both of whom were natives 
of the fatherland. In the year 1888 they left 
that country and with their children came to 
the new world, arriving in Decatur on the 2d 
of May of that }ear. The father was a farmer 
by occupation and followed that calling 
throughout his business career. He died in 
1891 at the age of fifty-four years and his 
widow still survives him. They were the 
parents of five children, of whom two are liv- 
ing, the sister of our subject being Carrie, the 
wife of John Madden, who is living in Mis- 
souri. 

The subject of this review was a lad of 
fifteen years at the time of the emigration and 
in order to provide for his own support he 
entered the employ of Theodore Steiner, a 
gardener, with whom he remained for five 
years, gaining an excellent knowledge of the 
business both in principle and detail. His 
practical work enabled him to conduct his own 
business successfully when in 1894 he started 
out on his own account at his present location 
at No. 538 South Peake street. Here he has 
fine gardens with adjoining hot houses, there 
being fourteen thousand square feet under 
glass. He has recently enlarged his plant in 
order to meet the growing demands of his 
trade and has introduced a hot water system. 
He raises from four to five crops in his hot 
houses between October and May and in the 
summer seasons produces excellent products 



in his gardens, their quality, size and flavor en- 
abling him to find a ready sale on the market. 
He is indeed the leader in his line and has 
attained recognition as such throughout this 
part of the state. He makes a study of the 
soil and its adaptation to the needs of various 
plants and he is always enriching and pre- 
paring the soil by the judicious use of elements 
necessary for the production of various veg- 
etables and plants. He buys supplies in New 
York and Chicago and by reason of this he 
is able to raise the largest amount, possible 
from a given amount of soil. He is thoroughly 
qualified for his work, continually broadening 
his knowledge concerning his chosen pursuits 
and his opinions are regarded as authority in 
this section of the state concerning everything 
connected with gardening. Recently he has 
purchased a fine farm in Decatur township, 
comprising eighty-two acres, and has placed 
this under a very high state of cultivation for 
the production of choice fruits. 

Mr. Spittler is very enterprising and with 
quick recognition of the business possibilities 
of the new world he has steadily worked his 
waj' upward until he is now one of the leading 
German-American citizens of Macon county, 
who in his undertakings has prospered and 
who by his diligence, enterprise and honorable 
efforts, has won for himself a creditable posi- 
tion in the business world. He is a member 
of the German Aid Society and also of the 
Turin Society. 



WILLIAIM B. NEWELL. 
William B. Newell, who is now living a re- 
tired life in Decatur, was born in Fulton 
county, Ohio, near the city of Cincinnati, on 
the 14th of August, 1843. His paternal grand- 
father was Richard Newell, a soldier of the 
Mexican war. His parents were Richard A. 
and Jane (Wilson) Newell, the former a na- 
tive of Ohio, born in 1800, while the latter's 
birth occurred in the Buckeye state in 1805. 



844 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



For some years after their marriage they con- 
tinued to reside in Ohio and in 1856 they 
started westward, estabhshing their home in 
Decatur, llhnois. Here the father resided 
until his death, which occurred in 1897. For 
several years he had filled the office of super- 
visor and was also the superintendent of the 
poor farm. His official duties were discharged 
with conscientious fidelity and promptness and 
he made for himself a creditable record as a 
man worthy of trust and confidence. Both he 
and his wife were devoted members of the 
Presbyterian church and lived in harmony 
with their professions as followers of that de- 
nomination. Of their family of nine children 
five reached years of maturity, namely : Wil- 
liam B. ; Catherine, who is the wife of William 
Hatch, of Dallas, Te.xas ; John L. ; James, who 
is now a resident of Mount Vernon, Illinois; 
and Richard .'\., who is living in Clinton, this 
state. 

William B. Newell was a youth of thirtec-n 
years wlu-n he left the state of his nativity 
and came with his parents to Illinois. He 
continued his studies in the .schools of De- 
catur, completed his course in the high school 
and when he put aside his textbooks to learn 
the more difficult lessons in the school of ex- 
perience he received his first instruction as a 
salesman in a grocery store. He was thus em- 
ployed for several years, after which he learned 
telegraphy and was then in the service of the 
Wabash & Great Western Railroad for a 
period of seventeen years, occupying various 
positions at Decatur and at Danvilk', Illinois. 
Mr. Newell next entered the employ of Or- 
lando Powers, a boot and shoe merchant of 
Decatur, with whom he remained for two 
vears. when he became manager of the office of 
the Western Union Telegraph Company in this 
city. He acted in that capacity for thirteen 
years, giving entire satisfaction to the large 
corporation which he represented, but on the 
expiration of that period he determined to once 
more engage in trade on his own account and 
embarked in the grocery business under the 



firm style of Newell Brothers. He was thus 
in partnership for four years, after which he 
sold out and has since lived retired. 

In 1867 Mr. Newell was united in marriage 
to Aliss ]\Iary McDaniel, a resident of Decatur 
and a daughter of Elizabeth McDaniel, who 
IS residing in Macon, Missouri. Their home 
has been blessed with five children : Clarence, 
who is now living in St. Louis, ^ilissouri ; 
1 loward, at Decatur ; Arthur, who is engaged 
in the grocery business in this city; Paul, of 
Lancaster, Ohio ; and Florence, who is a stu- 
dent in the Decatur high school. The family 
home is on West Wood street. Mr. Newell 
is a member of the First Baptist church and 
his mterest has been in entire sympath}- with 
church work and with the development of the 
cit\ along lines proving of good to the general 
j)ublic. His business career is without a stain 
and at all times he has been faithful to the 
trust reposed in him, while he has also gained 
the competence that now enables him to live 
retired. 



JAMES T. WARD. 

This genial and affable gentleman is well 
known throughout Illinois and has a particu- 
larly large acquaintance in Chicago and in St. 
Louis, gained through the conduct of his busi- 
ness interests. He is an auctioneer of live 
slock and is certainly one of the best known 
men in this line of business in the central 
Mississippi valley. 

Mr. Ward was born in Christian county, 
Illinois, March 31, 1858, his parents being 
Robert and Nancy (Abernathy) Ward, both 
of whom were natives of Ohio, the father's 
birth having occurred in Ross county, while 
the mother's birth occurred in Champaign 
couiUy. In the year 1847 they left the Buckeye 
state and removed to Christian county. Illi- 
nois, where the father had a tract of land and 
engaged in general farming and stock-raising. 
He was identified with agricultural interests 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



845 



there until 1876, when he came to Macon 
county, where he has since continued to make 
his home. 

The boyhood days of James Ward were 
spent upon the home farm and in his early 
youth he attended the district schools, while 
later he studied at Blue Mound. He began 
earning his own living by serving as a clerk in 
a store at Blue Mound, being there employed 
for five years. He has always, however, been 
fond of live stock and at the end of that time 
he began buying and selling horses, continu- 
ing his dealing in this way for five years. In 
1888 he entered upon his work as an auctioneer 
and his capability in this direction soon led to 
demands for his services in all parts of the 
state. He has confined his attention exclu- 
sively to stock sales and more especially to the 
sale of horses. He spends a part of his time 
in St, Louis, Missouri, where he is employed 
by the firm of Campbell & Reed, extensive 
dealers in horses, carrying on a business that 
perhaps exceeds any other firm in the central 
states. In that city Mr. Ward has made a 
wonderful record, having sold as high as seven 
hundred and thirty-eight horses in a single 
day — an amount of business exceeding that 
of any other auctioneer. He has also con- 
ducted many of the large sales in Chicago and 
in the line of his business has been called as 
far east as Buffalo, New York. Constant de- 
niatids are made upon his time so that he has 
very little leisure, indeed. As an auctioneer 
he sustains a wide reputation and in this line 
of activity has gained a very comfortable com- 
petence. 

On the 15th of October, 1885, Mr. Ward 
was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Riggs, 
of Mason City, Illinois, a daughter of James 
H. Riggs. They now have one son, Robert 
Lyie Ward. The family home is a neat and 
substantial residence at No. 747 West Prairie 
avenue. Decatur. Mr. \Vard is a member of 
the Woodmen of America, is a gentleman of 
fine i)h}'sique and sjilendid personal appear- 
Tince, and verv cordial and afifable in manner. 



CHARLES LUDWTG. 

Although Charles Ludwig resided in De- 
catur or Macon county but one year he became 
well knov.n to the business men of the city 
and was held in the highest esteem by all. 
He was a native of Illinois, born near Spring- 
field, Sangamon county, on the 6th of Febru- 
ary, 1862, and was a son of John and Eliza- 
beth Ludwig. Throughout life his father has 
engaged in agricultural pursuits and is now 
operating a farm near Roodhouse, this state. 

There our subject was reared and educated 
in much the usual manner of farmer boys, at- 
tending the country schools near Roodhouse. 
On the completion of his education he as- 
sisted his father on the home farm until he 
was married, Decem.ber 27, 1893, ^o Miss Fan- 
nie E. Matthews, who was also born in Sanga- 
mon county, a daughter of William Oliver 
and Mary E. (Lamb) Matthews. Her father 
followed farming in Sangamon county until 
1897, when he removed to Decatur and has 
since lived retired, although he still owns his 
farm in Sangamon county. His present home 
is near his daughter on West Green street. 
Unto our subject and his wife were born three 
children, namely: Opal M., who died at the 
age of three months ; Leland Earl and Lela 
Mearl, twins, residing with their mother. 

After his marriage Mr. Ludwig located on a 
farm near Roodhouse, Illinois, where he was 
engaged in general farming for four years, and 
on selling his place in November, 1898, re- 
moved to Decatur, where he engaged in team- 
ing for one year. In August, 1899, he re- 
moved to Sangamon county, locating on a 
farm eleven miles southeast of Springfield, and 
to the cultivation of that place he devoted his 
time and energies until called to his final rest 
on the 2d of November, 1901. He was a 
very industrious, energetic and enterprising 
farmer and met with good success in his under- 
takings. As he was upright and honorable in 
all his dealings with his fellow men he had 
their entire confidence and respect and was 
held in high regard bv all who knew him. 



846 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Fraternally Mr. Liidwig was a member of 
the Modern Woodmen in Sangamon county, 
and religiously was connected with the Baptist 
church of Roodhousc, to which his estimable 
wife also belonged. After her husband's death 
she returned to Decatur and purchased her 
present comfortable home at 1171 West Green 
street. She also owns another residence at 
No. 1034 West Green street and has other 
property. During her short residence here 
she has made many warm friends and is well 
liked by all who have the pleasure of her 
acquaintance. 



WILLIAM T. DOWNING. 

Among the important industries of Macon 
county stock-raising occupies a prominent 
place and it is to this occupation that William 
T. Downing now devotes his energies, being 
the proprietor of the Evergreen Stock Farm. 
Flis beautiful suburban home is located just 
outside the northern limits of Decatur and has 
all the improvements and conveniences of the 
average city residence. 

Mr. Downing was born in Circleville, Ohio, 
August 17, 1854, a son of Thomas and Mar- 
garet A. (Dawson) Downing. The father, 
who was a contractor, spent his early life in 
Ohio, but about thirty-five years ago came to 
Macon count>', Illinois, where he passed his 
remaining years, dying here in 1891, at the 
age of seventy-six. His wife did not long sur- 
vive him. The Downings were originally from 
Delaware. 

Our subject received a good practical edu- 
cation in the public schools and early mani- 
fested an interest in stock-raising. He began 
the business on his own account at the age of 
twenty-six years, though he had previously 
carried on operations along that line in con- 
nection with his father. He now makes a 
specialty of the most popular standard bred 
horses and has been very successful with his 
racers, these being his pride for the past 
twenty-five years. He buys and sells consid- 



erable stock and prosperity has attended his 
efforts thus far in life, making him quite well- 
to-do. In business affairs he is prompt, ener- 
getic and notably reliable and he has the confi- 
dence and respect of all who know him. As 
a mere boy he entered the service of the 
Wabash Railroad Company and held the posi- 
tions of baggageman and conductor before he 
was twenty years of age, but since that time 
his attention has been wholly devoted to his 
farming and stock-raising interests. His home 
and all its surroundings are modern and up-to- 
date in appointments and his is one of the 
finest locations in Decatur township. Socially 
Mr. Downing is an honored member of the 
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. 

On September 20, 1874, he was united in 
marriage at La Clede Hotel, in St. Louis, to 
Miss Ida Davis, a daughter of Benjamin and 
Susan C. B. Davis, of Philadelphia, and to 
them were born three children, who are still 
living: Anna Maude, now the wife of John 
L. Patton. of New Orleans; Clifford O. and 
William Poinlellc. The}- lost one child, Ellis, 
who died at the age of five years. Mrs. Down- 
ing, who was a most estimable lady, died 
I'ebruary 13. 1899, at the age of forty years, 
and her death was deeply mourned by many 
friends as well as her immediate family. She 
was a loving wife and tender mother and was 
held in high regard by all who knew her. 

Her mother, Mrs. Susan C. B. Davis, was 
one of the early pioneers of Macon county and 
a representative of an old and honored family. 
She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
in 1823, and died in Decatur on the 4th of 
January, 1899. II^i" father, Parmelas Small- 
wood, was born April 27, 1782, near Charles- 
town, Jefferson county, West Virginia, and 
served as a soldier of the war of 1812. Before 
leaving his native state he was married June 
23, 1807, to Miss Deborah Brown, who was 
also born near Charlestown, May 12, 1792. 
Later they removed to Lancaster county, Ohio^ 
where Mr. Smallvvood opened up a new farm, 
and as early as 1825 he came to Macon county. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



S47 



Illinois, accompanied by his wife and ten chil- 
dren, the journey being made by teams from 
Ohio. The winter after their arrival was spent 
at Sugar Grove, and from there they removed 
to a farm on section 3, Decatur township, 
which was the home of Mrs. Davis for many 
years. It has been in possession of the family 
since 1826. When they located here their 
nearest neighbor was forty miles away. Mr. 
Smallwood built a hewed long cabin and in 
true pioneer style began life in the west. He 
did his trading in Chicago, St. Louis and 
Springfield, where he bought salt at one dollar 
and a quarter per barrel and sold his wheat 
for thirty and forty cents per bushel. When 
the land came into market he purchased it 
from the government and upon the old home- 
stead he spent the remainder of his life. His 
death occurred in 1848 and his wife was called 
to her final rest on the 7th of November, 1873. 
Politically he was an active supporter of the 
Whig party. He was one of the few public 
spirited men who helped to build up Decatur, 
donating ten acres to the city which lies in 
the heart of the town. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smallwood were born 
the following children : Mrs. Rachel Murphy, 
deceased ; George, who was a soldier of the 
Black Hawk war and died near Clinton, Illi- 
nois ; John, Samuel and James, all deceased ; 
Daniel ; Amanda, wife of William Bennett ; 
Mrs. Elizabeth Roben, of Clinton, Illinois ; 
Douglas and Asberry, both deceased ; Mrs. 
Davis; Joseph, who is living in Decatur; and 
Gideon, who has also passed away. 

Mrs. Davis was only two years old when 
the family located in Decatur township. In 
her girlhood she learned to spin, weave and 
perform such other duties as fell to the lot 
of the girls of the family in those early days, 
and one year she wove and dyed over two hun- 
dred yards of cloth. Her education was ac- 
quired in the old-time log school house and 
with the family she experienced all the hard- 
ships and difficulties of pioneer life. Having 
attained womanhood she became the wife of 



licnjamin Davis, who was born and reared in 
I'hiladelphia. His father was engaged in the 
brick and real estate business in that city and 
there he remained until 1841, when he came 
west. He died on the 2d of January, 1861, 
when not yet forty years of age. 

Mr. and Mrs. Davis had four children: 
Eliza died in infancy. Ida A., now deceased, 
was the wife of William T. Downing, whose 
name introduces this article. Benjamin A., the 
eldest who was educated in the Illinois Nor- 
mal School and Mount Zion Academy, was 
married at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1879, ^"d at 
his death left two children, Edna S. and 
Louisa. Anna E., the youngest of the family, 
acquired her education at St. Mary's Hall of 
Burlington, Iowa, and Cottage Seminary at 
Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Davis was a 
lady of many excellencies of character, which 
won for her a wide circle of friends and gained 
for her the respect of all with whom she was 
acquainted. 



JAMES HADWIN. 

During his early years James Hadwin was 
engaged in agricultural pursuits and in his 
undertakings met with excellent success, so 
that he is now enabled to live a retired life at 
his home in Decatur, surrounded by all the 
comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He 
was born in Shelby county, Illinois, June 14, 
i860, and belongs to a family that has been 
actively identified with the development of this 
state. 

His father, Thomas Hadwin, was born in 
the south of England in 1812, and in 1843 
wedded Miss Mary Atkinson, also a native of 
England, born in Bland, Yorkshire, near the 
boundary of Westmoreland, November 12, 
1819. The year of their marriage they came 
to America with the Atkinson family and on 
landing in New York proceeded at once to 
Ohio. As there were no railroads at that time 
a steamboat carried them to Albany, whence 



848 



PAST AND PRESEx\T OF MACON COUNTY. 



they made their way by the Erie canal to Buf- 
falo, by lake to Cleveland and by canal to 
Massillon, Stark county, Ohio, where they 
made their home for about three years. In 
1846 they came to Illinois, this journey being 
made by wagon, and they brought a flock of 
sheep with them. They first located at Hails 
Point, Macon county, but afterward removed 
to Toddspoint, Shelby county, where Thomas 
Hadwin died in January, 1887. He was en- 
gaged in buying and selling sheep, cattle and 
other live stock for a few years, and then 
turned his attention to farming, which he con- 
tinued to follow throughout the remainder of 
his life. His wife still survives him and is now 
residing in the city of Shelbyville, Illinois. In 
their family were the following children: 
John, deceased; Mrs. Mary Alice Wilson, a 
resident of Chicago; Mrs. Sarah Boone, of 
South Haven, Kansas ; Thomas, who is living 
in Missouri ; Ellen and Lou, both at home with 
their mother in Shelbyville; William, who is 
living in the state of Washington; David, a 
resident of Assumption, Illinois; and James, 
the only member of the family residing in 
Macon county. 

James Hadwin had the advantages of only 
a common-school education and when not in 
school he aided his father in the operation of 
the home farm until his marriage. It was on 
the 15th of November, 1887, that he led to the 
marriage altar Miss Mary E. Jackson, also a 
native of Shelby county and a daughter of 
William Henry and Mary Ann (Burk) Jack- 
son, early settlers of that county, where the 
father engaged in farming until his death. He 
was born in Steubenville, Ohio,,on the 15th of 
February, 1823. and came with his father's 
family to Illinois in 1840 making his home 
under the parental roof until the age of twenty- 
one. In September, 1849. ''c married Mar- 
garet Jane Waters, who died on the 8th of 
March, 1852, and he was again married Au- 
gust 25, 1853, '■''S second union being with 
Miss Mary Ann Burk. They made their home 
in Ridge township, Shelby county, where he 



was regarded as one of the most progressive 
and substantial agriculturists of the com- 
numilv, being the owner of eleven hundred 
and si.xty acres of valuable farming land in 
Ridge and Pickaway townships. He had 
eleven children, two by the first wife and nine 
b\- the second, namely : Thomas, who died 
March 24, 1864; William li., who is living in 
Texas ; Robert, who is now in Alaska ; Samuel, 
who is engaged in farming in Ridge township, 
Shelby county ; Margaret Jane, a resident of 
Kansas ; Lou, who lives in Christian county, 
Illinois; Hester Isabella, who makes her home 
in Shelby county ; Elizabeth, a resident of 
Shelbyville, Illinois ; Andrew K.. a resident of 
Henton, Shelby county ; Charles, who makes 
his home in Shelbyville; and Mary E., the 
wife of our subject. In 1892 Mr. Jackson re- 
tired from farm work and removed to Shelby- 
ville, where he lived retired until his death, 
which occurred in February, lyot. His sec- 
ond wife had died in .\pril, 1898. 

After his marriage Mr. Hadwin located on 
a farm in his native county and continued its 
cultivation for five years, after which he re- 
moved to Sumner county, Kansas, and there 
conducted a meat market for about six months. 
.\s the Cherokee strip was open to the public 
about this time, he went to Oklahoma and was 
there engaged in farming for three years. At 
the end of that time he returned to Shelby 
county, Illinois, and purchased a farm, which 
he successfully operated for some time, but 
owing to ill health he finally decided to give 
up farming and on the loth of September, 
1902, removed to Decatur, where he has since 
lived retired, though he still owns his fine farm 
of two hundred and forty acres in Shelby 
county, which he now rents. Besides this 
property he owns the nice residence at No. 
1089 West Macon street. Decatur, where he 
and his wife intend to make their ftiture home. 
In business affairs, Mr. Hadwin is prompt, 
energetic and reliable and to these qualities 
may be attributed his success in life. His po- 
litical support is given the men and measures 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



849 



of the Republican party, and in his social rela- 
tions he is identified with the ^lasonic Lodge 
at Findlay, Illinois, and the Knights of Pythias 
Lodge at Shelbyville. Wherever he is known 
he is held in high regard and though his resi- 
dence in Decatur has been of short duration 
he has already made many warm friends 
throughout the citv. 



CHARLES S. HANKINS. 

Charles S. Hankins is connected with an 
enterprise which has direct and important bear- 
ing upon the majority of business interests of 
Decatur, lieing the president of the !Macon 
County Telephone Company. The rapidity 
with which work can be executed and business 
plans formed is an important factor in suc- 
cess. It is no longer necessary to wait the 
transmission of a message by mail, for mat- 
ters of discussion relative to business can to- 
day be carried on over the telephone lines of 
the country and thus much valuable time is 
saved. There is perhaps no one branch of 
business that has had so great an effect upon 
existing conditions as has the introduction of 
the telephone, and Mr. Hankins is now putting 
forth every effort in his power to provide the 
citizens of Decatur and the surrounding coun- 
try with the best service possible in this regard. 

A native of Ohio, Charles S. Hankins was 
born in the vicinity of Reeseville, Clinton 
county, December 24, 1856. His parents were 
Enoch and Susan (McFadden) Hankins. 
The father was a native of Ohio and the 
mother of West Virginia. In the fall of 1862 
the parents removed from Ohio to Macon 
county and settled in Friends Creek township 
upon a farm, which Mr. Hankins improved 
and became a representative citizen of that 
community. He died about the close of the 
Civil war, in 1865. His wife, who still sur- 
vives him, is yet living in Decatur and has 
now reached the age of eighty-three years. 
In the family of this worthy couple were nine 



children, four sons and five daughters, of 
whom Charles S. is the seventh in order of 
birth. The family record is as follows : Mary 
E., the wife of D. M. Adams ; Jennie, the wife 
of Dr. W^ H. Deal, a resident of Dresden, 
Missouri ; Florence E., the wife of A. Smick, 
of Decatur ; Orlandus M., who makes his home 
in ]\Ionon, Indiana, where he follows farming; 
Frank L., deceased ; Hortense M., who is the 
wife of W. E. Collins and resides in St. Louis, 
Missouri ; Charles S., of this review ; Rose M., 
who is now living in Carthage, Missouri ; and 
Walter, who has passed away. 

In retrospect one can see Charles S. Hankins 
as a farmer boy, assisting in the labors of 
field and meadow through the summer months, 
while in the winter season he pursued his edu- 
cation in the district school. After leaving 
school he entered upon his business career. 
Subsequently he entered into a partnership in 
the real estate business as a member of the 
firm of Lewis & Hankins and they conducted 
man}- important realty transfers, continuing in 
business together until 1891, when Mr. 
Hankins severed this relation and became con- 
nected with the telephone business as its super- 
intendent. Soon he became a purchaser of the 
stock and in 1901 he was made president of 
the company. He now owns the greater part 
of the stock of the Macon County Telephone 
Company, which is one of the best local sys- 
tems in this part of the state. It is certainly 
a necessary and important factor in the busi- 
ness operations of this city. The exchange has 
had a remarkably successful growth and now 
has in operation a complete telephone system 
throughout Decatur and Macon county and 
also telephone connection with two hundred 
and fifty towns in central Illinois. They have 
placed about one thousand phones in this city 
and vicinity and already have a number of 
farmer lines in operation. This exchange is 
equipped with a new twelve hundred phone 
capacity Sterling electric switchboard. The 
company is constantly making improvements 
in their equipments and during the year 1902 



850 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



spent twenty thousand dollars in underground 
conduit system. This company manufactures 
all of its own telephones and transmitters and 
has equipped a number of outside exchanges, 
and the office, which is located in the Arcade 
building, is open night and day throughout the 
entire year. Mr. Hankins is the active head 
of the company and upon him devolves the 
business management. 

h\ 1888 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
Hankins and Miss Mary B. Gerber, of Ar- 
genta, Macon county, Illinois, a daughter of 
Samuel Gerber, of Argenta. They now have 
one son, Orville G. Mr. Hankins was a mem- 
ber of the city council for two years and in 
matters pertaining to general progress and im- 
provement he has always been public spirited 
and progressive, co-operating in every meas- 
ure for the general good. He is also a mem- 
ber of the Knight of Pythias fraternity and 
the Woodmen of America. His prominence in 
business circles comes as a result of capability 
and his worth is uniformly acknowledged'. His 
social, genial manner has gained for him many 
friends and he has the regard of young and 
old, rich and poor. 



JOSEPH K. CLIPSTON. 

Joseph K. Clipston, a well-to-do agricultur- 
ist residing on section 14, South Macon town- 
ship, is a typical self-made man and in the 
following record of his career there is much 
to arouse respect and esteem. He has placed 
his reliance upon industry and perseverance, 
and by making the most of circumstances, 
however discouraging, he has attained success 
in his chosen calling and has acquired a com- 
fortable home and competence. 

Mr. Clipston was born in England in 1828, 
of which country his parents were life-long 
residents, his only relative in this country 
being his brother, James Clipston, a farmer 
living near Warrensburg, Illinois. On his 
emigration to America in 1851 our subject 



lirst settled near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
where he worked in the mines for about three 
years, and then went to California, where he 
was similarly employed for two years. His 
wife now has a ring made from gold which 
he mined there. 

Returning to Pennsylvania, Mr. Clipston 
was married in Morristown, that state, Febru- 
ary 5, 1857, ^o Miss Merthine Francis, a 
daughter of John U. and Lydia ( Smith j Fran- 
cis, who were of Scotch and English descent. 
Her ancestors for several generations back 
were residents of the Keystone state and lived 
near Valley Forge, where they followed farm- 
ing. Her grandfather Francis was a great 
friend of George \\'ashington. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Clipston have been born five children,' as 
follows : Charles F., at home ; Katie, wife of 
John E. Winchell, a blacksmith of Moweaqua, 
Jennie, wife of Charles Slaughter, who is en- 
gaged in farming near our subject, though 
across the line in Shelby county ; Grant who 
married Belle Tolston and follows farming 
in Sliclb}- county ; and Elmer, at home. 

In the same year of his marriage Mr. Clip- 
ston came to Illinois and settled near Mowe- 
aqua, in Shelby county, where he bought a 
farm of two hundred acres, but after residing 
thereon for five years, he sold that place and 
engaged in operating a rented farm for three 
years. At the end of that time he purchased 
eighty acres of his present farm on section 14, 
South Macon township, and has since added 
to his property until his landed estate now 
amounts to two hundred acres, a part of which 
is in Shelby county. He has transformed the 
wild land into well cultivated fields and has 
replaced the old log cabin, which was stand- 
ing at the time of his purchase, by a good 
frame residence. He has also erected barns 
and other outbuildings, until he now has a 
well improved and valuable farm under a high 
state of cultivation. He raises full-blooded 
polled Angus cattle and Poland-China hogs 
and feeds considerable stock for market, and 
he is also interested in the raising and breeding 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



851 



of fine roadsters, being the owner of a valuable 
horse from the Henry Pickrell stock. As a 
farmer and stock-raiser he has met with 
marked success and is to-day one of the sub- 
stantial men of his community, though he 
came to the new world empty-handed and has 
had to make his own way unaided. He is 
known among his fellow citizens for his relia- 
bility in all trade transactions and justly merits 
their conhdence and regard. He was christened 
in the Church of England, to which his pa- 
rents belonged, but his wife is a member of 
the Dunkard church. 



JOSEPH C. WILLIAMS. 

A quarter of a century covers the period of 
Mr. Williams' residence in Decatur. He was 
born in Washington, Indiana, November 29, 
1839, one of the seventeen children of Basil 
and Nancy Williams. All of this large family 
are now deceased with the exception of the 
subject of this review. The father died in 
1841, when his son Joseph was only two years 
of age, and his mother passed away in 1865. 
They were natives of Kentucky, reared and 
married there, and were representatives of 
early pioneer families of the state. Both the 
paternal and the maternal grandfathers were 
killed by the Indians in the early days of Ken- 
tucky's development ere many white settlers 
had penetrated into the interior of the state. 
Basil Williams was a soldier of the war of 
1812, serving under Captain Belt and Colonel 
Poag, both well known officers at that time. 

In 1846 the Williams family became resi- 
dents of Pike county, Illinois, and it was in 
the publio schools there that Joseph C. Wil- 
liams obtained his education. During the 
periods of vacation he assisted his mother on 
the home farm and aided in the arduous task 
of developing a new tract of land. The coun- 
try was very wild and Mr. Williams remem- 
bers to have killed many a wolf and deer 
shooting these from his own doorvard. He 



continued to assist his mother in the operation 
of the home farm, until after the inauguration 
of the Civil war, when he became one of the 
Illinois volunteers, enlisting in the Ninety- 
ninth Regiment. He served under Second 
Lieutenant John Bossman, First Lieutenant 
B. Cloudy and Captain John F. Richards. He 
left home on the 20th of August, 1862, and 
returned on the 12th of August, 1865, having 
served for almost three years, during which 
time he participated in the battles of Harts- 
ville, Missouri, Magnolia Hill, the \"icksburg 
campaign and the battles of Champion Hill 
and Black River Bridge. He was several times 
wounded and yet carries in his body a number 
of rebel balls. He was severely wounded in a 
steamboat explosion at Vicksburg, Missis- 
sippi, on the 19th of August, 1863, and on 
several occasions narrowly escaped being 
captured. He thus became familiar with all 
the phases of army life, with its hardships and 
dangers, but never faltered in the performance 
of his duty of wavered in his loyalty to the 
Union cause. 

After the war Mr. Williams returned to Pike 
county, where he remained until 1867, working 
on the home farm. He then removed to Tay- 
lorville, Illinois, where he carried on agricul- 
tural pursuits until October, 1869, and then 
went to Clarksburg, Moniteau county, Mis- 
souri, where he remained from October until 
the following June. He was very successfully 
engaged in the grocery business, but on ac- 
count of ill health was forced to leave that 
place and take up his abode in Quincy, Illi- 
nois. He assisted his brother in getting a 
start in the grocery business there, after which 
he located elsewhere in Adams county, Illi- 
nois, and was engaged in farming from 1870 
until 1875. On the expiration of that period 
he came to Macon coimty, where he has since 
lived. For a short time he engaged in farming 
for Mr. Woodcock, of Macon county, and then 
came to the city of Decatur, where he entered 
the employ of Mr. Whitmer, who was then en- 
gaged in the manufacture of brick. After 



852 



PAST AND PRESENT OF .MACON COUNTY, 



serving in that wa\- for several seasons he ac- 
cepted a position in the coffin factory, where 
he continued for about a year, while later he 
worked in the furniture factory until it was 
destroyed by fire. He next accepted a position 
in the grocery store of Frank Skelly, with 
whom he worked for four years, when he be- 
gan in the grocery business on his own ac- 
count on East Williams street. At intervals 
for several years he followed that ])ursuit and, 
having learned the carpenter's trade in his 
youth, he also followed that pursuit for a num- 
ber of years, in which connection he has been 
engaged in the construction of some of the best 
buildings in Decatur. He is now foreman in 
the carpentering department of the plant of 
the Sattley Malleable Iron Company of De- 
catur, havmg been associatetl with this com- 
pany for four years. 

On the 2ist of July, 1861, Mr. Williams 
wedded Miss Emily Hall, of Pike county. Illi- 
nois, a sister of J. H. Hall, the well known 
clothing merchant doing business on East 
Main street in Decatur. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Williams have been born seven children who 
arc now living, and they also lost one son, ■ 
Albert E. Those who still survive are Ida 
v., the wife of James A. Sine, a packing and 
shipping clerk in the employ of the Decatur 
Coffin Comjiany : Walter S., who is a pas- 
senger conductor on the Illinois Central Rail- 
road and resides at Clinton, this state ; Stella, 
the wife of A. G. Hays, a farmer living near 
Decatur: Maude, the wife of David Hosietler: 
jnlm A., an iron moldcr with the Sattley 
Malleable Iron Comi^any : and Lcona \'., who 
is at home. 

Mr. \\'i!liams became one of the first mem- 
bers of the Grand Army of the Republic and 
takes great delight in meeting his old army 
comrades and in recalling the experiences 
which they underwent on the fields of battle 
in the south. Mr. Williams and his family 
are all members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church of this city. He has been very suc- 
cessful through the many years of toil and 



labor in which he has been an active factor in 
the business world and he now owns and occu- 
pies a beautiful home at No. 1140 East Cleve- 
land avenue in Riverside, the beautiful suburb 
of Decatur. 



HARRY RUTHRAUFF. 
Harry Ruthrauff is well known in business 
circles in Decatur, where for eight years he 
has filled the position of inspector of the water 
works of the city. He was born in Franklin 
county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of July, 1866, 
and traces his ancestry back through several 
generations. His paternal great-grand])arents 
were Jonnes and Margurctt (Fnsminger) 
Rullirauff. The grandfather. William Ruth- 
rautif, was horn .August 23. 1822. and married 
?iliss Elizabeth Pensinger. He was a farmer 
by occupation and in 1873 came to Illinois, 
settling on a farm two miles north of Tlliopolis, 
in Sangamon county, where he remained until 
1877. He then removed to what was known 
as the Silas Packard farm, located five miles 
northeast of Decatur, in Macon county. Upon 
this place he remained imtil almost all of his 
children were married and in 188 1 he retired, 
for he had attained an advanced age and was 
physically unable to attend to the many duties 
incident to the cultivation of a farm of that 
size. Selling the property he and his wife 
went to the home of their dau,ghter. Mrs. 
^^'illiam Hicks, who at that time lived at a 
place called Torrence Mill, on the South Fork 
river, in Sangamon county. Mr. RuthraufF 
remained with his daughter until the death of 
his wife, which occurred at Breckenridge, 
Illinois, December 5. 1879. her remains being 
interred at South Fork church, south of Roch- 
ester. Shortly afterward Mr. Ruthrauflf went 
to the home of his son, Martin V., who at that 
time lived in DeWitt county, Illinois, and who 
was an extensive and prosperous farmer. 
There the father had a good home and enjoyed 
many pleasant days in his declining years. 
He was never happier than when assisting in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



S5» 



the duties of the farm, for he thoroughly en- 
joyed outdoor Hfe. In 1893 he decided to go 
to the home of his son Andrew, who was then 
hving at Corbin, Sunnier county, Kansas. 
There he was also made welcome and remained 
there until the final summons came on the 5lh 
of April, 1894. He was laid to rest in Prairie 
Lawn cemetery near Corbin. Unto the grand- 
parents of our subject, William and Elizabeth 
Ruthrauli', were born twelve children. 

Henry Ruthrauflf, the eldest of this family, 
was born in Washington county, Maryland, 
near Leitersburg, January 23, 1843 and on the 
2d of January, i860, at Waynesburg, Franklin 
county, Pennsylvania, he was married to Miss 
Barbara Snyder. When the Civil war broke 
out he volunteered for service in the Union 
armv, responding to President Lincoln's sec- 
ond call for soldiers to serve for nine months. 
He enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and 
Twenty-sixth Regiment of Pennsylvania In- 
fantry and the first engagement in which he 
took part was the second battle of Bull Run, 
under General Pope, the regiment being at- 
tached to the Fifth Army Corps. The second 
battle in which he was engaged was at An- 
tietam and there he was with the Fifth Corps 
under General Fitzporter. He was wounded 
at Maria Hill, December 13, 1862, in the left 
ankle, and was then taken to Point Lookout, 
on the i6th of December. There were sixteen 
thousand wounded soldiers at that place. 
There was a contagious disease among the 
patients and as the doctors carelessly used the 
same sponges on dififcrent patients the disease 
was spread and Mr. Ruthraufif contracted it 
and almost lost his life thereby. There was 
a remonstrance made to Governor Curtin, of 
Pennsylvania, and he investigated and found 
that the treatment of the soldiers was any- 
thing but what it should be. He immediately 
ordered that all soldiers from Pennsylvania 
who were unfit for duty in thirty days be sent 
to Turner's Lane hospital in Philadelphia. 
Mr. Ruthrauflf was among the number thus 
transferred and he remained in the latter hos- 



pital until the expiration of his nine months' 
service, which was in April, 1863. At that 
time he returned home and worked for his 
father at cutting wood, receiving thirty-three 
and a third cents per cord. He felt then that 
he had done his share to aid in the preserva- 
tion of the Union, but when the battle of 
Gettysburg occurred and Lee made his raid 
through Pennsylvania, visiting the home of 
William Ruthrauflf and there robbing him or 
destroying everything he had, tienry Ruth- 
rauflf decided to again enter the army. He en- 
listed at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in Com- 
pany K, Twenty-first Regiment of Cavalry, 
and went into camp at Chambersburg for three 
months. The regiment was then ordered to 
the front and won honor by its valorous 
service. It was also notable on account of its 
mounts, four companies being mounted on bay 
horses, two on grays, two on sorrels, two on 
blacks and two on iron -roans. The battalion 
to which Mr. Ruthraufif belonged was drilled 
by Major Gillis, a West Point graduate, who 
was believed to be the best drillmaster in the 
country. Mr. Ruthraufl: was in the First Bat- 
talion of the Twenty-first Pennsylvania Cav- 
alry, commanded by Colonel Boyd. On ar- 
riving at Arlington Heights the members of 
the regiment were ordered to give up their 
horses and were then given muskets, after 
which they proceeded on foot. They then re- 
ported to Grant and it was about this time 
when the battle of the Wilderness occurred, 
after which the command to which Mr. Ruth- 
raulT belonged proceeded to Richmond and 
he took part in all of the engagements with 
his regiment up to the time of the surrender 
at Appomattox. In November. 1864, the regi- 
ment was remounted and sent to General 
Gregg's command — the second division of 
cavalry. He was wounded in the hand in 
front of Petersburg and was also wounded in 
the hip at Poplar Grove church. Shortly after- 
ward they went into winter quarters in front 
of Petersburg, but in January they were or- 
dered to destroy the Weldon Railroad. This 



854: 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



was done by the Fifth Corps of Gregg's Sec- 
ond Division of Cavalry, who demoHshed the 
road for one hundred and fifty miles. This is 
known in history as General Warren's famous 
raid, the soldiers being almost continuously 
in their saddles for eleven days and nights 
and by Mr. Rnthrauff this was considered the 
most severe experience which he had through- 
out his military career. The battalion to which 
he belonged also acted as General Sheridan's 
escort at Five I-'orks. The war having ended 
and the Hag of the nation having been vic- 
toriously planted in the capital of the southern 
confederacy, he was mustered out of service 
on the 8th of July, 1865. 

Returning to the north Mr. RuthraufT en- 
gaged in farming on a small scale at his old 
home in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, but 
not being very successful there he decided to 
come to the west and in 1870 made his way to 
Illinois, locating on a farm in Sangamon 
county, near Illiopolis. Subsequently he re- 
moved to Macon county, Illinois, settling on a 
farm about five miles northeast of Decatur, 
and he continued to engage in agricultural 
pursuits in various places in Macon county for 
several \ears, when he sold out and embarked 
in the milling business at Rochester, Sanga- 
mon county. He also conducted a similar en- 
terprise at Athens, Menard county, but did 
not find that a profitable source of income and, 
tlisposing of his mill, he has since followed 
different occupations. 

Harry Ruthraufif, whose name introduces 
this record, is one of a family of ten children 
and was only about three years of age when 
his parents removed to Illinois. He was for 
one year a student in the schools of Sangamon 
county and later continued his studies in the 
McGee school in Macon county and in Brush 
College, thus being well equipped to meet the 
practical and responsible duties of a business 
career. After putting aside his textbooks he 
was connected with agricultural pursuits for a 
time and between the ages of seventeen and 
twenty years he was engaged in coal mining 



in iVthens, lUiiKjis. lie also spent one \ear at 
Wellington, Kansas, where he was employed 
in a lumberyard and on the expiration of that 
period he came to Decatur, securing work at 
the new shaft of the Decatur Coal Company, 
lie had the misfortune, however, to break his 
leg and was then given the position of night 
watchman by the firm of Conklin, Tait & Com- 
pany, whom he represented in that capacity for 
a year. Subsequently he engaged in general 
work in the coal mines at Athens, Illinois, and 
in 1888 he again came to Decatur, where he 
accepted his present position, being inspector 
of the city water works, having supervision 
of the mains and plumbing. For eight years 
he has served in this capacity in a most ac- 
ceptable manner. He has a thorough under- 
standing of the requirements of the position 
and is well qtialified to act in this capacity. 
All the pif)e work for the new filteration plant 
came under his personal supervision, also the 
new mains on North Main street. Green, East 
Orchard and Wabash streets. Other divisions 
to the water system have been made under his 
supervision, including the extension of the 
lines on Eldorado and Broadway to Stone 
street in 1902. 

In 1884 Mr. Ruthraufif was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Helen Skelley, of Decatur, and 
unto them have been born six children : Dolly 
M., Qififord B., Bonnie B., Teresa, Mabel and 
Helen. Mr. Ruthrauff belongs to En Ami 
Lodge, No. 593, K. P., to Easterly Camp, No. 
1626, M. W. A., and to Lincoln Tent, No. 
1039, Knights of the Maccabees. 



GEORGE W. KAYLOR. 

Among the most pleasant rural homes of 
Macon county is that of George W. Kaylor in 
Decatur township, the culture and artistic 
taste of its occupants being reflected in it? 
appointments, while a gracious hospitality 
adds a charm to its material comforts. The 
owner was born in Decatur township on the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



855 



i/th of March, 1858, and is a son of Jacob 
and Rachel (Street) Kaylor, who made their 
home here for many jears and were num- 
bered among the highly respected citizens of 
the community. The father was a native of 
Maryland, born April 16, 1818, and in early 
life went to Ohio, where he married Miss 
Rachel Street, who was born in that state, 
February 22, 1817. On coming to Illinois 
they first located in Mechanicsburg, and from 
there removed to Decatur township, Macon 
county. In 185 1 the father purchased the 
farm now owned by our subject in the north- 
western part of that township. He belonged 
to a long-lived race and reached the age of 
eighty-two years, dying on the 4th of March, 
1900, honored and respected by all who knew 
him. His estimable wife survived him only 
a short time and passed away April 14, 1900. 
George W. Kaylor was educated at Sunny- 
side school and his early life was spent upon 
the home farm, where he acquired a good 
practical knowledge of the occupation to 
Vvfhich he has devoted his attention since reach- 
ing manhood. His is one of the model farms 
of Decatur township, containing one hun- 
dred and six acres and supplied with all mod- 
ern conveniences and accessories. For the 
first ten years of his business career he rented 
the farm from his father and in the meantime 
bought property in Decatur, which he dis- 
posed of in 1892 and took permanent charge 
of the farm. He has not only erected good 
and substantial buildings upon the place but 
has tiled the land, removed boulders and 
otherwise improved it. The recent improve- 
ments have been frequent and up-to-date, in- 
cluding a drive-well ; forty-foot Star wind- 
mill, and a combined horse and cow barn, 
twenty by forty feet, with an addition, four- 
teen by forty feet. The residence, which was 
built in 1893, is undoubtedly the most up-to- 
date in the township, containing all the con- 
veniences of a city home, such as hot water 
equipment, compressed air tank, etc. The 
granary, twenty-six by forty feet, with an 



elevator attached, the power, gasoline engine 
with oil-cooling device and without batteries, 
was built in 1903, and has many modern im- 
provements that are the result of the invent- 
ive genius of Mr. Kaylor. In this many of 
his original ideas have been carried out and 
perfected in a manner which will bring satis- 
factory results not only to himself but to 
others who may have occasion to use any ap- 
pliance of this kind. Mr. Kaylor is a man 
who believes in up-to-date methods and has 
made progress along lines which are yet to 
yield results and bring his inventions in touch 
with the business world for its advancement 
and progress. 

On the 22d of December, 1881, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Nancy E. Fisher, 
who was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, 
September 5, 1857, and is a daughter of 
Charles and Isabella A. (Bowen) Fisher, 
both deceased, the former a native of Ken- 
tucky and the latter of Sangamon county, Illi- 
nois. Mrs. Kaylor is the second in order of 
birth in their family of five children, the 
others being Mary E., wife of D. Morris', of 
Waverly, Illinois ; Catherine E., who died at 
the age of twenty-four years; W. Z., a resi- 
dent of Sangamon county ; and John N., who 
is living in El Reno, Oklahoma. Mr. and 
Mrs. Kaylor have one child, Sadie B., born 
in 1886. 

In national politics Mr. Kaylor votes the 
Democratic ticket, but at local elections, where 
no issue is involved, he supports the men 
whom he believes best qualified for office re- 
gardless of party lines. For many years he 
has been school director of his district and 
also clerk of the board. He was superin- 
tendent of the Sunday-school for five years 
and has held all the offices that are in the 
Methodist Episcopal church, to which he be- 
longs. Socially he is a member of Chevalier 
Bayard Lodge, K. P., and the Modern 
Woodmen of America, and was camp lecturer 
for re-adjustment in 1903. He is a worthy 
representative of that class of citizens who 



8 5 (5 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



lead quiet, industrious, honest and useful 
lives and constitute the best portion of a com- 
munity. Wherever he is known he is held in 
high regard and is certainly deserving of 
honorable mention in llie history of his native 
count\-. 



ANTHONY HECKLER. 

Since 1856 Anthony Heckler has been a res- 
ident of Decatur and for many years was 
actively identified with its industrial and bus- 
iness interests, but is now living a retired life 
in his pleasant home at No. 455 South Broad- 
way. -Vs an energetic, industrious man be 
acquired a competence during the years of 
his active business career that now enables 
him to live in ease, free from the cares and 
respon.sibililies of business affairs. 

;\Ir. Heckler was born in W'urtemburg. 
Germany, on the nth of January. 1S28. a son 
of Anthony and Elizabeth (.\ngele) Heckler, 
who spent their entire lives in that country. 
The father made farming his life occupation 
and both he and his wife died in their native 
land. They liad two children to come to 
America, these being Anthony and his sister 
^lary, now the widow of Qiarles Walser and 
a resident of Decatur. 

( )ur subject acc|uirecl bis education in the 
public schools of his native land and worked 
on a farm before his emigration to America. 
Tt was in 1854 that be cro.ssed the broad -\t- 
lantic and landed in New York city. Eor 
about two years he was engaged in farming 
in the ICminre stale, and then came west, lo- 
cating near Monticcllo. in Piatt county. Illi- 
nois, where was similarly em]jloyed for a 
short time. He then canie tn Decatur and 
first worked as a laborer for old Dr. Johns, 
but shortly afterward obtained em])loyment 
in a furniture factory and continued to en- 
gage in that business for twenty years. 
At the end of that time he erected a store 
buildini;- near his residence and was engaged 



in the grocery business for six years. Selling 
out ill 1896, he has since lived retired in the 
enjoyment of a well earned rest. 

After coming to Decatur IMr. Heckler was 
married in i860 to Miss Grenesne Haider, also 
a native of Germany, of which country her 
parents were life-long residents and are both 
now deceased. Unto our subject and his wife 
were born six children, as follows: Elizabeth, 
now the wife of D. Armbruster, living with 
her parents ; Edward, a resident of Chicago ; 
Teressa, wife oi Thomas Vest, who makes 
his home in Ouincy, Illinois ; Carrie, wife of 
Charles Conway, of Decatur ; Josie, wife of 
Louis Meyers, of Decatur ; and Anna, wife 
of Homer ^laxwell, of Little Rock, Arkansas. 
The mother of these children is now an in- 
valid. 

lloth Mr. and Mrs. Heckler are members 
of the German Catholic church of Decatur 
and are held in liigli regard by all who know 
them. Tn politics he is a Democrat but at 
local elections votes for the man whom he be- 
lieves best qualified for office regardless of 
party affiliations. He has never cared for of- 
ficial honors, having preferred to give his en- 
tire time and attention to his business affairs, 
in which he has met with success. Besides his 
residence pro])erty he still owns the store 
building which be erected near his home. In 
all the relations of life he has been found 
true to every duty that has devolved upon 
liini and be well merits the confidence and 
respect so freely accorded him by his fellow 
citizens. 



D.WID L. EBERLY. 
David L. Eberly, a well known carriage 
trinnner of Decatur, is a native of Illinois, 
born in Princeton, .\ugnst 11, 1856, and is a 
son of Isaac Eberly, who served for three 
years in the Civil war and laid down his life 
on the altar of his country, dying in the serv- 
ice. By trade he was a carpenter. The sub- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



857 



ject of this sketch was educated at Quincy, 
Illinois, and after leaving school at the age 
of seventeen years learned the trade of car- 
riage trimming in that city, serving an ap- 
prenticeship in the carriage shop of E. M. 
Miller, for whom he worked for four years 
and a half. 

About 1878 Mr. Eberly came to Decatur 
and entered the employ of \Va}-ne Brothers, 
remaining with that company and its successor, 
the Wayne Sulkyette and Road Cart Com- 
pany, for twenty-one years. In 1897 '^^ ^™' 
barked in business on his own account, trim- 
ming for that and other firms, and doing all 
kinds of repair work, such as retrimming bug- 
gies and surreys, putting in new cushions and 
side curtains, and re-covering old buggies 
and grocery wagons. He has built up a splen- 
did trade and is considered one of the best 
as well as the oldest carriage trimmer in the 
city. 

Mr. Eberly was married in Decatur in 1878 
to Miss Agnes ^^'right, a daughter of John 
and Eliza (Runkie) W'right. Her father is 
deceased, and her mother now makes her 
home with our subject, at the age of sixty- 
seven years. Mr. and Airs. Eberly have three 
children living, namely : William, who is a 
draftsman for the Mueller Manufacturing 
Company; Mabel and Emmett. All are 
graduates of the Decatur high school. The 
oldest son, Clarence, was killed in a railroad 
accident while going on a hunting expeditiori 
at the age of sixteen years, just si.x months 
before he would have graduated from the 
high school. His death was a sad blow to his 
parents and many friends. 

In his social relations Mr. Eberly is a mem- 
ber of the Modern Woodmen of America, and 
both he and his wife hold membership in the 
First Christian church of Decatur and take 
an active part in its work, Mr. Eberly having 
teen a member of the church board for three 
or four years. They are held in high regard 
liy all who know them and have many friends 
in the citv where thev make their home. 



JOHN F. KEMMERLY. 

John F. Kemmerly is one of the leading 
farmers of South Macon township, his home 
being on section 14. The possibilities that 
America offers to her citizens he has utilized, 
and though he came to this country in lim- 
ited circumstances he has steadily and perse- 
veringly worked his way upward, leaving the 
ranks of the many to stand among the suc- 
cessful few. 

iNIr. Kemmerly "s early home was on the 
other side of the Atlantic for he was born in 
Germany, January 8, 1829, his parents being 
George and Kate (Shoemaker) Kemmerly, 
also natives of that country, the former born 
in 1800, the latter in 1804. They were farm- 
ing people antl continued to reside in the 
fatherland throughout life. Our subject has 
two sisters living in the United States : Caro- 
lina, now the widow of Chris Rissler and a 
resident of Indianapolis, Indiana ; and Han- 
nah, widow of Frederick Shempf and a resi-, 
dent of Pana, Illinois. 

In the common schools of his native land 
John F. Kemmerly acquired a good practical 
education, and there he grew to manhood. 
In 1850 he entered the German army, with 
which he served for six years, and was then 
honorably discharged. The following year — 
1857 — he came to America and was first em- 
ployed on a farm near Paris, Ohio, where 
he worked four months. At the end of that 
time he went to Shelby county, Illinois, where 
he continued to work as a farm hand for 
three years, and then engaged in farming on 
his own account upon rented land in that 
county for twenty-two years. He was at 
length enabled to purchase his present farm 
of one hundred and ten acres on section 14, 
South Macon township, this county, for which 
he gave forty dollars per acre, and he has 
since devoted his energies to its development 
and cultivation, it being mostly wild and un- 
miproved when it came into his possession. 
.\fter living for seventeen years in a little 
log house he built his present substantial 



858 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



frame residence, also erected barns and out- 
buildings, lias set out fruit and .sliade trees, 
and b\' hard work lias converted his place into 
one of the most desirable farms of its size 
in the locality. In early life he used the sin- 
gle-shovel plow antl niher primitive farm im- 
plements, but now has the most modern and 
best improved machinery for facilitating farm 
work. He feeds some cattle and hogs for 
market and also raises a good grade of horses. 
On the loth of August, 1857, in Richmond, 
Indiana, Mr. Kemmerly was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Magdaline Colby, a daughter of 
Frederick and Kate (Kagle) Colby, and nine 
children blessed their union, six of whom are 
still living, namely : John F., who is engaged 
in farming near Moweaqua ; Lizzie, wife of 
Frank Cox, who follows farming near Shel- 
byville. Illinois; Emma, widow of Ernest 
Hcise and a resident of Pana, Illinois ; Henry, 
who is engaged in farming on the home place : 
Tillie, also at home : and Charlie, who is now 
operalint;' a rice plantation near Colby, Louisi- 
ana. The parents are both members of the 
I.iUheran church and Mr. Kemmerly is a sup- 
jjorter of the Republican party and its prin- 
ciples. They arc widely known and their 
many friends and ac(|uaintances hold them 
in the highest regard. 



HENRY LUNN. 
Every civilized country on the face of the 
globe has sent representatives to Illinois, yet 
to no people does she owe more than to the 
.\nglo-Saxon race, whose business activity 
and adaptability and marked enterprise have 
made them valued citizens wherever they have 
carried the civilization of Great Britain. Mr. 
Liuin is a representative of this class, his 
birth having occurred in Newark, Notting- 
hamshire, England, on the 9th of April. 1841. 
His parents, William and Sarah (Baker) 
Limn, were also natives of England, and the 
father became a contractor and builder, fol- 



lowing that pursuit throughout his active bus- 
iness career. Both he and his wife died when 
about seventy-six years of age. In their fam- 
ily were seven children : Alfred, who is now 
a contractor and builder of New'ark, Eng- 
land ; i\.nn, the wife of John Porter, who took 
up his abode in Ohio in the '50s and removed 
to Kansas before its admission into the Union ; 
Elizabeth, the wife of the Rev. Frank Hoyes, 
who came to this country in 1869 and after- 
ward located in Kansas, becoming a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal conference 
there and now residing in Topeka, that state ; 
Eliza, the deceased wife of John Lane, an 
English revenue officer for the British govern- 
ment ; George, a farmer and bricklayer, of 
Kansas ; and Henry. The other children of 
the family died in infancy. 

In the public schools of his native land 
Henry Lunn accjuired his education and he 
mastered his trade as an apprentice, serving 
for eight years under his father, who was 
then the superintendent of construction for 
the electrical commission of England. Hear- 
ing favorable reports concerning the new 
world and its opjwrtunitics he resolved to 
try his fortune in .America where competition 
was less and advantages more quickly se- 
cured. Crossing the Atlantic in 1872 he es- 
tablished his home in Decatur and the same 
year took out naturalization papers intend- 
ing to make the I^'nited States his home 
country. In order to provide for a liveli- 
hood he began contracting and building in 
partnership with Henry Bishop, a relation 
that was maintained until 1875, when the 
connection was dissolved and Mr. Lunn be- 
gan business for himself. During the greater 
part of the time since that period he has been 
one of the successful contractors of this city 
and many of Decatur's fine residences are the 
visible evidence of his life of thrift and en- 
terprise and of his excellent handiwork. He 
erected the Hill, Cato and Shellabarger resi- 
dences, the Tait factory and power house, 
with its high smoke stack, the building of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



859 



the Ilaworth Alanufacturing Company and 
nianv business houses of the city. In 1889, 
however, he went to. Spokane, Washington, 
where he remained until 1894 and then again 
came to Decatur. At that time he entered 
into partnership with his two sons, Ernest H. 
and Thomas, as builders and contractors and 
this relation was continued until 1903, when 
the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Lunn, 
however, is yet actively identified with build- 
ing interests of the city and many important 
contracts are annually awarded him, show- 
ing his high standing as a representative of 
the vocation and also indicating the confi- 
dence and trust reposed in him by the gen- 
eral public. 

In 1866 was celebrated the marriage of 
Henry Limn and Miss Emma Dodson, a 
daughter of Thomas Dodson, and unto them 
have been born five children : Ernest H. : 
Thomas : Lula, the wife of Frederick Cod- 
ington, of Lincoln, Illinois : Minnie G. ; and 
Percy, who died in Spokane, Washington. 
In the year 1875 Mr. Lunn was converted 
to the Christian faith and has since been a 
member and local minister of the Methodist 
Episcopal church, being ordained in the Co- 
lumbia river conference at Moscow, Idaho. 
While in the northwest he held charges, thus 
preaching the gospel in connection with his 
daily work of building. He is an earnest, 
energetic laborer in the Master's vineyard 
and through more than a quarter of a cen- 
tury has put forth effective effort in behalf 
of the church and the extension of its influ- 
ence. He has always read broadly, thinks 
deeply and believes in keeping abreast with 
the times. In early life he gave his political 
support to the Republican party, but since 
the death of President Garfield he has voted 
with the Prohibition party, believing the tem- 
perance question to be one of the paramount 
issues before the people. Fie stands as a 
representative of the high type of .Vmcrican 
manhood, fearless in defense of his honest 
41 



convictions and laboring for ideal conditions 
concerning the welfare of the race. 

Mr. Lunn's actions have during his life 
been such as to distinctively entitle him to a 
place in this publication, and although his 
career has not been filled with thrilling inci- 
dents, probably no biography published in 
this book can serve as a better illustration to 
young men of the power of honesty and in- 
tegrity in insuring success. 



HENRY HAGAN. 

No foreign element has become a more im- 
portant part of our American citizenship than 
that furnished by Germany. The emigrants 
from that land have brought with them to 
the new world the stability, enterprise and 
perseverance characteristic of their people and 
have fused these qualities with the progress- 
iveness and indomitable spirit of the west. 
Air. Hagan is a worthy representative of this 
class. He came to America empty handed, 
hoping to benefit his financial condition, and 
his dreams of the future have been more 
than realized. 

A native of Germany, Mr. Hagan was born 
in Hanover, on the 4th of April, 1830, and 
is a son of Louis and Fredericka (Milhousen) 
Hagan, natives of the same province. The 
father, who was a farmer by occupation, died 
in Germany of black smallpox when our sub- 
ject was only ten years old. At the age of 
fourteen Henry began working at odd jobs 
in order to help his mother in the support of 
the family. She, too, died in Germany. There 
were only two children, our subject and a 
sister, who came to this country and died in 
Missouri. 

Henry Hagan continued to work in his na- 
tive land until 1852, when he came to the 
United States and on landing made his way 
direct to Decatur, Illinois, where he arrived 
on the 26th of March, that year. At that 
time much of the city was under water and 



860 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



land could be purchased for two dollars and 
a half per acre. During the half century that 
has since passed all this has been changed 
and Decatur now ranks among the leading 
cities of the state, while the country round 
about is valued at over one hundred dollar- 
per acre. 

Mr. Hagan first secured a position in thi- 
brickyard and afterwards as night watchman 
in the furniture factory and held the same 
for seven years. Later he was employed in 
the slaughter house for some time and next 
worked for the city as a laborer on the street 
for several years but on account of his wife's 
health he finally gave up work and is now 
practically living retired, though he does some 
gardening upon vacant lots which he owns. 
He has a nice home at No. 606 East Decatur 
street, where he and his wife now reside and 
owns two other good residences on South 
Broadway besides much vacant property, all 
of which has been acquired through his own 
industry and good management. 

In i860 Mr. Hagan was married in Decatur 
to Mrs. Helena (Gillis) Kongs, who was 
born in Prussia, (Germany, July 27, 1832, and 
is a daughter of Michael Gillis, a farmer who 
died in that country. For her first husband 
she married John Kongs. whose death oc- 
curred in Salem, Illinois. Unto our subject 
and his wife were born seven children, two 
of whom died in infancy unnamed, .\ugusta 
also died in infancy and Josephine died at 
the age of seven years. Those still living 
are Helena, who is now in the employ of A. 
VV. Conklin, of Decatur ; Henry C, who mar- 
ried Katie Higgins and is a machinist of De- 
catur: and Johnnie Louis, who is employed 
in a planing mill in Denver, Colorado. 

Politically Mr. Hagan is a stanch supporter 
of the Republican party and its principles. 
He is a member of the German .\id Society 
of Decatur and the German Lutheran church, 
while his wife belongs to the German Catholic 
church of this city. Since the age of four- 
teen years he has made his own way in the 



world unaided and he deserves great credit 
lor the success that he has achieved. He has 
many friends among the early settlers of De- 
catur and is held in high regard by all who 
kniiw liim. 



IIEXKY KRFIDLJ'IR. 
Hcnrv Kreidler, now deceased, became a 
resident of Macon county when but nine years 
of age. Fie was a native of Kreidlersville, 
Northampton county, Pennsylvania, born on 
the I9tli of December, 1855. His parents, 
Conrad and Elemina (Flower) Kreidler, were 
also natives of the Keystone state and in 
1864 they left Pennsylvania and removed with 
their family to Macon county, Illinois, set- 
tling in lilue Mound township, where Mr. 
Kreidler purchased a farm. He then gave 
his attention to general agricultural pursuits 
and stock-raising and as the years passed 
I)laced many e.xcellent improvements upon his 
liroperix , which became a valuable and desir- 
able farm. He and his wife spent their re- 
maining days on the old homestead and were 
highlv respected people of the community. 
Three of their children are now living, name- 
ly : Mary, who resides in the village of Blue 
Mound : Percy, who is a resident of Chi- 
cago : and Thomas, who is living in Evans- 
ville, Indiana. 

Floury Kreidler obtained his early educa- 
tion in the common schools of Macon county 
and when he had mastered the elementary 
branches of learning he attended college in 
W'adsworth, Ohio, and received an excellent 
business training, well qualifying him for the 
responsible duties of life. He then returned 
to Blue Mound, Macon county, and was mar- 
ried on the 21st of October, 1880, to Miss 
]\Iary J. Stare, who was born in Decatur and 
is a daughter of George and Barbara (Har- 
nett) Stare, pioneer settlers of this city, a 
sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this 
volume. 

.\fler his marriage .Mr. Kreidler engaged 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



861 



in the liardware business in the village of 
Blue Mound for six years and then removed 
to Decatur, where he was first employed in the 
Wabash Railroad shops. Later he held 
a position in Bachman Brothers' furniture 
store for seven years and then en- 
gaged in the undertaking business with 
Frank L. Hill for about a year, but at 
the end of that time he sold his interest to 
his partner and accepted a position in 
the furniture store of Sanford & Wilson. 
At the time of his death he was connected 
with the Bachman Brothers & Alartin Com- 
pany, but was making arrangements to re- 
move to California. 

Mr. Kreidler was a prominent member of 
Chevalier Bayard Lodge, No. 189, K. P., and 
as prelate he opened and closed the meeting 
with prayer the night of his death, Septem- 
ber 7, 1897. He seemed in his usual health 
when he started for lodge, although for some 
time he had suffered from heart disease. At 
the close of the meeting about ten o'clock, he 
left the hall and it is supposed that on his ar- 
rival home he started for the stable to water 
his horse, which was his custom. His wife, 
who sat up waiting for him, became alarmed 
and at half past two telephoned to police 
headquarters. Several officers started out in 
search for him and two hours later his body 
was found in the yard back of the house. 
His sudden death was a sad blow to his fam- 
ily and many friends for he was widely 
known and held in high regard. At a regu- 
lar convention of Chevalier Bayard Lodge 
held Tuesday evening, September 14. 1897, 
the following resolutions were adopted : 

"Whereas, It has pleased the Supreme 
Ruler of the Universe to remove from our 
presence our Prelate and Brother Knight, 
Henry Kreidler, and 

" Whereas, we feel that by his death the 
lodge has lost a worthy officer and true 
Knight and that the loss to the lodge is an 
individual loss to every member, for we knew 
him as a true friend, v,ho was alwavs honor- 



able and courteous, ever striving by his daily 
life to practice the highest principles of our 
order and it is gratifying to remember that 
one of his last acts in life upon the evening 
of his death, was to close the lodge with a 
fervent prayer that on the last great day we 
may all meet, a happy and vmited brother- 
hood, to share the blessings of life eternal ! 

■' Resolved, That in the death of our brother 
we will ever be reminded of the uncertainty 
of life and the certainty of death ; and while 
the sun of life will set and cover the faults 
of man, the morning sun will rise in grander 
splendor to light the path of righteousness. 

" Resolved, That these resolutions be spread 
upon our records and a copy presented to the 
family of our deceased brother." 

Edward Wilson, 
A. H. Cope, 
John E. King, 

Committee 

Besides his connection with the Knights of 
Pythias, Mr. Ivreidler was also a member of 
Decatur Camp, No. 144, M. W. A. In early 
life he gave his allegiance to the Democracy 
and later because of his strong temperance 
principles he voted with the Prohibition party 
and in other ways did everything in his power 
to advance the cause of temperance and sup- 
press the evils incident to the continuance of 
the liquor traffic. He was never an office 
seeker nor did lie hold positions of political 
preferment. His business career was always 
commendable because of his fidelity to the 
trust reposed in him, his indefatigable energy 
and his earnest desire to please his patrons 
and those whom he represented. Mr. Kreid- 
ler took a deep and helpful interest in church 
work, both he and his wife holding member- 
ship in Grace Methodist Episcopal church, 
of which he was serving as treasurer at the 
time of his death. He was also a teacher in 
the Sunday-school and he gave freely and 
generouslv of his time and means for the ad- 
vancement of the cause of the church and the 
extension of its influence. Mrs. Kreidler takes 



862 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



on active interest in charitable and philan- 
thropic work and is now serving as secretary 
of the Anna B. Millikin Home for old ladies 
and children, and as state superintendent of 
the railroad department of the Woman's 
Qiristian Temperance Union. She is now 
living with her mother, Mrs. Stare, in De- 
catur, and both are well known ladies, having 
many warm friends because of their many 
excellent traits of heart and mind. 



BYRD L: DAVIS. 
Byrd L. Davis, who is engaged in the livery 
business in Decatur, was born in Macon 
county, on the 28th of June, 1869. His pa- 
ternal grandfather, Joseph Davis, was a native 
of Kentucky and his family were originally 
from Virginia. lie was one of the pioneers 
of this state and one of the founders of Ma- 
con county, becoming identified with business 
here at a very early day and aiding in the 
work of reclaiming the district for the pur- 
pose of civilization. He became well known 
as a leading trader and he drove mules from 
Macon county to Chicago, trading them for 
wagons which he brought back and sold. His 
son, H. W. Davis, the father of our subject, 
was born in Macon county, here spent his 
youth and afterward became a farmer, stock- 
raiser and nurseryman, carrying on these pur- 
suits until his removal to Decatur in 1879. 
In this city he established a livery business, 
which he conducted with success until his 
death, which occurred in 1896, when sixty- 
two years of age. His widow yet makes her 
home in Decatur. H. W. Davis belonged to 
a famih- of nine children, but only one of 
the number is now living, Mrs. Lydia Kizer, 
the wife of John Kizer, of Decatur. One of 
the brothers, John Davis, removed to Kansas 
in 1875 and was elected to congress there, 
becoming one of the leading and eminent citi- 
zens of that state, lie died there in the year 
1900. H. W. Davis was united in marriage 
to Miss Sairiantha Stickle, a daughter of John 



Stickle, who was a native of Pennsylvania, 
and became one of the early settlers of Illi- 
nois. In political affiliation H. W. Davis was 
a Republican and took an active part in sup- 
port of the organization and served as super- 
visor of his township. 

]:'\rd L. Davis pursued his education in 
the public schools of Macon county during 
his early boyhood and when a young boy of 
ten years came with his parents to Decatur. 
He was a student in the high school here and 
he entered upon his life work as a farmer in 
Champaign county. He afterward returned 
to Decatur where he has since been engaged 
in the livery business, being first located at 
No. 564 North Water street. He afterward 
sold his stable there and opened another at 
No. 140 East Cerro Gordo street and in 1896 
he took charge of his father's livery barn at 
564 North Water street. In April, 1899. he 
removed to his present location at No. 140 
South Main street and here he is conducting 
tlic leading livery of Decatur. Besides this 
barn Mr. Davis has two other barns in De- 
catur and has in his employ an average of 
thirty-five men. In July, 1903, he purchased 
the undertaking establishment of Peter Perl 
& Son, which is now being conducted under 
style of Hawkins, Davis & Company. Mr. 
Davis has rice lands in Texas and mining 
properties in Gilpin county, Colorado. He 
has a splendidly equipped establishment, all 
of his carriages being rubber tire and he also 
has a number of automobiles. He not only 
rents these and the carriages in the establish- 
ment, but also does a transfer business. 

In 1895 Mr. Davis was united in marriage 
to Miss Bertha Smart, a daughter of James 
Smart, of Shelbyvillc, Illinois. The children 
of this marriage are Ethel Ann. Fleta May, 
Josephine and Ilene. Mrs. Davis is a member 
of the Baptist church. Fraternally our sub- 
ject is connected with the Modern Woodmen 
of America. In politics he is inde])en(U'nt. 
voting for the man whom he believes best 
qualified for office regardless of party lines. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



86J 



DAVID S. SHELLABARGER. 

The viewpoint of the world concerning husi- 
Tiess has materially changed in the past 
century. At one time the man of promi- 
nence would have nothing to do with trade 
relations and derived his income from his 
landed estates. Today the most distinguished 
men of all nations are they who have con- 
trolled the veins and arteries of traffic and 
each community points with pride to its in- 
dustrial and commercial leaders, realizing that 
to them is largely due the prosperity and de- 
velopment of every locality. For forty-five 
years Decatur has numbered David S. Shella- 
barger among its prominent and progressive 
citizens. He may well be termed one of the 
founders of the city, for he has been the pro- 
moter of one of its leading enterprises. His 
connection with any undertaking insures a 
prosperous outcome of the same, for it is in 
his nature to carry forward to successful com- 
pletion whatever he is associated with. He 
has earned for himself a reputation as a care- 
ful man of Inisiness and in his dealings is 
known for his prompt and honorable methods. 
A native of Cumberland county, Pennsyl- 
vania, Mr. Shellabarger was born July n, 
1837, in a locality which had been the home 
of his ancestors through several generations, 
and in his own life record he has followed the 
industrial trend of the family. ' His parents, 
David and Catherine (Byerly) Shellabarger, 
were also natives of Cumberland county and 
in their family of ten children, David S. was 
the fifth in order of birth. The family home 
was on the bank of the Canadaquinette creek, 
about eight miles above Carlisle, the principal 
town of the Cumberland valley, a region noted 
for its beauty and fertility. There on the 
home farm David S. Shellabarger spent the 
days of his boyhood and youth, assisting in 
the labor of field and meadow, while in the 
district schools he mastered the branches of 
English learning usually taught in such in- 
stitution. Reading, experience and observa- 
tion, however, have largelv broadened his 



knowledge since he left the schoolroom and 
he is today a man of broad and practical gen- 
eral information. He worked upon the home 
farm until his nineteenth year, when he re- 
solved to seek business opportunities in the 
west, and in the spring of 1856 he located in 
Decatur, where he soon became connected 
with the lumber trade. After two years, how- 
ever, he abandoned the lumber business in 
order to devote his energies to milling, pur- 
chasing a third interest in a small mill, which 
stood on the present site of the Decatur Mill- 
ing Company's mill and which was afterward 
destroyed by fire. Although he had no prac- 
tical experience in his new work he came of a 
family of millers and he possessed consider- 
able mechanical ingenuity. His grandfather 
owned a mill adjoining the farm upon which 
David Shellabarger was reared and other 
members of the family had followed the same 
pursuit. For five 3'ears after becoming con- 
nected with milling, business was carried on 
under the name 'of Henkle, Shellabarger & 
Company and in 1863 our subject disposed 
of his interest in that enterprise and became 
half owner of a mill, of which he afterward 
became sole proprietor, his partners being I. 
Shellabarger and B. Dillehunt, the firm style 
of I. Shellabarger & Company being assumed. 
In 1869 the firm of D. S. Shellabarger & 
Company was formed and under the enter- 
prising and liberal management instituted by 
our subject and his business associates, their 
enterprise grew to large proportions. Sev- 
eral times the original " plant was enlarged, 
and in 1879 3 new mill was built, while the 
old mill was also retained as a feature of the 
business. The milling interests of our sub- 
ject became one of the leading enterprises 
of Decatur and the business was the largest 
of the kind in central Illinois. Mr. Shella- 
barger also owned an interest in a mill in 
Topeka, Kansas, and another in Wichita, 
which were among the best mills in the Sun- 
flower state. With all the practical details 
of the business he made himself thoroughlv 



864 



PAST AND i'KESENT OF MACOX COUNTY. 



familiar and was thus qualified to supervise 
the operative department of the enterprise as 
well as the business features of the office. 
In Ma}-. 1903, he disposed of his milling in- 
terests to the American Hominy Company, 
of which he was formerly a director. 

In 1885 a company was incorporated as the 
Shellabarger Mill & Elevator Company, with 
a cajiital stock of one hundred and fifty thou- 
sand dollars, with D. S. Shellabarger as presi- 
dent ; W. L. Shellabarger, secretary ; F. D. 
Shellabarger, treasurer; and L. C. Shella- 
barger, superintendent. Our subject, how- 
ever, lias not confined his attention or limited 
his energies alone to one line. He was a co- 
operant factor in the establishment of the 
street car system of Decatur, which super- 
seded the old horse-car system, but sold his 
interest in the .same in July, 1903. He is the 
vice president of the National Bank of De- 
catur; in the spring of 1903 organized the 
Decatur Elevator Company, capitalized at 
fifty thousand dollars, of which he is presi- 
dent and which owns elevators along the 
lines of the Wabash and Illinois Central Rail- 
roads. He is also president of the Manu- 
facturers' & Consumers' Coal Comjiany, with 
mines in Decatur, capitalized at one hundred 
thousand dollars. He has aided materiall\- in 
advancing many interests of the city which 
have resulted to its benefit and upbuilding, 
outside of his individual business affairs. 

In January, 1862, occurred the marriage 
of Mr. Shellabarger and Miss Anna E. Krone, 
a native of this city, and they have eight chil- 
dren, four sons and four daughters : a son 
who died in infancy; Adelc, the wife of E. 
I!. Ilillman. a resident of Peoria, Illinois; 
William L., secretary of the Shellabarger 
Mill &: Elevator Company; David S. ; Charles 
Thatcher: Lucian C, who is superintendent 
of the mills ; Fred D., who is the treasurer of 
the company: Maria, the wife of Andrew 
S. Crawder, a real-estate dealer in Spokane, 
Wa.shington ; Grace, the wife of J. F. Allen, 
of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Corinne, 



at home, the latter a graduate of the Mount 
N'ernon Seminary. 

I'rom the organization of the Republican 
l)ariy down to the present Mr. Shellabarger 
has been an advocate of its principles and 
■ when age gave to him the right of franchise 
he cast his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln 
in i860. He believes it the duty of a true 
citizen to keep well informed on the issues of 
the day and to fill capably such positions to 
which his fellow townsmen shall call him, and 
in 1869, 1870 and 1871 and again in 1880 he 
served as a member of the city council of 
Decatur. In 1872 he was elected mayor and 
his administration was practical, progressive 
and resultant. For two terms he represented 
Decatur township on the board of super- 
visors, and for twelve years was a member 
and president of the school board. For many 
years he has been a member of the Methodist 
Episco[)al church, and for more than a decade 
was superintendent of the Sunday-school con- 
nected with Stapps chapel, now tjrace church, 
of which he was one of the founders in 1867. 
His life has been one of continuous activity 
in which has been accorded due recognition 
(if labor; and today he is numbered among 
the substantial citizens of his county. His 
interests are thoroughly identified with those 
of Decatur, and at all times he is ready to 
lend his aid and co-operation to any move- 
ment calculated to benefit this section of the 
coutitry or advance its develojjment. 



J.VSl'ER J. PEDICORD. 
Jasper J. Pedicord was not only a witness 
of the entire business development of Deca- 
tur but was also an active participant in its 
commercial growth and expansion. He came 
to Decatur in 1838 when the city was but a 
village, having no railroad communication 
with other parts of the country. Indeed, it 
was a frontier settlement, but Mr. Pedicord 
recognized its possibilities and, improving the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



865 



advantages here offered, made his way stead- 
ily upward until he occupied a prominent posi- 
tion on the plane of affluence. His labors, too, 
were of the greatest benefit in the develop- 
ment and progress of the town for he was 
identified with many measures for the gen- 
eral good and his efiforts were always result- 
ant factors in improvement. 

Mr. Pedicord was born in Rockville, Mont- 
gomery county, Maryland, on the 8th of No- 
vember. 1815, and was in his eighty-fourth 
year when called from this life. He repre- 
sented one of the old families of his native 
state. His parents, Allen B. and Catherine 
(Willett) Pedicord, were both natives of 
Maryland and were of Scotch lineage. The 
father was a farmer by occupation, thus pro- 
viding for the support of his family. He sur- 
vived his wife for many years, passing away 
in 1868 at the advanced age of sevent\-eight 
years. Three children survived him at that 
time : Rebecca. Marian and Jasper, but all 
have now passed away. 

Jasper Pedicord spent the first fifteen years 
of his life in the county of his nativity and 
his early education was obtained in a country 
school such as was common at that time, 
while later he continued his studies in the 
Rockville Academy. When a youth of fifteen 
he entered upon his business career and from 
that time forward made his own way in the 
world, earning all that he afterward possessed 
and enjoyed. His first employment was as a 
clerk in a store in Washington, D. C, and he 
remained in that city for five years, going 
thence to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he 
again found employment in rnercantile lines. 
He had occupied the latter position for two 
years when in 1838 he sought a home in Illi- 
nois, locating in the city of Decatur, where 
he remained continuously up to the time of 
his death, more ■ than sixty-one years later. 
Not afraid to cope with the difificulties of the 
task incident to the establishment of business 
enterprises upon the frontier he put forth his 
best efforts to win sticcess for himself and 



also to promote public progress and pros- 
perity. His first step after reaching Decatur 
was to become a landholder for he entered 
one hundred and sixty acres northwest of 
the city. Not long after this he became a 
factor in commercial life by the establish- 
ment .of a general mercantile store in part- 
nership with Henry Prather. The business 
conditions of this part of the country at that 
time may be imagined b_\- the fact that New 
Orleans was the market for the produce raised 
in this locality and Mr. Pedicord made fre- 
quent trips down the river in flat boats, carry- 
ing pork, flour and corn to the Crescent City 
to exchange for cash or other commodities. 
It recjuired nearly three months to make the 
round trip. A little mercantile store of the 
firm of Pedicord & Prather was opened in a 
log cabin which stood on the northwest corner 
of the old square, but Mr. Pedicord kept apace 
with the growth of the city and development 
of its interests and its progress, his place of 
business ever being in accord with its sur- 
roundings. In 1849 when his partner wished 
to go to California Mr. Pedicord purchased 
his interest in the business and afterward en- 
tered into partnership relations with Hosea 
J. Armstrong. He, too, after two years went 
to California and Mr. Pedicord was once more 
alone in business. In 1853 he joined Lowber 
Burrows in business and this relation was 
maintained up to the death of our subject. 
They established a bank under the firm style 
of Pedicord, Burrows & Company and the in- 
stitution at once took rank with the leading 
financial concerns of this part of the county. 
They earned on a general banking and ex- 
change business and their patronage grew 
continuously because of the excellent business 
policy which they inaugurated and the 
straightforward methods they had ever fol- 
lowed in dealing with the general public. The 
co-operation of Mr. Pedicord was also given 
to many other business enterprises. He be- 
came largely interested in the Decatur Furni- 
ture Company and was elected its president. 



866 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



He was also a director in the Decatur Gas 
Light & Coke Company and in the Decatur 
Agricultural Works. His business judgment 
was sound and reliable and his energy and 
keen foresight proved important factors in the 
successful control of many interests here. 

On the 30th of July, 1842, Mr. Pedicord 
was united in marriage to Mrs. Adamson, the 
widow of John A. Adamson and a daughter 
of Jacob and Isabella (Watson) Oglesby. Her 
mother was a sister of Governor Oglesby. 
Five children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Pedicord : Woodford W., Isabelle, Emaline 
W., Richard O. and \alctte O., and the fam- 
ily circle remained unbroken until the death 
of the husband and father. 

In his social relations Mr. Pedicord was a 
Mason, belonging to Macon Lodge, No. 8, 
A. F. & A. M. He became one of the char- 
ter members of Macon Chapter, No. 21, R. 
A. M., and his life was in consistent harmony 
with the teachings and tenets of the craft. 
During the early years of his residence in 
Decatur he became a charter member of 
Stapps Chapel, an organization of the Meth- 
odist denomination, and later he was for 
many years a member of the Grace Methodist 
Episcopal church, in which he long served as 
a trustee. This church was organized in one 
of the big rooms of the bank conducted by 
the firm of Pedicord, Burrows & Company. 
To church work he contributed generouslv 
and his personal efforts were always felt for 
good in the development of the church and 
its work. 

In his early manhood he was an advocate 
of the Democratic principles put forth by An- 
drew Jackson and he continued to vote with 
the party until the inauguration of the Civil 
war. Being a stanch adherent of the Union 
cause and an opponent of slavery he joined 
the ranks of the party formed to prevent the' 
further extension of slavery into the north 
and was allied therewith up to the time of his 
demise. Political honors and emoluments 
were never sought bv him. but his fellow 



citizens recognized his fitness for office and 
his fidelity in public affairs and elected him 
to a number of positions of public trust and 
responsibility. Twice he served as mayor of 
the city and his administration of municipal 
affairs was most creditable and satisfactory 
to the public, winning him high encomiums. 
He never ceased to take an active interest 
in political affairs and his commodious home 
at Xo. 226 North Franklin street was long 
the headquarters for visiting statesmen from 
Illinois and other sections of the country. 
In manner he was most genial and cordial 
and he had a keen sense of- humor, appre- 
ciating a joke on himself as well as upon 
some one else. Truly he may be called one 
of the builders of Decatur for he came to this 
city when it was but a cluster of log cabins 
and no business man here contributed more 
liberally toward enterprises tending to im- 
prove and develop the city than did Jasper 
Pedicord. He died on the 27th of July, 1899, 
and yet the force of his character is still felt 
in commercial circles and will be a factor 
here as long as the institutions which he 
established are representatives of the business 
life of this city. Every interest for the social, 
intellectual and moral welfare of Decatur also 
elicited his attention and hearty co-operation. 
He was a man of broad mind, generous heart, 
kindl\- and sympathetic and his friends were 
lesrion. 



WILLIAM H. STARR. 

In 1856, Joseph G. Starr removed with his 
family from Pennsylvania to Decatur, Illinois, 
and started a harn(;ss shop on the southwest 
corner of the Old Square, now known as 
Lincoln Square. In 1869 he admitted his son, 
William H. Starr, to partnership. After hav- 
ing spent a life of industry and usefulness, 
he died, leaving a widow and three sons, 
William H., Joseph S. and Harry C. 

Upon the death of the father, the manage- 
ment of the business passed to William H. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



867 



Starr, who extended its field. In order to 
more properly care for increasing business and 
to retain the prestige of the name of J. G. 
Starr & Son, the firm was incorporated in 
1891 under the name of J. G. Starr & Son 
Harness Company, since which time its busi- 
ness has grown with vigor and expanded 
until its field is now virtually limited only by 
the confines of the United States. 

J. G. Starr was a man who practiced the 
principles of integrity and truth. William H. 
Starr has followed his precepts and has great- 
ly increased the business heritage from his 
father. He has consistently manufactured 
harness on the principle of honesty and has 
truthfully represented them to be just what 
they are. On these principles he has created 
and developed a mail order harness business, 
whose patrons are dealers in every state, from 
New England to the Rocky Mountains. The 
retail business is still conducted by Mr. Starr 
in the same location where it was established 
by his father forty-seven years ago. In addi- 
tion to his large trade interests, Mr. Starr is 
at present vice president of the Citizens Na- 
tional Bank. 

William H. Starr is a man of public spirit 
and has been identified w-ith various industries 
which have done much to promote the ma- 
terial interests of Decatur and Macon county. 
He has also taken an active interest in the 
moral and social welfare of the community 
and has done much which contributed to bet- 
ter civil government in city and county af- 
fairs. While he is a man of positive char- 
acter, he is withal afifable and accessible. He 
is true to his friends and bears in his daily 
life an exemplification of the truly good citi- 
zen. 



DOUGLAS D. HILL. 
Douglas D. Hill is prominently known in 
both legal and political circles. It is a no- 
table fact in the world's history that the law- 
yer has been more prominent in public affairs 



than the representatives of any other class of 
business. The reason for this is evident and 
needs no explanation for the qualities which 
fit him for the practice of law also prepare him 
for duties which lie outside the strict path of 
his profession. The readiness of resource 
and keen analytical powers which are essen- 
tial elements of the successful legal practiT 
tioner also go far toward accomplishing a 
given purpose in other walks of life. 

Douglas D. Hill, now successfully practic- 
ing in Decatur, is a son of John W. and 
Frances J. (Barlow) Hill, both of whom 
were natives of Crawford county, Illinois. 
The Hill family was established in this state 
in early pioneer days. In fact, this was a 
great unbroken territory when John Hill pen- 
etrated into the state, arriving in the year 
1799. He was the great-grandfather of the 
subject of this review. William Hill, the 
grandfather, became a resident of Crawford 
county, Illinois, in 1801. He married Miss 
Eve Biggs and amid the scenes of frontier 
life they reared their family, while in the 
work of public progress and improvement 
they took an active and helpful part. John 
W. Hill was reared to manhood in the old 
homestead and assisted in the arduous task 
of .developing new land. After arriving at 
years of maturity he wedded Miss Frances J. 
Barlow, a daughter of Jesse Barlow, who was 
also a native of Crawford county, his birth 
having there occurred on the ist of February, 
1792. He became a physician as well as pio- 
neer farmer and lived a life of great useful- 
ness in that early community, his efforts prov- 
ing of much benefit to his fellow men in the 
alleviation of human suffering. He married 
Miss Jane Marshall, a daughter of Henry 
and Jane Marshall. The former was a relative 
of Chief Justice John Marshall, who was so 
long at the head of the entire judiciary of the 
United States and whose ancestors were 
among the first settlers of Virginia. The 
father of our subject is still living, but the 
mother passed away in 1897. 



868 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Douglas D. Hill was reared in the usual 
manner of farmer boys. He worked in the 
fields from the time of early spring planting 
until after crops were harvested in the late 
autumn. He then found opportunity to at- 
tend the district school through the cold 
months of the winter season when his aid was 
not needed upon the home farm. In his nine- 
teenth year he began teaching and followed 
that profession for two years. He then went 
to Valparaiso, Indiana, where he attended the 
Indiana Normal school for a year and later 
he resumed teaching which he followed, how- 
ever, merely as an initiative step to other pro- 
fessional labor. He devoted his leisure hours 
to the reading of law at Robinson, Illinois, 
and subsequently he continued his legal stud- 
ies under the direction of H. E. Callaher and 
afterward with the Hon. .A. H. Jones, who is 
now serving as slate food commissioner under 
Governor Yates. When he had largely mas- 
tered the principles of jurisprudence and be- 
came familiar w'ith everything pertaining 
thereto he was admitted to the bar in 1886 
in Springfield, Illinois, successfully passing 
an examination before the supreme court. He 
then formed a partnership with John C. Max- 
well, of Robinson, Illinois, which connection 
was continued for six years, when Mr. Hill 
was elected city attorney and served for two 
vcars. In 1892 he came to Decatur and has 
since practiced in all of the courts here. He 
has gained a large and distinctively represent- 
ative clientage and his capabilities are widely 
acknowledged by the profession as well as by 
the public. He prepares his cases with great 
thoroughness and skill and in the presenta- 
tion of a case leaves no doubt as to the cor- 
rectness of the position. He has won many 
verdicts favorable to his clients and well 
merits the large amount of business which is 
annually given him. 

On Christmas day in 1889 Mr. Hill was 
happily married to Miss Delia Kurtz, of Rob- 
inson. Illinois, a daughter of A. E. and Mar- 
garet (Sponsler) Kurtz. Mrs. Hill was born 



in Crawford county and by her marriage has 
become the mother of two children : June 
Marie and Lyle Kurtz. In his political views 
Mr. Hill is a Democrat and in 1898 he w-as a 
candidate on that ticket for the position of 
county judge against William C. Hammer. He 
takes great interest in local, county and state 
politics and exercises considerable influence 
in political circles. He makes a close study 
of the questions and issues of the day and 
his labors in behalf of Democracy have not 
been without beneficial result. In matters of 
citizen.ship he is public spirited and progres- 
sive, co-operating along many lines pertaining 
to the general progress and improvement. 



WILLT.K^t C. ARMSTRONG. 

In viewing the mass of mankind in the 
varied occupations of life, the conclusion is 
forced upon the observer that in the vast ma- 
jority of cases men have sought employment 
not in the line of their peculiar fitness but in 
those fields where caprice or circumstances 
have placed them, and thus have come the 
large number of failures among those who 
enter commercial and professional circles. 
Nature certainly intended that Mr. Armstrong 
should enter a field of commercial activity for 
he has displayed marked aptitude in his work 
in this direction, being able to plan and to 
perform and determined in the execution of 
ideas concerning his own business interests. 
He is now the general manager of the Decatur 
Coal Company and the success of this enter- 
prise may be attributable in large measure 
to his labors. 

Mr. Armstrong came to Illinois from Ten- 
nessee. He was born near Knoxville, on the 
17th of July, 1845, his parents being Wil- 
liam and Hettie (King) Armstrong, the for- 
mer a native of Virginia, and the latter of 
Tennessee. .After their marriage they settled 
near what w-as then the village of Knox- 
ville and the lather became connected with 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



869 



merchandising and also with farming. In 
the city of his birth the son spent his boyhood 
days and acquired his early education. When 
quite young he came to Greene county, lUi- 
nois, and for a time continued his studies in 
the schools of Carrollton. He ma<le his home, 
however, upon his father's farm until 
eighteen years of age, but not wishing to fol- 
low the plow as a life work he resolved to 
connect himself with some industrial or com- 
mercial line in the city of Decatur. Accord- 
ingly he sought employment here and be- 
came a clerk in the store of Roberts Brothers, 
with whom he remained for seven years, be- 
ing one of tlie trusted employes of that house. 
In fact, such was the confidence reposed in 
him and the good will extended to him by 
his employers that at the end of seven years 
he was admitted to a partnership under the 
firm style of Roberts & Armstrong and 
this firm was one of the leading busi- 
ness concerns of Decatur for a number 
of years. At length, however, Mr. 

Armstrong bought out his partner and 
eight yearj later he disposed of his interest 
to E. A. West. On disposing of this enter- 
prise he turned his attention to the coal busi- 
ness and became a partner in the Decatur 
Coal Company. This company owns three 
mines, one being in the city, one at its north- 
ern boundary and the third near Decatur. In 
1883 the Decatur Coal Company was incor- 
porated with O. B. Gorin as secretary and 
treasurer and Mr. Armstrong as general man- 
ager. The mines are profitably worked, the ' 
latest improved machinery is used in the pros- 
ecution of this business and there are also 
good shipping facilities which enable the 
product to be readily placed upon the market. 
During the winter months the output of these 
mines is very extensive and the control of the 
business devolving upon him, Mr. Armstrong 
shows that he is a man of resource in business 
affairs, of keen insight into situations and of 
strong determination in carrying forward to 
successful completion whatever he undertakes. 



In 1873 Air. Armstrong was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Ida Gorin, a sister of his part- 
ner, O. B. Gorin. They now have four chil- 
dren : William J., who is with his father in 
the coal office ; Ida E., the wife of L. F. 
Funk, of Bloomington, Illinois; Florence, 
who is now a student in an eastern college ; 
and Eleanor, at home. In Alasonic circles 
Mr. Armstrong is prominent and popular and 
is now a worthy exemplar of Ionic Lodge, 
No. 312, A. F. & A. M.: Macon Chapter, 
Xo. 21, R. A. M. : and Beaumanoir Com- 
mandery, X. 9, K. T. He has gained a dis- 
tinguished position in connection with the im- 
portant industries of the county and his ef- 
forts have been so discerningly directed 
along well defined lines of labor that he has 
accomplished the most desirable results. A 
man of distinct and forceful individuality, of 
broad mentality and mature judgment, he has 
left and is leaving his impress upon the in- 
dustrial world. For twenty years he has been 
an important factor in the development of the 
natural resources of this portion of the state 
and his eflforts have been of value in promot- 
ing the general welfare and prosperity of the 
citv in which he makes his home. 



SULLIVAN BURGESS. 
Sullivan Burgess was born June 6, 1828, 
in Concord, Massachusetts, and was educated 
in the common schools of his native town. 
Having a taste and desire to learn mathematics 
he made rapid progress with that study, grad- 
uating at the head of his class at the age of 
sixteen years. When eighteen years of age 
he left his home in Concord and went to 
Wilkesbarre, and accepted a position as a 
clerk in the dry goods house of his brother- 
in-law. Two years later he was offered an 
opportunity to join an engineering corps on 
the Vermont Central Railroad, which he 
eagerlv embraced, it being more suited to 
his inclinations, the line being from Windsor, 



870 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Vermont, to Burlington on Lake Champlain. 
That engagement being completed he then 
went to Canada to engage in the construction 
of a railroad from Lake Champlain to the St. 
Lawrence river opposite Montreal, and as- 
sisted in the preliminary survey for the great 
\'ictoria bridge at that point. In the fall of 
1852 he left Canada for Illinois, to engage as 
assistant engineer on the Wabash Railroad 
and located the line between Springfield and 
Decatur during that fall and winter. He re- 
mained on this portion of the road during its 
construction, as resident engineer, making his 
headquarters at Decatur, and in the spring of 
1854 he extended the survey of the Wabash 
east from Decatur to Tolono. After the com- 
pletion of the extension to Tolono he entered 
into partnership with the late C. A. Tuttle 
in 1856, as land agents and real estate dealers 
in Decatur, their office fronting Lincoln 
Square in the space now occupied by Mer- 
chant street. That year the city of Decatur 
was organized and he was appointed city en- 
gineer, which office he has occupied at differ- 
ent intervals up to the present. Mr. Burgess 
was married to Miss Sarah Jane Strobeck, 
of Potsdam, North Carolina, in 1857. 

In April, 1 86 1, he was engaged on the 
survey of a railroad from Decatur to Cham- 
paign, but the breaking out of the Rebellion 
suspended all railroad building. He then pur- 
chased an interest in the Stafford cultivator 
and in the fall of 1863, the cultivator having 
taken the first premium at the State Fair 
held in Decatur that year, he was largely in- 
strumental in inducing parties to come from 
Pekin to Decatur and erect the shop (now 
owned by Chambers, Bering and Quinlan) for 
the purpose of manufacturing the Stafford 
cultivator. He was one of the founders of the 
First National Bank and a member of the 
first board of directors. In 1867 Tuttle & 
Burgess commenced the survey of Decatur & 
East St. Louis railroad, now St. Louis division 
of the Wabash road and located the line the 
entire length and had charge of its construction 



from Decatur to Taylorville. After the com- 
pletion of that road he made a survey in the 
spring of 1870 from Decatur to Chicago, 
nearly an air line, also re-surveyed the same 
line in spring of 1871. The building of this 
road was defeated by the intrigue and treach- 
ery of its false friends. He was also engaged 
in the winter of 1870 and 1871 with the Chi- 
cago, Burlington & Quincy in the extension 
of their lines west of Mendota. In the fall 
of 1873 h^ went to Kansas City and located 
a line of railroad east through Independence 
in the direction of Booneville, Missouri, but 
the financial panic \vhich swept the country 
in that year indefinitely postponed all railroad 
operations. 

In the spring of 1874 ^Ir. Burgess was 
elected city engineer and superintendent of 
water works at Decatur, which position he 
occupied until 1880. In 1881 he located the 
line of road from Springfield to Mississippi 
river, by way of Jerseyville and remained on 
that line until completed. He made a survey 
in 1883 and 1884 for Wabash Railroad Com- 
pany from Danville to the Kankakee river by 
way of Gilman and Custer Park, also a sur- 
vey the same winter from a point a few miles 
north of Jersey Landing down the left bank 
to the Mississippi river down to Alton, the 
most difficult survey he ever made. The road 
has since been built on the same line he ran. 
In the fall of 1884 'le visited California for the 
benefit of his health, going by way of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad to Portland, from 
thence down the Columbia river to San Fran- 
cisco, spending two months in the vicinity of 
San Jose. Pie was so well pleased with the 
country there, he came back with the intention 
of moving there as soon as he could make ar- 
rangements to do so. In the spring of 1887 
he was engaged with the Jacksonville & 
Southeastern Railroad Company in the ex- 
tension of their line from Centralia to Mount 
Vernon. His health failing him, he accepted 
the appointment of city engineer in the sum- 
mer of 1887, which position he occupied until 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



871 



1897. Mr. Burgess was married the second 
time to Sarah Jane Brown of Abington, 
Massachusetts, on October 30, i860. Two 
children were born to them, a daughter, now 
Mrs. J. R. Haworth, of Des Moines, Iowa, 
and a son, Silas N. who is in California, near 
Los Angeles. 



WILLI A AI L. HAMMER. 

For almost a half century Judge Ham- 
mer made his home in Decatur and the emi- 
nent place which he held in the public regard 
is indicated by the fact that he was never a 
candidate for any office to which he was not 
elected and yet he held many positions of 
public trust and for eight years was judge of 
Macon county. He won prominence as a 
member of the bar and stood as a stanch 
defender of law and order and the character- 
istics of his manhood were marked. He gave 
unfaltering allegiance to any cause which he 
believed to be right and was a co-operant fac- 
tor in many measures for the general good. He 
desired sttongly to see marked advancement 
made by the state along material, intellectual 
and moral lines and as a citizen was most 
public-spirited and progressive. 

Judge Hammer was a native of Kentucky, 
his birth having occurred in the village of 
Winchester, Clark county, on the 2d of No- 
vember, 1817. His parents were Frederick 
and Elizabeth (Webb) Hammer. His pa- 
ternal grandfather, John Hammer, was an 
early settler of New Jersey and married a ' 
Miss Warner, who was also born in that state. 
Subsequently they removed to Kentucky and 
were numbered among its pioneer settlers. 
Frederick Hammer was born in New Jersey 
in 1794 and with his parents went to the 
Blue Grass state, whence in 1827, following 
his marriage, he removed to Illinois, settling 
in Christian county, where he and his wife 
spent their remaining days. 

The Judge began his education in the pub- 
lic schools of his native state, his instructor 



being a private tutor. With his parents he 
came to Illinois, the journey being made in 
a wagon drawn by ox teams. The family 
home was established in Christian county and 
later Judge Hammer engaged in teaching 
school in that and in Shelby counties, fol- 
lowing the profession with marked success 
for ten years. He had the ability to impart 
clearly and readily to others the knowledge 
that he had gained and his work as an in- 
structor was most gratifying to the patrons of 
the schools with which he was connected. 
During the summer months his attention was 
given to farm work. 

In December, 1854, he arrived in Decatur 
and continued to make his home in this city 
up to the time of his death, covering almost 
a half century. Here he was first identified 
with commercial pursuits, forming a partner- 
ship with R. A. Newell under the firm name 
of Newell & Hammer. They established a 
grocery store which they conducted for eight 
years and also the Judge was later associated 
with financial circles of the city as a private 
banker, belonging to the firm of Smith. Ham- 
mer & Company. They maintained that bank 
for eight years, but through much of his active 
life Judge Hammer was in public office and 
his career as an official was one most com- 
mendable. He never faltered in the faithful 
performance of duty, but conscientiously put 
forth every effort for the public welfare and 
over the record of his official career there falls 
no shadow of wrong. He was first called to 
office in 1843, when he was elected constable 
in Christian county, acting in that capacity 
for three years. From 1846 until 1854 he 
was sheriff of the same county and in 1856, 
following his removal to Decatur, he was 
elected justice of the peace of this city and 
thus served until i860. In the latter year 
he was chosen circuit clerk of Macon county 
and filled the office for eight years, while 
from 1865 until 1874 he was a member of 
and president of the board of education. In 
1869 he was elected mayor of the city and his 



872 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



administration, covering two years, proved 
most acceptable to his fellow citizens, be- 
cause of its business-like character. He was 
not only practical but also progressive and yet 
he favored no needless expenditure of money, 
managing the affairs of the city as he did his 
personal interests, with the purpose of ob- 
taining maximum result at minimum cost. 
In 1888 he was again chosen justice of the 
peace in Decatur and occupied that position 
until 1894, when he was elected county judge. 
For eight years he served upon the bench 
and his decisions were strictly fair and im- 
partial. He was not a lawyer and yet he 
gained a broad and comprehensive knowledge 
of the principles of the law in the years of his 
former connection with j^isticc courts and 
while serving in other offices. .V ])romincnl 
attorney of Macon county bar said he never 
knew of any court in which .so few of the 
decisions were reversed liy higher tribunals 
than in Macon county under the administra- 
tion of Judge Hammer. Me brought to the 
bench an innate sense of justice and love of 
the right. His mind was strong and well 
balanced and bis marked intellectuality en- 
abK'd liini t(.i tlioroughly understand a sit- 
uatitm and to bring to bear ui)on the point 
in litigation the law applicable thereto. .\t 
the time of bis retirement from office on the 
1st of December, 1902, he was perhaps one 
of the oldest jurists in years in the state. 

In 1853 J'-if'S^ Hammer had been united 
in marriage to Miss Lsabell M. Fast, of Tay- 
lorville, also a daughter of Tliomas and 
Priscilla East. Fight children ba\e been born 
of this union, of whom four are living, name- 
ly : William A., who is paying teller in the 
Millikin National I'.ank : Harold C. of De- 
catur; Ruth, the wife of J. Flnur (Irox'es of 
this city; and Fva, the wife of j. II. Clark, 
a resident of LaFayette, Indiana. 

Tlie Judge was a ]>rominent Mason, having 
become a member of the order in 185O and 
at the time of his death he held membership 
in Macon Lodge, No. 8, A. F. & .\. M. and 



also in Macon Chapter and Beaumanoir Com- 
mandery. He likewise belonged to the Odd 
Fellows" lodge in this city. He was member 
of the first school board of Decatur and was 
ever active in educational work, putting forth 
every effort in his power to advance the 
standard of the schools and render the course 
of instruction more effective as a preparation 
for life's practical and responsible duties. Af- 
ter his retirement from office he enjoyed a 
well earned rest up to the time of his death, 
which occurred May 20, 1903. His remains 
were interred with the ceremonies of the Ma- 
sonic fraternity and deep and sincere sorrow 
was manifested throughout the city, for Judge 
Hanuner was held in the highest regard by 
all who knew him. His official service was 
characteriziHl 1)\ unfalttring fidelity and thus 
he received the commendation of the opposi- 
tion party as well as tlie supporters of the 
Republican part\. llis honorable life record 
gained him high encomiums and he left the 
im])ress of his individuality for good upon 
Decatur and Macon countv. 



CHARLES C. .RANDOLPH. 

Charles C. Randolph is one of the large 
landowners of Macon county and is the senior 
nieml)er of the firm of C. C. & N. W. Ran- 
dolph, dealers in city and farm property in 
Decatur. They also loan money and handle 
large amounts of land in Missouri, Arkansas, 
Oklahoma and Texas. 

Throughout his entire life Charles C. Ivan- 
dolph has been a resident of Illinois and has 
always been imbued witli the progressive spirit 
which has been the dominant factor in the up- 
buikling and development of this state. His 
birth occurred in Logan county near Lincoln, 
the family home being on a farm in that lo- 
cality. His father, John Randolph, was a na- 
tive of \'irginia and came to Illinois in pio- 
neer times, settling in this state in 1829. Here 
be became an extensive landowner, entering 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



873 



thousands of acres from the government, a 
part of which he improved. He was an intel- 
hgent and progressive agriculturist, following 
advanced methods of farming and as a worthy 
pioneer he well deserves mention in the an- 
nals of the state because of the helpful part 
which he took in reclaiming the district for 
the purposes of civilization. He had a wide 
acquaintance and was a man universally re- 
spected for his man_\- excellent traits of char- 
acter. His business integrity stood as one of 
the strongest elements in his career and made 
him well worthy of the trust imposed in him. 
His death occurred in Logan county about 
1900, but his widow is living on the home- 
stead there. She bore the maiden name of 
Margaret Wallace and was a native of Ken- 
tucky. By her marriage she had several chil- 
dren, including DeWitt, Charles C. and Mar- 
tin W. 

As a farm boy Charles C. Randolph was 
reared. He obtained a good common-school 
education and assisted in the cultivation of 
the fields on the old home place until he at- 
tained his majority, when he began farming 
and stock-dealing on his own account. He 
made a specialty of the raising of hogs and 
cattle and annually his sales brought to him 
a very desirable financial return. As his cap- 
ital increased he made judicious investments 
from time to time and is now the possessor 
of a very extensive and valuable farm, ag- 
gregating twelve himdred acres of rich land 
under a high state of cultivation. Most of 
this is also underlaid with a good vein of 
coal and part of the land is situated in Logan 
county and the remainder in Macon county. 
Mr. Randolph continued to reside upon his 
farm until 1896, when he took up his abode 
in Decatur, where he opened an ofifiice and 
began dealing in real estate and also in loan- 
ing money. He handles not only city and 
farm property in this locality, but also deals 
in southern and western lands. He has thor- 
oughly informed himself concerning realty 
values here and is thus enabled to make 



judicious investments and profitable sales. In 
1902 he associated himself with his brother 
N. W. under the firm name of C. C. & N. W. 
Randolph. He rents his farm lands in Logan 
and Macon counties so that he has opportunity 
to devote much time to his real estate opera- 
tions both here and in the south. 

In August, 1897, Mr. Randolph was joined 
in wedlock to Miss Sophia Hutchinson, of 
this county, a daughter of Jesse Hutchinson. 
Mr. Randolph is a man to whom the most en- 
vious cannot grudge his success, so well has 
he earned it. He is kind in manner and ap- 
proachable and every comer has a claim upon 
his courteous attention. There has been noth- 
ing sensational in his career, every step has 
been thoughtfully and deliberately made and 
every advance has been at the cost of earnest 
labor. He stands to-day in his mature years 
a strong man — strong in the consciousness of 
a well spent life, strong to plan and perform, 
strong in his honor and his good name and a 
worthy example for young men to pattern 
after. 



A. J. STONER, M. D. 
In the death of the honored subject of this 
memoir not only Decatur but the Prairie state 
as well lost one of her best and most valued 
citizens — a man sincere, upright, just and 
conscientious in word and deed. His life was 
a busy and useful one and extensive pro- 
fessional pursuits claimed his attention, yet 
his career was not that of one intent on 
money-making or of self-aggrandizement, but 
was ever dominated by the noble desire to 
aid and uplift his fellow men and to pro- 
mote the welfare of city, state and nation. 
A complete record of what he accomplished 
for the city, of the good deeds he performed 
and of the kindly sympathy which he invari- 
ably extended to others could not be compiled, 
for he was modest and unostentatious in all 
his acts, guided not by the hope of recogni- 



874 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



tioii aiul praise, but by an honorable purpose 
and noble duty. 

Dr. Stoncr was born on the 2d of August, 
1824, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and when but a 
boy came to Illinois. Here he lived in the 
family of Dr. Sutphan, of Perry, who was 
one of the pioneer physicians of the state and 
it was while surrounded with the influences 
of that home that Dr. Stoner became deeply 
interested in the science of medicine. Form- 
ing a determination to make its practice his 
life work while yet a youth he studied in the 
office and midcr the direction of his friend 
and benefactor. Dr. Sutphan. Subsequently 
he entered the Jeflferson Medical College of 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in which he was 
graduated and then became a student in the 
College of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, 
in which he also completed the course. 

Dr. Stoner entered upon his professional 
career in Chambersburg, Illinois, where he 
opened an office and soon gained some 
patrons. Afterward, however, he removed 
to Mount Sterling, Illinois, where he remained 
until the close of the Civil war, when he 
severed his business relations there and re- 
moved to Decatur, his remaining days being 
passed in this city. In 1866 he established 
a drug store at the corner of South Park and 
State streets. It was long one of the old 
land marks in the business district of Deca- 
tur and a liberal jjatronage was continually 
accorded to its [jriqiriotor who was widely 
and prominently known in business circles. 
His methods commended him to the public 
confidence and he won favor by reason of his 
genial nature and obliging disposition. For 
a number of years the management of the 
drug business was intrusted to the late Cap- 
tain W. J. Brown. For many years Dr. 
Stoner continued in the active practice of 
his chosen calling and kept in touch with the 
advancement made in the science of medicine. 
He studied long and carried his researches 
far and wide into the fields of medical knowl- 



edge so that his efforts were most effective 
and helpful in the alleviation of human suf- 
fering. In many a household he was known 
as the loved family physician and after he re- 
tired from the more active practice of his 
calling he was accorded a large office and 
consultation practice. At one time his patron- 
age extended through central Illinois and it 
is jirobable that no physician in Decatur was 
ever more widely known. The weather was 
never too inclement for him to respond to the 
call of the sick and suffering and he often- 
times took long rides to visit patients when 
lie knew that no pecuniary reward could be 
expected. He continued as owner of the drug 
store until about five years prior to his death, 
when he retired and was succeeded by his 
son, Dr. Fred Stoner. 

The Doctor was a man of strong, forceful 
spirit, of great benevolence and of kindliness. 
He contributed to various enterprises of a 
charitable character and yet he never sought 
the praise of his fellow men or their recogni- 
tion. He gave freely and without display. 
In both his professional and business career 
he was very successful and the poor and 
tieedy shared generously with him of his 
means. Fle was a man of imtiring energy 
and zeal and his long life which ended No- 
vember 13, 1901, was without a blemish, for 
his character was always honorable and up- 
right, and thus his memory is cherished by 
all who k'lKw him. 

Dr. Fred Stoner, a son of Dr. A. J. Stoner, 
was educated in the public schools of De- 
catur. He afterward became manager of the 
drug store, which was conducted under the 
firm style of .\. J. Stoner & Son from 1887 
until 1890. His professional knowledge was 
gained as a student in Rush Medical College 
of Chicago and in the University of Nash- 
ville, Tennessee, spending the years between 
1890 and 1896 as a student in these institu- 
tions. He then practiced medicine in Deca- 
tur and also managed the drug store until 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



875 



selling his interest to the present firm of A. J. 
Stoner & Son in 1899. He is now practic- 
ing mcdicme in this city and vicinity. 



FRANK A. CRABB. 

The business career is one which illustrates 
the power of industry and perseverance in the 
active affairs of life. Every step that he has 
made has been premeditated and then sanc- 
tioned by mature judgment : it has contrib- 
uted its share to the sum of prosperity which 
has attended his efforts as a coal dealer. 

Mr. Crabb was born in Springfield. Illi- 
nois, on the 22d of January, 1869, and comes 
of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His ancestors were 
among the earliest settlers of the city of 
Springfield. His great-grandfather, Elijah 
Isle, was one of the pioneers of the capital 
city, living there when it was but a mere ham- 
let and taking an active part in its develop- 
ment and progress. He gave the land upon 
which the Wabash Railroad shops were built 
and also gave the right of way to the Chi- 
cago & Alton Railroad. He was thus closely 
connected with the industrial development of 
the city. Janius D. Crabb, the father of our 
subject, was a native of Ohio and came thence 
to Illinois, establishing his home in Litch- 
field when seventeen years of age. About the 
time of the close of the Civil war he began 
operating coal mines and for many years was 
connected with the Litchfield Mining Com- 
pany, doing an important work in the devel- 
opment of the coal resources of the state. He 
was united in marriage to Miss Sallie Loose, 
also a native of Ohio and a daughter of Jacob 
Loose, one of the oldest residents of Spring- 
field, who in an early day was the owner of 
the land upon which the governor's mansion 
now stands. 

Frank A. Crabb, whose name introduces 
this record, obtained his early education in 
the ward schools of St. Louis and afterward 
attended the high school in which he was 



graduated with the class of 1890. Later he 
pursued a three years' course in Smith's 
Academy and then entered upon his business 
career in the employ of the Staunton Coal 
Company at Staunton, IlHnois, being assigned 
to duty in the boiler-room, where he remained 
for three years dating from 1897. He 
ec|uipped the electric elevator plant for use 
and afterward passed an examination where- 
by he won a certificate as a hoisting engineer. 
He then had charge of the Stone Coal Com- 
pany at St. Louis as its superintendent, acting 
in that capacity until the plant was sold. His 
father then removed to Litchfield, Illinois, 
while the son came to Decatur, arriving in 
this city on the 13th of February, 1901. He 
then purchased the business of the Nives & 
Koons Coal Company, which he has since con- 
ducted on his own account. He does a large 
retail business in the sale of anthracite and 
cannel coal, Indiana block coke and also bi- 
tuminous coal. He is agent for the Spring- 
field Coal Company and also the Litchfield 
Power Com.pany and through his business 
connections has become an important factor 
in the development of the coal resources of 
the state, his work being of an important 
character that contributes not alone to his 
prosperity, but also to the advancement of 
business activity in this section of t'he state. 
Mr. Crabb is also the owner of the Glen 
Echo Stock farm, which is situated one mile 
north of Decatur and is devoted to the breed- 
ing and raising of fine horses. 

In 1900 Mr. Crabb was united in marriage 
to Miss Blanche Davis, a daughter of David 
and Blanche (Keating) Davis. They now 
have one daughter, Sallie Margaret. Mr. 
Crabb is quite prominent socially and belongs 
to the Benevolent. Protective Order of Elks, 
to W. C. Roe Camp. No. 7201, M. W. A., and 
to the Decatur and Country Clubs. In his 
political views he is a Republican. A young 
man of unusual business ability, of progressive 
ideas and unfaltering energy, he has gained 
for himself a prominent place in the business 



S76 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



world and has also through his genial man- 
ner and unfailing courtesy become a popular 
citizen of Decatur and one who has gained 
nianv friends. 



HENRY L. ARCHER. 

Since 1862 Henry L.' Archer has been a 
resident of Decatur and for over a third of 
a century he was identified witli the business 
interests of the city, but is now living a re- 
tired life in his pleasant home at" 1021 East 
Cantrell street. He was bom in Oldham 
county, Kentucky, on the 20th of February, 
1845, ^ son of Thomas L. and Amelia Archer, 
both of whom were natives of the Blue Grass 
state, where they continued to reside until 
their removal to Decatur in 1862. Owing to 
ill health the father Uved retired during his 
stay here and after going to Moultrie county, 
Illinois, in 1870. He died in that county while 
his wife passed away in Chicago. They were 
the parents of four children who are still liv- 
ing, namely: Henn,- L. ; Isaac, who is em- 
ployed in the Union Iron Works of Decatur; 
Samuel, a farmer of Edgar county, Illinois; 
and Mrs. C. F. Re>-nolds. who is living in 
Chicago. 

Henrv L. Archer pursued ins education in 
the public schools of his native state. In 1856, 
at the age of eleven years, he first came to 
Illinois, and settled in ^Moultrie count>-. where 
he worked at odd jobs for two years. At 
the end of that time he returned to Kentucky 
and made his home with his parents until 
the removal of the family to Decatur in 1862. 
Here his father and brother-in-law purchased 
a saloon, which our subject assisted in carry- 
ing on until about the close of the Civil war, 
when he enlisted on the 17th of February. 
1865. as orderly sergeant in Company I. One 
Hundred and Fiftieth Illinois \olunteer In- 
fantr>-, under Captain Walter Barnes and 
Colonel Keener. The company was in no 
engagements as the fighting was all ahead of 
them. Thev went first to Louisville, Ken- 



tucky, then on to Nashville, Tennessee, Sa- 
vannah and Atlanta, Georgia. At the last 
named place Mr. .\rcher was discharged on 
the 16th of January, i866. Returning to 
Decatur he purchased a dray line and en- 
gaged in the dray and transfer business for 
several years «r until 1896. During that year 
he purchased the Brunswick Hotel saloon, 
which he conducted for eighteen months and 
then sold out in 1898 on account of ill health 
and has since lived retired, having in the 
meantime accumulated sufficient capital to 
enable him to lay aside all business cares and 
spend the remainder of his life in ease and 
quiet. 

On the 30th of January, 1S70. Mr. Archer 
married Miss Aurella Chilcote, of this county. 
Her father, Robert Chilcote, was an early 
settler of Macon county, and is now living 
retired in Decatur. Air. and Mrs. Ardier 
have one child, Bonnie Hazel. The wife and 
mother is a member of the Qirisiian church 
of Decatur and is a most estimable lady. 
Fraternally Mr. Archer is connected with the 
Grand Army Post of Decatur, and politically 
is identified with the Republican party. He 
has never cared for official honors but has 
always taken a deep interest in public af- 
fairs and is as true to his duties of citizenship 
in days of peace as in time of war. He is 
widely and favorably known and in the city 
where he has made his home for over forty 
years he has a host of warm friends who es- 
teem him highly. 



ECKH.\RDT C. STEIN. 
Eckhardt C. Stein, the president and man- 
ager of the Decatur Model Laundr>- Com- 
pany, was bom in \\"aterloo, Waterloo coun- 
ty, Ontario, October 4, 1858. and is a son 
of Henn." and Christine (Wegfahrt) Stein, 
who were natives of Germany. The father 
was a bricklayer by trade and he and his 
wife are now residing in Berlin, Ontario. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



877 



Henry Stein left the fatherland when a young 
man, although his parents remained in Ger- 
man^■. Crossing the Atlantic to the new 
world he took up his abode in Canada, where 
he has since remained. Unto him and his 
wife have been born five children, of whom 
Eckhardt C. is the eldest. The others are 
Christian, William, Martha, and Annie, de- 
ceased. 

In taking up the personal history of Eck- 
hardt C. Stein we present to our readers the 
life record of one who is well known in De- 
catur, because of his activity and honorable 
business interests here. Having acquired his 
education in the public schools of his native 
country he started out in life on his own ac- 
count when twenty-one years of age, first 
being employed as a painter by the firm of 
Hoffman & Company, furniture dealers and 
manufacturers of Berlin, Ontario. He con- 
tinued with that house for three and a half 
years and then entered the employ of the 
firm of Reiner & Stein, millers of Wellesly, 
Ontario, with whom he was associated for 
six years. The junior partner in this enter- 
prise was Eckhardt Stein, an uncle of our 
subject. On severing his connection with 
that house Mr. Stein of this review was em- 
ployed by the Commercial Milling Company 
of Detroit, Michigan, for a year, after which 
he returned to tlie employ of Reiner & Stein, 
with whom he continued for a number of 
years longer. Desiring to try his fortune in 
the northwest, however, he removed to Spo- 
kane Falls, \^^ashington, and spent one year 
in the Echo Jilills of that place. In 1889 he 
came to Illimiis, locating in Decatur, where 
he has since made his home. Here he was 
first employed in the Decatur Furniture Fac- 
tory, for one }ear, and then became asso- 
ciated with W. Lewis in the feed business 
under the firm name of Lewis & Stein. This 
relationship was maintained for one year, 
when together with P. M. Brookshier he 
purchased the Decatur Steam Laundry. That 
partnership was maintained for a few months. 



after which ]\Ir. Brookshier sold his interest 
to Harry E. Ehrman, who was Mr. Stein's 
partner for a time, but the latter sold out to 
Mr. Ehrman. He afterward continued as 
manager of the plant for a while. He then 
bought a laundry with John H. Rainey as 
an associate partner and conducted this busi^ 
ness for three and a half years. F. H. Whit- 
mer, who about this time purchased the De- 
catur Steam Laundry, entered into business 
relations with Mr. Stein and Rainey and the 
two plants were consolidated under the name 
of the Decatur Model Laundry Company in 
1898. The company was composed of. Mr. 
Stein, F. H. Whitmer and John H. Rainey, 
the subject of this review being the president 
and manager, which positions he has ever 
most acceptably filled since 1899. His present 
partners in the enterprise are Lulu Whitmer, 
who IS the vice president of the company, 
while Frank H. \M:itmer is the secretary 
and treasurer. 

In 1887 Mr. Stein was united in marriage 
to I\Iiss Magdelena Fretus, who resided near 
Argenta in this county. They have four 
children : Martin, Emelie, Bertha and 
Lauda. Canada has furnished to the United 
States many bright, enterprising young men 
who have left that country to enter the busi- 
ness circles of the Republic with its more 
progressive methods, livelier competition and 
advancement more quickly secured. Among 
this number is Mr. Stein. He sought wider 
fields in which to give full scope to his am- 
bition and his activity — his dominant qual- 
ities. He found the opportunities he sought 
in the freedom and appreciation of the grow- 
ing middle portion of the United States. 
Though born across the border he is thor- 
oughly American in thought and feeling and 
is patriotic and sincere in his love for the 
stars and stripes. 



TAMES E. OSBORNE. 
There is no rule for achieving success. 
The man who can rise from the ranks to a 



878 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



l)osition of eminence is he who can see and 
utilize the opportunitie* that surround his 
]);ith. The essential conditions of human life 
are ever the same, the surroundings of in- 
dividuals differ but slightly ; and, when one 
man passes another on the highwa}' to reach 
the goal of prosperity before others who per- 
haps started out before him, it is because he 
has the power to use advantages which proba- 
bly encompass the whole human race. 

To-da}- among the prominent men of the 
entire west stands James E. Osborne, and 
his name at once brings to mind one of the 
important industries of the country — the de- 
velopment of the oil resources. Mr. Osborne 
was born at Greens Fork, Wayne county, In- 
diana, on the 7th of September, i860, and is 
a son of Cyrus and Hannah A. (Mui"phy) 
Osborne. The paternal grandfather was Al- 
mire Osborne, a native of New York, while 
the maternal grandfather of our subject was 
born in (Jhio. whence he removed to Indi- 
ana, s])ending his last days in West Lebanon, 
that state. Cyrus Osborne was born in New 
York and became a stockdealer of Indiana, 
where he carried on business for a time, later 
removing to Decatur to make his home with 
his son, James E. He died January 28, 1903, 
at the age of seventy-three years and his 
widow, now surviving, is a member of the 
family of (uir subject. Unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Cyrus Osborne were born eight children, of 
whom James E. Osborne was the sixth in 
order of birth. Those now living are M. L., 
a resident of Indianapolis ; Mary, the wife of 
W. P. Kanode ; and Zora, the wife of E. I". 
I'annLll. 

The fourth surviving member of the fam- 
ily is Mr. Osborne, whose name introduces 
this record. He was reared upon the home 
farm and attended the public schools. In his 
early youth he learned telegraphy, but not 
finding that a congenial occupation he came 
to Decatur in October, 1890, and here ac- 
cepted a position as a clerk in the sheriff's 
office. He was afterward employed in a cler- 



ical capacity in the office of the recorder and 
in 1891 he entered the employ of the Pacific 
Express Company. He has since been agent 
for the company in Decatur and has assumed 
other responsibilities at various points for the 
company. ?klr. Osborne, however, has made 
his wealth through speculation. He began 
dealing in real estate and, finding that it 
pro\ed profitable, he laid out an addition to 
Decatur in which he realized five thousand 
dollars, this forming the nucleus of his pres- 
ent extensive capital. Believing that he might 
profit by operations in Chicago real estate he 
also began purchasing property there and now 
enjoys a good income from two or three flat 
buildings in that city, together with dozens 
of properties in Decatur. When Texas oil 
began attracting the attention of the public 
Mr. Osborne was informed by a friend that 
if he would come to the Lone Star state he 
might have the opportunity of a lifetime 
there. Proceeding southward he investigated 
the condition of the oil fields and at length 
purchased more than two thousand acres of 
land just across the Louisiana line from the 
iJeaumont field, on what is known as the 
Jennings property. He purchased a portion 
of this at a very low figure, but for about 
seven acres he paid two thousand dollars per 
acre. Mr. Osborne and his friends then or- 
ganized a company, our subject being the 
l)rimc mover in the establishment of what is 
now the Southern Oil Company, of Jennings, 
Louisiana. This was formed in 190 1. E. F. 
Rawson is president of the company with 
Mr. Osborne as president of the board of 
directors antl the business manager of the 
enterprise. Contracts for four wells were let, 
but the first proved "dry" and the second was 
not a success, Inil the third known as the 
Jennings Gusher has won fame for the South- 
ern Company and brought wealth to its mem- 
bers. Ninety thousantl barrels of oil have 
flowed from the Jennings well No. 3, in a 
test run of one day and the first output oi 
the company was seventy-five thousand bar- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



879 



rels per day. There are now five wells in 
operation, and the quality of oil produced 
is better than that secured from the Beaumont 
field. Mr. Osborne, who retains some of his 
original land holdings, was offered forty thou- 
sand dollars an acre for four acres within a 
short distance of the gusher. He refused to 
sell, however, although by proper manipula- 
tion he might have realized one hundred 
thousand dollars from a few acres of ground. 
He is also the originator of the Northern Oil 
Company in the same field. This was or- 
ganized in 1902 and has an output from four 
wells of twenty-four hundred barrels of oil 
per day. He also organized the Columbia 
Oil Company and is now one of the best 
known oil men, operating in Texas and Lou- 
isiana fields. He has, however, not confined 
his attention entirely to this one line, but has 
made judicious investments in other prop- 
erties. He is the president of the Star Gold 
Mining Company at Cripple Creek, Colorado, 
which was organized in 1903. Recently he 
has made a purchase of forty-three acres of 
land at Yellville, Arkansas, and has laid it 
out into lots, which is known as the Osborne 
addition to that city. He has unusual powers 
as a business manager of tact and discrimina- 
tion. The successful speculator is not he who 
places his money carelessly in any investment 
which on the face seems to promise good re- 
turns, but he who studies closely the situa- 
tions, keeps in touch with the progress and 
thoroughly understands the investments 
which he makes. Such a man is Mr. Osborne 
and his success therefore is richly merited 
and has been capably won. 



SAMUEL T. WEBB. 
Samuel T. Webb became a resident of 
Macon county in 1873 and continued to re- 
side within its borders until his life's labors 
were ended in death. The salient features 
in his career and his strong traits of char- 



acter were such as made him a leading and 
highly respected citizen of his community 
and it was therefore with the deepest re- 
gret that his many friends learned of his 
demise. He was a native of Fairfield coun- 
ty, Ohio, born on the 27th of July, 1834, 
his parents being Garrett and Verlinda 
(Bright) Webb, both of whom were natives 
of Ohio. His father engaged in farming in 
Fairfield county during the greater part of 
his life and both he and his wife passed 
away there. 

Samuel T. Webb was the only one of 
the family that ever came to Macon county. 
He pursued his education in the common 
sctiools of his native county and was reared 
on the old family homestead, early gaining 
accurate knowledge of farming methods and 
of agricultural life in all of its departments. 
He was married in Fairfield county, Ohio, 
to Miss Harriet Wilson, whose birth oc- 
curred in Fairfield county on the i6th of 
March, 1837, and who was a daughter of 
David and Elizabeth (Bobst) Wilson, the 
former a native of Virginia and the latter 
of Philadelphia. Removing to Fairfield 
county, C)hio, her father was there engaged 
in farmmg until the outbreak of the Civil 
war, when he removed to Morgan county, 
Missouri, there making his home for a few 
years. He afterward lived with his chil- 
dren until he was called to his final rest. 
Throughout his active business career his 
attention was devoted to agricultural pur- 
suits. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Webb 
was blessed with a family of ten children, 
of whom six are now living. Clinton and 
Creighton were twins and the former now 
resides in the village of Macon, Illinois, 
where he is engaged in general merchan- 
dise and in the drug business, being a prom- 
inent and enterprising man of that town. 
Creighton is a salesman in the store of 
James W. Race, of Decatur. Francis is a 
traveling salesman, also residing in Decatur. 
Charles vet makes his home in this citv. 



880 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Burton is employed by the firm of Linn & 
Scruggs of Decatur. Clara May is at home 
with her mother. Those who have passed 
away are Robert, James, Mary, Lillian and 
one that died in infancy. 

At the time of his marriage Samuel T. 
Webb took up his abode upon a farm in 
Fairfield county, Ohio, where he resided un- 
til 1873, when he removed to the middle 
west, establishing his home in ;\iacon 
county, Illinois. Here he leased a farm 
situated about two and a half miles east 
of the village of Macon in Macon township 
and at once began its improvement and 
cultivation. He was engaged in general 
farming there for several years, but when 
his health became impaired he removed to 
the village of Macon, where he resided until 
his death. He passed away May 30, 1889, 
at the age of fifty-five years, respected by 
all who knew him. His widow later re- 
moved to Decatur and purchased her pres- 
ent home at No. 274 West Wood street, 
where she and her daughter now reside. 
.\lr. ^\'ebb was a very successful farmer 
careful in all his business undertakings, sys- 
tematic in his work and energetic and en- 
terprising. iVs the years passed by he har- 
vested good crops and found a ready sale 
upon the market for his products, thus an- 
nually adding to his income. Both he and 
his wife were .Methodists in religious faith 
and she now holds membership in the First 
.\lethodist Episcopal church in Decatur. In 
his political views he was an earnest Re- 
publican, but never sought or held office, 
preferring to give his time and attention 
to his business aft'airs. In everything re- 
lating to the general welfare he was pro- 
gressive and took a deep interest in move- 
ments for the public good. His life was 
quietly passed and yet his history contains 
many lessons that are worthy of emula- 
tion for he was ever upright and honorable 
and lived at peace with his fellow men. 



ANDREW J. DUNSTON. 

Andrew J. Dunston was born April 9, 1852, 
in Cincinnati, Ohio, the third in a family of 
twelve children, nine of whom are now living. 
His father, George Dunston, was of English 
lineage, and was born on the 2d of Alarch, 
1818, in Lincolnshire, England. He was a 
youth of twelve years when, in 1830, he 
crossed the Atlantic to the new world, land- 
ing in Canada. He afterward made his home 
in Michigan, subsequently lived in Ohio and 
in 1856 became a resident of Illinois. By oc- 
cupation he was a farmer, following that voca- 
tion throughout his business career. He was 
quite successful as an agriculturist. In 1869 
he removed to Carleton, Missouri, where he 
sjjent his remaining days, his death there oc- 
curring June 7, 1889, while his wife died on 
the 30th of July, 1874. He wedded Mary 
Jane (irinies, who was of Irish extraction, and 
they liecame the parents of the following 
named: Jacob and Harriet, now deceased; 
Andrew J.; Emily; Frank; Horace Greelej'; 
Fannie ; tjcorge ; Harvey ; Laura ; Olive ; and 
Sarah, who has lik-ewise passed awa}-. 

Andrew J. Dunston of this review obtained 
his early education in one of the primitive 
log schoolhouseS of Illinois known as the old 
Green school, in Adams county, this state. He 
put aside his text books at the age of fifteen 
years and began earning his own living by 
working as a farm hand, in which capacity he 
was emplovLd for two \ears. At the age of 
nineteen he was apprenticed to the trade of 
horse-shoeing under Edward Cassiday, of 
Quincy, Illinois, servmg for a term of three 
years. In 1872 he came to Macon county, 
settling in Decatur, where he worked for 
others for two \ears and then in 1874 opened 
a slioj) of his own on North Jackson street. 
In 1882 he bought a lot and built a shop at 
No. 336 E^st I'rairie street, where he con- 
tinued in business until 1892, when he re- 
moved to 136 South Franklin street, building 
there his present shop. Here he has remained 
continuously since and he is. the only shoer 



Pr.^f AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



881 



of, race horses in Decatur. He has followed 
this branch of the business since 1874 and has 
received a liberal patronage, doing this im- 
portant work in a most capable manner. 

On the 26th of July, 1876, in St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
Dunston and Miss Martha Crowfoot, a native 
of South Bend, Indiana. They have two chil- 
dren : George W. and Frank G. The former 
married Helen Schroeder, a native of Decatur, 
and they have a daughter, Sarah Jane Dun- 
ston. George Dunston holds a responsible 
business position in connection with the 
Standard Oil Company. He possesses su- 
perior musical talent and ability, having 
studied, under Francis Fisher Powers and 
George Ellis-Holmes and was graduated with 
Signer Marescalchi. He is a graduate of the 
high school of Decatur and other institutions 
and is a gentleman of scholarly attainments. 
He is also regarded as one of the finest vo- 
calists in Decatur, and his musical talent ren- 
ders him a favorite in social circles, where he 
contributes much to the general enjoyment. 
The younger son is a partner of his father, 
carrying on business under the firm style of 
A. J. Dunston & Son. He married Miss 
Myrtle Hogue, August 27, 1903, of Mattoon, 
Illinois. 

Mr. Dunston of this review owns a pleasant 
residence at No. 304 East Wood street. In 
politics he is independent and has never 
sought or desired ofifice. His entire attention 
has been given to his business aiifairs and his 
capability in the line of his pursuit has re- 
sulted in bringing to him a very desirable 
competence. 



JOHN W. FLETCHER. ' 
, John W. Fletcher, who is engaged in the 
dairy business, was born in Christian county, 
Illinois, near the town of Mount Auburn, De- 
cember 2, 1847, his parents being Griffin T. 
and Martha (Churchill) Fletcher. His pa- 
ternal grandfather was lames Fletcher, a 



native of Kentucky, and his last days were 
spent in Decatur. Griffin T. Fletcher was 
born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, and at an 
early period in the development and improve- 
ment of Illinois came to this state. He en- 
tered one hundred and sixty acres of land from 
the government in Qiristian county in 1831 
and there improved a farm, upon which he 
made his home until 1855. In that year he re- 
moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, where he 
became the owner of four hundred acres of 
land, which he cultivated successfully until 
1872. lliat year witnessed his arrival in De- 
catur township, Macon county, Illinois, where 
he spent his remaining days. While at Mount 
Auburn, in company with A. D. Northcutt, he 
purchased and sold stock, both cattle and hogs, 
driving them in large numbers to the St. Louis 
market. This was at an early day before the 
advent of the railroads and Abraham Lincoln 
assisted these gentlemen in driving their stock 
on three different trips. In his farming and 
stock-dealing operations Mr. Fletcher became 
very prosperous, securing a good profit as the 
result of his investments and labors. In his 
political aiifairs he was an earnest Democrat 
and he belonged to the Masonic fraternity. He 
was also a member of the Christian church in 
which he took a very active part. He served 
for some years as one of its elders and his fine 
voice made him a valued addition to the mu- 
sical circles of the church. He was united in 
marriage on the i6th of June, 1833, to Miss 
Martha Churchill, a daughter of John 
Churchill, who was born in Maysville, Ken- 
tucky, and at an early day came to Illinois, 
settling in Sangamon county, whence he re- 
moved to Macon county in 1872. Mr. 
Fletcher, who was born in 1810, passed away 
September 6, 1883, and his wife died on the 
2d of January, 1896. They were the parents 
of the following named children : Thomas, 
Mary, Jane, Rhoda E., David C, James L., 
John W., Willis, Abel P. and Martha Joseph- 
ine. Thomas, Willis and Jane are now de- 
ceased. 



882 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



Upon the lionie farm under the parental roof 
John \V. Fletcher spent the days of his boy- 
hood. His educational privileges were some- 
what limited because of the primitive conditit)n 
of the schools of that time and because his 
services were needed upon the home farm. He 
was married in Knox county, Illinois, and then 
engaged in farming from 1872 until 1882. On 
the expiration of that period he removed to 
Decatur, where he turned his attention to the 
dairy business, and is now the oldest repre- 
sentative of this line of activity in the city. 
He started upon his business career without 
ca])ital, but now has a comfortable home in 
the midst of attractive surroundings and be 
takes a just pride in keeijing uj) his place in 
every particular. His lias been a strenuous 
life and his diligence and enterprise have 
formed the foundation of his very desirable 
success. 

On the nth of May, 1870, Mr. Fletcher was 
united in marriage to Miss Emma Clevenger, 
a daughter of David and Eliza (Taylor) Clev- 
enger. Her father was born in Ohio near 
Circleville and was a miller by trade. In 1853 
he removed with his family to Bureau county, 
Illinois, at which time Mrs. Fletcher was about 
six months old. In that county he resided for 
eight years and then went to Knox county, 
this state, establishing his home in Abingdon. 
He died June 7, 1866, at the age of forty-nine 
years. His religious faith was that of the 
Christian church and his political belief was 
in accord with the principles of the Republican 
party. He bad good knowledge of general 
business and was a broad reader, gaining ex- 
tended information of many subjects. He mar- 
ried Miss Eliza Ann Taylor on the 15th of 
March, 1842. She was lx>rn in Pennsylvania 
and in her earlv girlhood days went with her 
parents. William and Betsey Taylor, to Ohio 
and afterward removed to Knox county.' Illi- 
nois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Metcher were born 
five children: Daisy, who is the wife of E. S. 
Gray : Thcron W. : Estella, who died at the 
age of twenty-three years; drififin Taylor: and 



.Minnie E., the widow of Dr. J. E. Ludea, of 
Crowley, Louisiana. 

Mr. Fletcher holds membership relations 
with the Moilern Woodmen of .\merica and 
with the Masonic fraternity. He was made a 
Mason in 1894 and is a member of Macon 
Lodge, No. 8, of Decatur, while bis wife and 
daughter Estella belong to Chapter No. iii, 
Order of the Eastern Star. He belongs to the 
Christian church and has led a life that has 
reflected credit upon the church and secret 
societies which he represents. His business 
relations have been all that is honorable be- 
tween bis fellow men and himself and the suc- 
cess he has achieved is attributable entirely to 
his own efiforts, for without financial aid at 
the beginning of his career he has worked 
his wav upward to the plane of aBhience. 



W.\SHI.\(iTOX S. S.MITH. 

Washington S. Smith, a well known grain 
dealer of Mount Zion, Illinois, was born in 
lialh county, Kentucky, September 27, 1850, 
and is a son of lienjamin and Frances 
(Stoner) Smith, who were natives of \'irginia 
and Kentucky, respectively. It was in 1857 
that the family came to Illinois and located 
in Decatur. The parents removed to Mount 
Zion in 1890, and there, the father died in De- 
cember, lyot, at the ripe old age of eighty- 
three years, and the mother passed away in 
June, 1902, at the age of seventy-nine. They 
had eight children, all of whom are still living, 
namely: Wheeden C, a resident of Decatur; 
Mary E.. wife of Robert X. Henderson; Mi- 
nerva M., wife of E. O. Humphrey, of Chi- 
cago; Washington S., of this sketch; Maria 
R., of Decatur; Nannie S., wife of O. M. 
Scott, of South Wheatland township, Macon 
cmnit}- : .\nna R., wife of H. N. Greene, of La 
Place. Illinois: and J. Davis, of Decatur. 

Washington S. Smith had but limited educa- 
tional advantages during bis boyhood, attend- 
ing the subscription schools for only a short 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COIT.J^TY. 



883 



time, but his training at farm work was not 
so meager. He remained under the parental 
roof until 1881, when he commenced operating 
a farm and was engaged in farming and stock- 
raising exclusively until July, 1900, when he 
purchased the grain business of J. A. Roney, 
of Hervey City, Illinois. A year later he pur- 
chased of George B. Spitler of Mount Zion 
a grain elevator and coal business and at the 
end of another year acquired through pur- 
chase the elevator and grain business of 
George E. Davidson at Prairie Hall, Illinois, 
so that he is new the owner of three good 
elevators in Macon county and is one of its 
largest grain dealers. Mr. Smith handles both 
corn and oats and ships his grain to Chicago, 
Detroit, Indianapolis, Terre Haute and many 
southern points. 

In 1881 j\Ir. Smith was united in marriage 
to Miss Gertrude Ulery, a daughter of Eli and 
Mary Ulery, and to them have been born four 
children, as follows : Gladys, Sidney M., Guy 
U. and Paul S. Socially Mr. Smith is a mem- 
ber of Mount Zion Lodge, No. 300, I. O. O. 
F., with which he has been connected since 
1880, and he afifiliates with the Democratic 
party. In former years he took quite an active 
and prominent part in political afifairs ; was a 
member of the board of supervisors from 1885 
until 1890 and chairman of that important 
body in 1889 and 1890. In the fall of the 
latter year he was elected to the general as- 
sembly and re-elected in 1892. On the expira- 
tion of his term of office he concluded to retire 
from active politics and give his entire time 
to his business interests, which he finds much 
more congenial to his tastes than poHtics. 



JAMES D. VAN GUNDY. 
James D. Van Gundy is a retired farmer re- 
siding at No. 995 West Marietta street in De- 
catur. He was born in Scott county, Illinois, 
on the 26th of September, 1855, a son of John 
and Sarah (Scobey) Van Gundy, who Were 



also natives of Scott county, where the father 
carried on farming until 1873, ^^ which time 
he removed to Macon county, purchasing a 
farm in Milam township. There he carried 
on agricultural pursuits until 1896, when he 
removed to Decatur and has since lived a re- 
tired life save that he has some financial in- 
. terests and is now the vice president of the 
Macon County Telephone Company. He is a 
prominent and well known citizen of Decatur 
and with his family resides at No. 1357 North 
Water street. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Van Gundy 
were born nine children, of whom seven are 
now living. 

At the usual age James D. Van Gundy be- 
gan his education as a student in the public 
schools of his native county and when he had 
mastered the branches of learning tlierein 
taught he put aside his text books and turned 
his attention to agricultural pursuits in Scott 
county. As a companion and helpmate for the 
journey of life he chose Miss Frances E. 
Cowle, their marriage being celebrated in Shel- 
by county, Illinois. The lady is a native of 
Madison county, this state, born on the 12th 
of September, 1853, ^"d is a daughter of 
Daniel and Rosa Anna (Fanning) Cowle, the 
former born on the Isle of Man, while the 
latter was a native of New Jersey. For a 
number of years they resided in Madison coun- 
ty, Illinois, where the father engaged in farm- 
ing and in 1865 they removed to Shelby coun- 
ty, this state, where Mr. Cowle carried on 
agricultural pursuits until his death. His wife 
also died in the same county. 

iXfter his marriage Mr. Van Gundy engaged 
in farming in Shelby county for a year and 
then removed to Moweaqua, Illinois, where 
he was engaged in the manufacture of tile for 
a year. He next took up his abode in Kansas^ 
where he carried on agricultural pursuits for 
one year. On the expiration of one year he 
returned to his native state and settled in 
Milam township, Macon county, purchasing 
a tract of land in section 13. With character- 
istic energy he began its cultivation and de- 



884 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



velopment and continued there to engage in 
general farming until 1903, when he removed 
to the city of Decatur in order that he might 
live a retired life here. He still owns, how- 
ever, a farm of two hundred acres of valuable 
land in Milam township and the rental there- 
from brings him a good income. He is also 
the owner of a nice residence at No. 995 West 
Marietta street, where he and his family are 
living. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Van Gundy have 
been born two children : Charles E., who is 
employed by the Weare Manufacturing Com- 
pany of Decatur; and Florence Lillian, at 
home. The Van Gundy family is a prominent 
and well known one in Macon county and the 
subject of this review has a wide acquaintance 
and the esteem of all with whom he has been 
brought in contact. In politics he has always 
been a Democrat, but has never sought or de- 
sired office, preferring to devote his time and 
energies to his business affairs, in which he 
has met with creditable success. 



RUDOLPH H. SCHROEDER. 

Rudolph H. Schroeder. now engaged in 
farming and stock-raising on section 15, lUini 
township, was born on the 3d of May, 1856, 
in Milford, Massachusetts, about twenty miles 
from Boston, and is a son of Rudolph Max 
and Mary (Hagely) Schroeder. During his 
boyhood he accompanied his parents on their 
removal to Monroe, Wisconsin, where the 
father conducted the first shoe shop in the 
place. There our subject attended school until 
twelve years of age, working in a pop factory 
at fifty cents per day during his vacations, 
and while in school taking care of a drayman's 
horses, wagon and barn, for which service 
he received two dollars and a half per week. 
After leaving school he served a three years' 
apprenticeship to the tinner's trade with Ja- 
cob Schuler and was given three dollars per 
week. 

Leaving Monroe in 1870 Mr. Schroeder 



came with the family to Macon county, Illinois, 
and his father erected the first house in the 
present town of Warrensburg and to him was 
delivered the first goods over what is now 
the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railroad, 
which had just been built. Ovir subject en- 
tered the employ of A. T. Little, who was then 
conducting a hardware and tin shop at the 
southeast corner of the park in Decatur, and 
was given ten dollars at the end of the first 
week although there was no stipulated salary. 
Later he worked by the piece and made as 
high as eighteen dollars per week. While in 
that employ he manufactured twenty-two thou- 
sand patented fire kindlers. During the panic 
of 1 87 1 he lost his position and returned to 
his father's home in Warrensburg, where he 
worked at anything he could find to do, re- 
ceiving from one dollar and a half to two dol- 
lars per day. For a time he assisted his father 
in his harness shop, and in 1873 took charge 
of his father's farm one mile north of War- 
rensburg but continued to live in town and 
work in the shop at night. In the spring of 
1 88 1 he was made overseer of a three hundred 
and twenty-acre farm and boarded with 
Charles H. Faith, one and a quarter miles from 
Warrensburg, for two years. During the dull 
season on the farm he worked at the carpen- 
ter's trade for J. M. Keefer, of Warrensburg, 
and continued to follow that occupation until 
1886. About this time he purchased five lots 
in the village, but during his wife's illness 
came very near losing his property but man- 
aged to save it and built thereon a nice resi- 
dence, now occupied by C. J. Tucker. Mr. 
Schroeder conducted a restaurant in Warrens- 
burg for a time and after his father's death 
had charge of the harness shop until 
his brother Will took possession. He then 
embarked in the tin manufacturing business 
and afterward added hardware to his stock, 
building the north end of the shop now occu- 
pied by his brother Will. He was a member 
of the firm of Ed White & Company, and when 
the firm failed he assumed a part of the debts 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY. 



885 



■and carried on the business alone, lie covered 
with corrugated iron the elevator of William 
Ritchie and also the one that was burned be- 
longing to Victor Dewein, on the site of the 
present elevator of Faith & Dewein. He also 
put a tin roof on the last named, soldering it 
all at night and doing the entire job alone. 
Subsequently he was a member of the firm of 
Schroeder Brothers and since selling out busi- 
ness has been conducted under the name 
of Fred E. Schroeder. 

For the past five seasons our subject has 
lived in Illini township on the farm belonging 
to Francis Winslow, of Decatur, and has en- 
gaged in general farming, operating two hun- 
dred and forty-seven acres of land with the 
assistance of his sons. He keeps a good grade 
of stock, including fifteen horses and colts, 
a number of cows, hogs and sheep. He 
began the sheep industry with twenty-three 
ewes but now has thirty and has raised fifty- 
seven lambs. He sells the latter when they 
are about three months old. During his five 
years' experience he has lost only five sheep 
and he derives a good income from his wool. 

On the 26th of July, 1882, Mr. Schroeder 
married Miss Alpha Retta Akers, a daughter 
of O'Neill and Eliza Jane Akers. She was 
born, reared and educated in Woodsfield, Mon- 
roe county, Ohio, and in 1881 came to War- 
rensburg to live with her aunt, Mrs. Dr. 
Dempsey. Our subject and his wife have 
seven children: Manzy, born April 3, 1883; 



Earl, February, 1885 ; Emmett, March i, 
1887; Charley, September 26, 1889; Carrie, 
December 26, 1893; Max, July 26, 1896; and 
Catherine, December 31, 1900. She was born 
in one century and dressed for the first time 
in the next. 

Mr. Schroeder is prominently identified with 
several civic societies. In 1880 he became a 
charter member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, 
No. 600, of Forsythe, and now belongs to De- 
catur Encampment, No. 37, I. O. O. F., De- 
catur Canton, No. 19, Patriarchs Militant. He 
is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of 
America, the Royal Neighbors, the Ridgley 
Protective Association and the Rebekahs, hav- 
ing been a member of the Sovereign grand 
lodge of the last named order for fiffteen 
years. Flis wife is also a member of the 
Royal Neighbors and Rebekahs and takes quite 
an active and prominent part in the work of 
the latter organization. She has taken the 
Chevalier and Uniform degrees of the Patri- 
arch Militant, and is now serving her eleventh 
year as noble grand and captain. She is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church of 
Warrensburg and like her husband is highly 
respected and esteen\ed by all who know her. 
Mr. Schroeder was reared a Democrat and 
affiliated with that party for some time, but 
for the past ten years has voted the Repub- 
lican ticket. For thirteen years he has ef- 
ficiently filled the office of constable and has 
served as bailifif under three different sheriffs. 



